A Zero-Waste Strategy Toward Carbon Neutrality: Circular Technology Experimentations for Life Extension of Nonrecyclable Plastic Packaging

In European cities, 99% of virgin plastics are produced using oil and natural gas as raw materials, and fossil fuels are also used to generate the heat needed during the production process. This results in the emission of about 1.2 t of CO2 into the atmosphere for every t of plastic, considering just the production phase. If CO2 emissions related to the extraction and refining of fossil fuels are also examined, the production of 1 t of plastic results in a total of about 1.7 t of direct CO2 emissions. The EU cities use about 50 million tons of plastics per year, and it’s projected that European Plastics demand will continue to grow to enable the resource efficient products needed by society. In response to that issue, the global Plastic Smart Cities movement engages all cities committed to achieving zero plastic losses to nature. Since 2018, the initiative has supported cities and coastal towns in taking bold actions to stop plastic pollution, with the goal of reducing plastic leakage by 30% in the short term and achieving zero plastic in nature by 2030.In this scenario, it is evident that there is a need for tools, strategies, and experiments that promote circular economy models applied to the project through the principles of Circular Design Thinking, contributing to a net zero strategy for carbon neutrality in the plastics supply chain. Regarding these issues, the document describes the research experience transferred to the educational experience of the authors concerning the application of Circular Design Strategies for the design of different types of modular components to be used both in outdoor environments and for exhibitions, through the upcycling of one or more objects (rigid plastic containers for food use or high packaging) with Recycling Code 3 and 7. The paper is structured in three parts: the frst part provides a thematic framework on the pollution of plastic waste in European cities; the second part identifes the challenges of future research for a zero-waste strategy toward carbon neutrality; and the third part provides experimentation through the Circular Design Thinking approach.