Title: Sustainable recycling strategies to reduce plastic waste: application of circular economy principles and discrete event simulation modelling to beverage manufacturing industry

Authors: Boppana V. Chowdary; Angelina Rayside

Addresses: Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago ' Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago

Abstract: Efforts are arising from various organisations to push global operations into a circular economy (CE) to reduce unrecoverable waste and foster sustainable practices. The study investigates the viability of the adoption of the CE culture within a carbonated beverage manufacturing industry. The study employs discrete event simulation modelling framework to demonstrate the viability of CE strategies in the selected industrial setting. Out of the three CE strategies investigated, recycling end-of-use polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles as raw material for the production of 3D printing filament was found as the most cost-effective strategy. This research is beneficial to the carbonated beverage and the 3D printing firms, as well as for those who have been advocating for plastic waste reduction and environmental sustainability.

Keywords: 3D printing; 3DP; carbonated beverage manufacturing; circular economy; simulation modelling; plastic waste; recycling; PET material; sustainability.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPMB.2024.135752

International Journal of Process Management and Benchmarking, 2024 Vol.16 No.2, pp.139 - 163

Received: 05 Sep 2022
Accepted: 07 Sep 2022
Published online: 04 Jan 2024 *

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