(193a) A Holistic Assessment Tool for Tracking and Quantifying End-of-Life Plastic Management through the Supply Chain

Plastics are widely used for their affordability and versatility across various applications.
However, the end-of-life (EoL) management stage can often lead to the release of hazardous chemical
additives and degradation products into the environment. The increasing demand for plastics is expected
to increase the frequency of material releases throughout the plastic EoL management activities, creating
a challenge for policymakers, including ensuring proper material segregation, disposal management,
recycling efficiency, and material reuse. This research introduces a Python-based EoL plastic
management tool to support decision-makers in analyzing the holistic impacts of potential plastic EoL
management policies. The constructed tool reduces the complexity of material flow analysis calculations
and estimates environmental releases and potential impacts. The utility of the tool was tested through
several hypothetical case scenarios, including (1) nationwide adoption of an extended producer
responsibility (EPR) program, (2) maintaining a circular economy for plastic and determining the
potential environment and health implications, and (3) implementing alternative plastic reprocessing into
end-of-life plastic management. The analyses projected by the tool can facilitate the prediction of long-
term outcomes, offering technical knowledge and insight for policymakers seeking to mitigate the
environmental and health impacts of plastic pollution.