Evaluating treatment pathways for managing packaging materials from construction of a solar photovoltaic power station

Abstract

The reuse of end-of-life packaging materials (EOLPM) on site represents, particularly for remote sites, an important contribution to sustainable business practice because it provides a higher value end use when used to develop on-site mulch to enable soil improvement, thereby reducing transport emissions (in relation to the least preferred option of off-site disposal to landfill), lowering costs and offering employment to local contractors. The objective of the study was to demonstrate a local application of the circular economy for EOLPM to a utility-scale solar electricity (USSE) construction site. Although the principles of the circular economy could not be applied fully at the site, it was possible to demonstrate that EOLPM can be reused on site for a higher value than off-site disposal would give. Given the common occurrence of these materials in the rapidly growing renewable energy sector, this represents an important step forward for the sector internationally. The study is the first of its type reported, and the methods used for characterization of the EOLPM included a range of organic and inorganic chemical analyses and phytotoxicity testing, which were followed by an environmental and financial cost-benefit analysis. The selected option of on-site reuse of the materials as a mulch had a global warming potential of 58 t CO2e compared with the business as usual option (transport to landfill) of 3145 t CO2e. The results also demonstrated the broader potential for using EOLPM from USSE sites for soil improvement at remote locations rather than transporting these materials off site for disposal or reuse.