Problem: The demand of beverages in PET bottles is constantly increasing. In this context, environmental, technological and regulatory aspects set a stronger focus on recycling. Generally, the reuse of recycled material from post-consumer PET bottles in bottle-to-bottle applications is seen as least environmentally harmful. However, closed-loop systems are not widely implemented in Europe. Previous research mainly focuses on open-loop recycling systems and generally lacks discussion about the current German and Swedish systems and their challenges. Furthermore, previous studies lack theoretical and practical enhancements for bottle-to-bottle recycling from a managerial perspective. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to compare the PET bottle recycling systems in Germany and Sweden, analyse the main barriers and develop enhancements for closed-loop systems. Method: This qualitative study employs a case study strategy about the two cases of Germany and Sweden. In total, 14 semi-structured interviews are conducted with respondents from different industry sectors within the PET bottle recycling systems. The empirical data is categorised and then analysed by pattern matching with the developed theoretical framework. Conclusion: Due to the theoretical and practical commitment to closed-loop recycling, the Swedish PET bottle recycling system outperforms the Germany system. In Germany, bottle-to-bottle recycling is currently performed on a smaller scale without a unified system. The main barriers for bottle-to-bottle recycling are distinguished into (1) quality and material factors, (2) regulatory and legal factors, (3) economic and market factors and (4) factors influenced by consumers. The enhancements for the systems are (1) quality and material factors, (2) regulatory and legal factors, (3) recollection factors and (4) expanding factors. Lastly, the authors provide further recommendations, which are (1) a recycling content symbol on bottle labels, (2) a council for bottle quality in Germany, (3) a quality seal for the holistic systems, (4) a reduction of transportation in Sweden and (5) an increase of consumer awareness on PET bottle consumption.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-14T13:21:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ArquivoTotal.pdf: 4834263 bytes, checksum: 9a0661df73e9955af44f0e37d15bf261 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-09-17 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The heterogeneous catalysis is a promising alternative to solve the environmental problems found in homogeneous catalysis, because it allows the continuous use of the catalyst until its deactivation and minimizes the generation of effluents. Thus, this work aims to synthesize, optimize and evaluate the activity of heterogeneous catalysts, using PET bottles as a starting material in the synthesis of the active phase and SiO2 as catalyst support for the transesterification reaction of soybean oil. The the catalysts were obtained by a impregnating reaction using methanol. The active phase, the catalysts and catalyst support were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared (IR), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and EDS, thermal analysis (TG) and measurement surface area (BET). The biodiesels has been synthesized using a molar ratio of 1:9 (soybean oil: methanol), 0,1 g of active phase as catalyst (room temperature) and 1,2 g of the catalysts synthesized at 75 °C, where its kinematic viscosities were measurements. All catalysts were effective in the synthesis of biodiesel because the viscosity reduction of soybean oil used was very significant, indicating that may have occurred the transesterification process, among all biodiesels synthesized the catalyst that stood out was the 30%-K2CO3/70% SiO2, which was obtained greater viscosity reduction at a lower reaction time. The quality tests were made for 1h Bio-30%, which proved be inside the parameters established by the Agência Nacional de Patróleo (ANP). The experiment reuse of the catalyst used in the synthesis of Bio-1h 30%, showed that the catalytic activity is reduced due to possible leaching phenomenon, then preliminary studies have been proposed to study the possible leaching of the active phase. / A catálise heterogênea é uma alternativa promissora para resolver os problemas ambientais encontrados na catálise homogênea, pois permite o uso continuo do catalisador até sua desativação e minimiza a geração de efluentes. Neste sentido, este trabalho visa em sintetizar, otimizar e avaliar a atividade de catalisadores heterogêneos, utilizando a garrafa PET pós-consumo como matéria prima na síntese da fase ativa e SiO2 como suporte catalítico para a reação de transesterificação com óleo de soja. Os catalisadores foram obtidos pela o método de impregnação utilizando o metanol como solvente. A fase ativa, os catalisadores e o suporte catalítico foram caracterizados por difração de raios-X (DRX), espectroscopia na região do infravermelho (IV), espectroscopia Raman, microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV) e EDS, análise térmica (TG), e medida de área superficial (BET). Os biodieseis foram sintetizados utilizando uma razão molar de 1:9 (óleo de soja: metanol), 0,1 g da fase ativa como catalisador a temperatura ambiente e 1,2 g dos catalisadores sintetizados a 75 °C, onde suas viscosidades cinemáticas foram medidas. Todos os catalisadores foram efetivos na síntese do biodiesel, pois promoveu a redução de viscosidade do óleo de soja utilizado, no qual mostrou um indicativo que a reação de transesterificação ocorreu, dentre todos os biodieseis sintetizados o catalisador que mais se destacou foi o 30%-K2CO3/70%-SiO2, onde obteve-se a maior redução de viscosidade com um menor tempo reacional. Os testes de qualidade foram feitos para o Bio 1h-30%, o qual mostrou estar dentro dos parâmetros estabelecidos pela Agência Nacional de Petróleo (ANP). O experimento de reuso do catalisador utilizado na síntese do Bio 1h-30%, mostrou que a atividade catalítica é reduzida devido ao possível fenômeno de lixiviação, então estudos preliminares foram propostos para estudar a possível lixiviação da fase ativa.