Radiation Technology in Polymer Waste Recycling and Upcycling: Mechanisms, Applications, and Prospects
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30544/MMD70Abstract
Polymer waste represents a persistent environmental challenge, as conventional recycling methods often yield low-quality products and remain energy-intensive. Ionizing radiation, applied through gamma rays, electron beams, or X-rays, offers an alternative pathway for reprocessing and upcycling polymers. Radiation induces free radical formation, leading to two competing molecular transformations: chain scission, which lowers molecular weight and improves reprocessability, and cross-linking, which enhances mechanical strength and thermal stability. The outcome depends strongly on absorbed dose, dose rate, and irradiation conditions. Beyond molecular restructuring, irradiation can modify surface charge and polarity, enabling more effective sorting of mixed polymer streams. Reported applications include enhanced durability in rubber and polyethylene, improvements in food packaging films, and the production of wood–plastic composites with higher performance and market value. Comparative analyses indicate that, under optimized conditions, radiation-assisted recycling can match or surpass certain chemical methods in efficiency while delivering upcycled materials with extended service life. Current barriers include facility safety requirements, uniform treatment of heterogeneous waste, and integration into industrial recycling infrastructures. Future progress depends on pilot-scale demonstrations, dose–response optimization for common polymers, and comprehensive life-cycle assessments. These developments position radiation processing as a viable contribution to sustainable polymer waste management and the circular economy.
Keywords:
radiation technology, polymer waste, wood-plastic composites.References
Adamus-Wlodarczyk, Agnieszka, Radoslaw Wach, Piotr Ulanski, Janusz Rosiak, Marta Socka, Zois Tsinas, and Mohamad Al-Sheikhly. 2018. “On the Mechanisms of the Effects of Ionizing Radiation on Diblock and Random Copolymers of Poly(Lactic Acid) and Poly(Trimethylene Carbonate).” Polymers 10 (6): 672. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10060672.
Babaremu, Kunle, Adedapo Adediji, Nmesoma Olumba, Silifat Okoya, Esther Akinlabi, and Muyiwa Oyinlola. 2024. “Technological Advances in Mechanical Recycling Innovations and Corresponding Impacts on the Circular Economy of Plastics.” Environments 11 (3): 38. https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11030038.
Banerjee, Pratip Sankar, Jagannath Chanda, Prasenjit Ghosh, Rabindra Mukhopadhyay, Amit Das, and Shib Shankar Banerjee. 2023. “Electron Beam Radiation Technology Application in the Tyre Industry.” In: Applications of High Energy Radiations, Springer Nature Singapore, 41–77. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-9048-9_2.
Chaudhari, C. V., K. A. Dubey, and Y. K. Bhardwaj. 2023. “Radiation-Induced Degradation of Polymers: An Aspect Less Exploited.” In: Applications of High Energy Radiations, Springer Nature Singapore, 373–407. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-9048-9_12.
Clayton, Rachael, Joel Kirk, Anthony Banford, and Laurence Stamford. 2025. “A Review of Radioactive Waste Processing and Disposal from a Life Cycle Environmental Perspective.” Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy 27 (2): 665–82. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-024-02998-6.
Clough, R L. 2000 “Polymer Recycling; Potential Application of Radiation Technology.” Available at: https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/761894
CMS Andreas von Schoenberg Consulting. 2021. “Factsheet: Waste management in the Republic of Serbia 2021”. Available at: https://www.retech-germany.net/fileadmin/retech/05_mediathek/laenderinformationen/Serbia__Fact_Sheet_final.pdf
Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 on waste and repealing certain Directives, Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02008L0098-20180705
Dutta, Kingshuk, and Jaydevsinh M. Gohil. 2023. “Polymer Recycling by Radiation.” In: Applications of High Energy Radiations, Springer Nature Singapore, 347–72. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-9048-9_11.
Groh, Ksenia J., Hans Peter H. Arp, Matthew MacLeod, and Zhanyun Wang. 2023. “Assessing and Managing Environmental Hazards of Polymers: Historical Development, Science Advances and Policy Options.” Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts 25 (1): 10–25. https://doi.org/10.1039/D2EM00386D.
