Future work should also explore the policy implications of upcycling as a waste management strategy. As demonstrated in this study, the potential of upcycling on the national scale represents a seismic shift in technologies, economics, and attitudes toward plastic recycling. Traditional mechanical recycling, though inherently more limited than upcycling, is an established pathway with a clear role to continue processing certain types of plastics in the future. To better understand the opportunities and obstacles for upcycling as part of an emerging national recycling strategy, we must not only refine our modeling results, but also look to the current regulatory environment for plastic recycling, engage with environmental, industry, and government stakeholders, and finally explore how upcycling would affect the state of environmental justice in plastic production and waste, in national and global contexts.