# Bridging Green Chemistry and Circular Economy: A Pathway to Sustainable Polyester Plastics Through Feedstock, Synthesis, and Waste Upcycling

## TL;DR

This paper reviews sustainable methods for making and recycling polyester plastics to reduce environmental impact and support a circular economy.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive overview of green chemistry and circular economy strategies for polyester plastics across their entire lifecycle.

## Key findings

- Green monomer synthesis and polymerization strategies can reduce the environmental footprint of polyester production.
- Catalytic valorization and upcycling technologies offer efficient ways to recover and reuse polyester waste.
- Integrating these strategies can promote a low-carbon circular economy for polyester plastics.

## Abstract

Polyester plastics have become integral to modern life due to their favorable physicochemical properties, cost‐effectiveness, and broad industrial applicability. Unfortunately, the growing consumption and disposal of polyesters have led to mounting concerns regarding the corresponding carbon emissions and persistent pollution release, presenting a critical challenge for the construction of sustainable future. Conventional mechanical recycling is constrained by polymer downgrading with limited value retention. Alternatively, emerging green catalytic technologies present promising pathways for converting polyester wastes into high‐value chemical feedstocks with reduced energy input and environmental impact. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in the sustainable synthesis and management of polyester plastics, encompassing both petroleum‐derived and bio‐based polyesters. Emphasis is placed on green monomers synthesis and polymerization strategies, catalytic valorization and upcycling approaches that boost the feedstocks recovery and enable resource circularity. Collectively, these insights aim to guide the development of a low‐carbon, high‐efficiency, and sustainable circular economy for polyester plastics.

This review summarizes green and low‐carbon strategies throughout the entire life cycle of polyester plastics, including sustainable monomer synthesis, optimization polymerization, efficient recycling, and advanced upcycling technologies. The synergistic implementation of these strategies is expected to significantly promote the development of a circular economy for polyester plastics and effectively reduce their negative environmental impact.