Publications
Studies and projects can be found under “References”.
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Third-generation biodegradable plastics – A complementary strategy to tackle the marine litter problem (2025)
The amount of plastic produced worldwide has reached 400 million metric tonnes in 2022. Estimated 3–5% of this amount ends up in the environment, where it poses significant threats to ecosystems and biodiversity. Littering, a growing global challenge, requires a combination approach to tackle its causes and mitigate its impact. There are different strategies to combat littering. But even with immediate and concerted action to reduce consumption of plastics, more than 700 million tonnes of plastic waste will cumulatively enter the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems until 2040. Waste management systems, even if improved, do not have sufficient capacity at the global level to cope with the huge mass of plastics entering the environment. Especially for plastic, which will foreseeable and inevitably enter the environment, where it can persist for hundreds of years (‘forever’ plastics), a solution is needed. Biodegradable plastics, that meet the criteria of ‘Safe and Sustainable by Design’ (SSbD) offer innovation perspectives and can be a complementary strategy to tackle the marine litter problem.
Lahl, R., Bleischwitz, R., Lahl, U., Zeschmar-Lahl, B. (2025): Third-generation biodegradable plastics – A complementary strategy to tackle the marine litter problem. Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy 2025, 44, 101925. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scp.2025.101925
Material Recycling of Plastics—A Challenge for Sustainability (2024)
The complexity of plastic polymers and even more so of additives has increased enormously in recent years. This makes the material recycling of plastic waste considerably more difficult, especially in the case of mixed plastic waste. Some additives have now been strictly regulated or even completely banned for good reasons (‘legacy additives’). Material or mechanical recycling generally uses old plastics that still contain these substances. Consequently, products that are manufactured using such recyclates are contaminated with these harmful substances. This poses a major challenge for sustainability, as there is a conflict of objectives between protecting the health of consumers, especially vulnerable groups, conserving resources and recycling, keeping material cycles ‘clean’ and destroying pollutants, and transporting them to a safe final sink. With regard to the first objective, we recommend avoiding the use of contaminated recyclates for products with intensive contact with consumers (‘contact-sensitive products’) until further notice.
In our recent article “Material Recycling of Plastics—A Challenge for Sustainability” we also show that the climate policy challenges for the plastics (and chemical) industry necessitate defossilization (‘feedstock change’). This turnaround can only succeed if solely closed-loop recycling takes place in the future; recyclates should primarily replace virgin plastics. For material or mechanical recycling, this means that this can only work if used plastics with a high degree of homogeneity and known formulation are collected separately, as is already the case today with PET bottles. The objective of this article is to illustrate the increasing complexity of plastic polymers and additives, especially legacy additives, which will force a legislative readjustment of todays’ material recycling.
Lahl U., Zeschmar-Lahl B. (2024): Material Recycling of Plastics—A Challenge for Sustainability. Sustainability 2024, 16, 6630. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16156630
Kunststoffe in der Abfallwirtschaft – closing the loop?
Lahl U., Lechtenberg D., Zeschmar-Lahl B. (2024): Kunststoffe in der Abfallwirtschaft – closing the loop?
Österr Wasser- und Abfallw (2024) 76, 7–8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00506-024-01059-y
The circular economy will be an important, if not the decisive source of raw materials for the European economy after 2030. This applies not only to the supply of metals, but also to non-fossil carbon. What about the fossil carbon in the stock (plastics)? Only if it is recycled will it not have a climate impact. However, there is currently no reliable data available on the substitution of virgin plastics with recyclates (closed loop recycling) for the relevant plastic application areas (packaging, construction products, waste electrical and electronic equipment, vehicles). In our opinion, the feedstock change (“defossilisation”) in the plastics and chemical industry that is necessary from a climate policy perspective can only succeed if physical and chemical recycling is focussed on substituting “virgin plastic” in the future. The additives contained in long-lasting plastic products pose a problem here. Many of these substances are now banned or strictly regulated (legacy additives). The additives are usually recycled together with the material during mechanical recycling. The data on the contamination of recyclates from used plastics with hazardous or banned substances is a cause for concern. Based on the data available and its toxicological assessment, we recommend a moratorium on the use of recyclates for products with a high “user proximity” (contact-sensitive products like food packaging, kitchen utensils, toys, textiles, indoor products). Recyclates from closed, monitored product cycles should not be subject to this moratorium.
More than 30 Years of PVC Recycling in Europe — Need for Regulation (Sustainability, 2024)
Lahl U., Zeschmar-Lahl B. (2024): More than 30 Years of PVC Recycling in Europe — Need for Regulation. Sustainability 2024, 16 (12), 4891. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16124891
More than 30 Years of PVC Recycling in Europe — A Critical Inventory (Sustainability, 2024)
Lahl U., Zeschmar-Lahl B. (2024): More than 30 Years of PVC Recycling in Europe — A Critical Inventory. Sustainability 2024, 16 (9), 3854. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093854
Bielefeld – eine PVC-freie Zone? (1986)
Lahl U. (1986): Bielefeld – eine PVC-freie Zone? In: Dokumentation des PVC-Hearings “Gefährden PVC-Produkte die Umwelt?” 22.10.1986, Hrsg.: Stadt Bielefeld, S. 4-5
Indicators for sustainable management of chemicals (2024)
Friege H., Heidbüchel E., Zeschmar-Lahl B.: Indicators for sustainable management of chemicals. Contributions to upcoming development work under the new Global Framework for Chemicals. Ed.: Umweltbundesamt. UBA-Texte 78/2024
Kunststoffrecycling und gefährliche Stoffe – RISK CYCLE (Müll und Abfall, 2024)
Lahl U., Lechtenberg D., Zeschmar-Lahl B. (2024): Kunststoffrecycling und gefährliche Stoffe – RISK CYCLE. (Plastics recycling and hazardous substances – RISK CYCLE). Müll und Abfall 4, 195–204
Article (in German) based on the first publication in Abfallwirtschaft und Energie 1 ( 2024)
Riskcycling (Festschrift für Martin Führ, 2023)
Lahl, U. (2023): Riskcycling – was mich mit Martin Führ verbindet. In: Julian Schenten, Bettina Brohmann, Rebecca Niebler (Hrsg.): Menschen und Moleküle in der Transformation – Festschrift für Martin Führ, sofia Berichte 2023, S. 64-65
Chemische Energien (2023)
Lahl, U. (2023): Chemische Energien. In: Hermann, W. (Hrsg.): Antriebswende. Strategien, Positionen und Meinungen zur neuen Mobilität. Molino-Verlag, 53-82 (only in German)
Leider hat sich im Text auf Seite 71 der Fehlerteufel eingeschlichen. Im „Fazit Effizienz“ muss es heißen:
Die Flächeneffizienz ist ein „pro“ für das ICE. Hingegen ist die Antriebseffizienz das zentrale »pro«, was für das BEV spricht.
Abkürzungen:
ICE = Internal Combustion Engine (Pkw mit Verbrennungsmotor)
BEV = Battery Electric Vehicle (Elektroauto mit Batterie)
Showing 434 publications
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