Mass Balance of Plastic Waste Conversion to Fuel Oil- A case in Uganda

The current rate of plastic usage and the manner in which they are being disposed of is unsustainable. This is because more resources such as crude oil are utilized for their production and on the other hand, more waste plastics are generated. Since these waste plastics are made from crude oil, there is a high chance that they can be turned back into diesel that can be used to power irrigation pumps, drive engines for transport and industrial purposes among other potential uses. This paper sought to evaluate the pyrolysis of waste plastics to fuel oil potential of Uganda. The estimated waste plastics generated in Uganda was quantified as 545 851 kg/day. In this study, mass balance estimation indicated that the initial feed of 545 851 kg of waste plastics yields 451 419 kg liquid fuel using an appropriate technology for pyrolysis. The production potential of the gaseous and char fractions was calculated to be 50 764 and 43 668 kg in a day, respectively. This estimated amount has the potential to power approximately 234 small portable threshers of 5-7 horsepower. A total of 365 000 tonnes of fresh paddy can be threshed using these threshers. The gaseous fraction also has the potential to be used as a source of fuel for cooking. This is particularly important for postharvest handling and food security in Uganda as well as development of waste to energy technologies such as pyrolysis.