Grosvenor, Eleanor C., Justin C. Hughes, Cade W. Stanfield, Robert L. Blanchard, Andrea C. Fox, Olivia L. Mihok, Kristen Lee, et al. 2022. “On the Mechanism of Electron Beam Radiation-Induced Modification of Poly(Lactic Acid) for Applications in Biodegradable Food Packaging.” Applied Sciences 12 (4): 1819. https://doi.org/10.3390/app12041819.
Irimia, Anamaria, and Alin Enache. 2020. “Extended Food Shelf-Life via Gamma Irradiation Modified Kraft Paper.” Proceedings, 7230. https://doi.org/10.3390/CGPM2020-07230
Kerps, A.; Dobers, K.; Jarmer, J.-P.; Dieterle, M.; Nioac de Salles, A. C.; Maga, D. and Galafton, C.: Challenges in comparative life cycle assessment of recycling plastics – position paper, Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy CCPE (Ed.), Oberhausen/Dortmund/Pfinztal, February 2024, Available at: https://www.ccpe.fraunhofer.de/content/dam/ccpe/en/documents/position-paper/fraunhofer-ccpe-position-paper-LCA-web.pdf
Khan, Md.Musharof Hussain, Ivan Deviatkin, Jouni Havukainen, and Mika Horttanainen. 2021. “Environmental Impacts of Wooden, Plastic, and Wood-Polymer Composite Pallet: A Life Cycle Assessment Approach.” The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 26 (8): 1607–22. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-021-01953-7.
Kolluru, Shivanshu, Abhiraj Thakur, Devansh Tamakuwala, Vishnu Vijay Kumar, Seeram Ramakrishna, and Sharan Chandran. 2024. “Sustainable Recycling of Polymers: A Comprehensive Review.” Polymer Bulletin 81 (11): 9569–9610. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00289-024-05195-z.
Li, Shuyao, Yong Fan, Huaqiang Chen, Jinhui Nie, Yanxia Liang, Xinglin Tao, Jian Zhang, Xiangyu Chen, Engang Fu, and Zhong Lin Wang. 2020. “Manipulating the Triboelectric Surface Charge Density of Polymers by Low-Energy Helium Ion Irradiation/Implantation.” Energy and Environmental Science 13 (3): 896–907. https://doi.org/10.1039/c9ee03307f.
LUNGU, Ion Bogdan. 2024. “GAMMA IRRADIATION – A METHOD OF RECYCLING POLYMERIC MATERIALS.” Annals of the Academy of Romanian Scientists Series on Engineering Sciences 16 (1): 47–52. https://doi.org/10.56082/annalsarscieng.2024.1.47.
Maguire, Jeff, Moncef Krarti, and Xia Fang. 2011. “An Analysis Model for Domestic Hot Water Distribution Systems: Preprint.” 5th International Conference on Energy Sustainability and Fuel Cells, Washington D.C. Available at: https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy12osti/51674.pdf
Malviya, Rupesh Kumar, Rajesh Purohit, and Rahul Kumar Singh. 2021. “Life–Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Plastic–Wood Composites.” In: Wood Polymer Composites, Springer Singapore, 233–53. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-1606-8_12.
Martínez-Barrera, Gonzalo, Liliana Ivette Ávila-Córdoba, Miguel Martínez-López, Eduardo Sadot Herrera-Sosa, Enrique Vigueras-Santiago, Carlos Eduardo Barrera-Díaz, Fernando Ureña-Nuñez, and Nelly González-Rivas. 2015. “Gamma Radiation as a Recycling Tool for Waste Materials Used in Concrete.” In Evolution of Ionizing Radiation Research. InTech. https://doi.org/10.5772/60435.
Mountanea, Olga G., Elpida Skolia, and Christoforos G. Kokotos. 2024. “Photochemical Upcycling and Recycling of Plastics: Achievements and Future Opportunities.” Green Chemistry 26 (15): 8528–49. https://doi.org/10.1039/D4GC01556H.
Ponomarev, A. V. 2020. “Radiolysis as a Powerful Tool for Polymer Waste Recycling.” High Energy Chemistry 54 (3): 194–204. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0018143920030121.
Popović, Pavle. 2020. “Serbia needs to learn and invest to overcome plastic pollution”, European Policy Centre. Available at: https://cep.org.rs/en/blog/serbia-needs-to-learn-and-invest-to-overcome-plastic-pollution/
Ragaert, Kim, Laurens Delva, and Kevin Van Geem. 2017. “Mechanical and Chemical Recycling of Solid Plastic Waste.” Waste Management 69 (November):24–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2017.07.044.
