Assessment of Hydrogen Production from solid waste pyrogasification: Technical Feasibility, Environmental Impact, and Cost-Benefit Analysis

### Abstract The global accumulation of plastic waste, particularly non-recyclable types, has become an escalating environmental issue, contributing to pollution in landfills and industrial sectors. The durability of plastics, combined with the inefficiency of current recycling technologies, creates significant challenges for waste management systems and increases the pressure on industrial infrastructures to develop more sustainable solutions. The growing accumulation of non-recyclable plastic waste and the increasing demand for sustainable energy sources present significant environmental and societal challenges. This thesis investigates the technical and economic feasibility of hydrogen production through the pyrolysis of plastic waste, with a detailed cost-benefit analysis of process configurations. Advanced technologies such as Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) and Water-Gas Shift (WGS) reactors were implemented, with simulations conducted using the COCO Simulator, coupled with hydrogen separation via polystyrene membranes. The primary objective was to assess whether sufficient hydrogen can be produced and efficiently separated to support commercial applications. Simulation results revealed that the integration of SMR and WGS led to a significant enhancement in hydrogen yield. Additionally, the economic analysis demonstrated the potential for improved sustainability by incorporating liquid CO₂ recovery as an additional revenue stream. These findings indicate that retrofitting existing pyrolysis plants with hydrogen production capabilities could offer a viable solution to plastic waste management while contributing to a cleaner energy future.