Rajendran Saravanan. 2020. “Application of Recycled Plastics and Life Cycle Assessment”, doctoral thesis, The University of Sheffield, available at: https://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/26999/
Ramesh, P. and Vinodh S. 2020. “State of art review on Life Cycle Assessment of polymers”, International Journal of Sustainable Engineering, 13:6, pp. 411-422, https://doi.org/10.1080/19397038.2020.1802623
Sable, Sunil, Mitesh Ikar, and Priyanka Dudheinamdar. 2024. “Exploring the Complexities and Challenges of Plastic Recycling: A Comprehensive Research Review.” In: 2nd International Conference on Smart Sustainable Materials and Technologies (ICSSMT 2023), Springer Nature Switzerland, 189–202. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-49826-8_22.
Scagliusi, Sandra Regina, Elizabeth Leite Carvalho Cardoso, Fabio José Esper, Ademar Benevólo Lugão, and Helio Wiebeck. 2023. “Study of Mechanical Properties of Inner Tubes Exposed to Gamma Radiation.” Polímeros 33 (2). https://doi.org/10.1590/0104-1428.20220010.
Silvestre, Clara, Sossio Cimmino, Elena Stoleru, and Cornelia Vasile. 2017. “APPLICATION OF RADIATION TECHNOLOGY TO FOOD PACKAGING.”, Application of ionizing radiation in materials processing, vol. 2, chapter 20, Available at: http://www.ichtj.waw.pl/ichtj/publ/monogr/m2017_1.htm
Spadaro, Giuseppe, Sabina Alessi, and Clelia Dispenza. 2017. “IONIZING RADIATION-INDUCED CROSSLINKING AND DEGRADATION OF POLYMERS.”, Application of ionizing radiation in materials processing, vol. 1, chapter 7, Available at: http://www.ichtj.waw.pl/ichtj/publ/monogr/m2017_1.htm
Strydom, Wynand, Parker, William and Olivares Marina. 2005. “Chapter 8: Electron beams: Physical and clinical aspects.”, Radiation Oncology Physics: A Handbook for Teachers and Students. Available at: https://www.irsn.fr/sites/default/files/documents/professionnels_sante/documentation/syllabus_chapitre_8.pdf
Stark, Glenn. 2025. “Gamma ray”, Available at: https://www.britannica.com/science/gamma-ray
Stark, Glenn. 2025. “X-ray”. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/science/X-ray
Uekert, Taylor, Avantika Singh, Jason S. DesVeaux, Tapajyoti Ghosh, Arpit Bhatt, Geetanjali Yadav, Shaik Afzal, et al. 2023. “Technical, Economic, and Environmental Comparison of Closed-Loop Recycling Technologies for Common Plastics.” ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering 11 (3): 965–78. https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.2c05497.
Vujić, Goran V., Nebojša M. Jovičić, Milun J. Babić, Nemanja Z. Stanisavljević, Bojan M. Batinić, and Aleksandar R. Pavlović. 2010. “Assessment of Plastic Flows and Stocks in Serbia Using Material Flow Analysis.” Thermal Science 14 (SUPPL.1). https://doi.org/10.2298/TSCI100621031V.
Walo, Marta, and Magdalena Rzepna. 2020. “RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN RADIATION PROCESSING OF POLYMERS.” Available at: http://www.ichtj.waw.pl/ichtj/publ/b_report/b2020_03.htm
WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA FOR THE PERIOD 2022-2031, Available at: https://www.ekologija.gov.rs/sites/default/files/2022-03/program_upravljanja_otpadom_eng_-_adopted_version.pdf
Waste Management towards a more Circular Economy, Available at: https://unece.org/sites/default/files/2022-02/WASTE_EN.pdf
Zhang, Xiyu, Zhenxing Yin, Songbai Xiang, Huayu Yan, and Hailing Tian. 2024. “Degradation of Polymer Materials in the Environment and Its Impact on the Health of Experimental Animals: A Review.” Polymers 16 (19): 2807. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16192807.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Mirjana Ćujić, Nataša Knežević, Filip Živković, Ljiljana Janković Mandić
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
