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Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Bioplastics
Summary
Researchers conducted life cycle assessments of multiple bioplastic types — including PLA, PHA, and starch-based polymers — finding that while bioplastics generally reduce fossil resource depletion compared to conventional plastics, their environmental benefits vary considerably depending on feedstock, production process, and end-of-life scenario.
The use of plastics is intrinsically linked to daily activities; however, their indiscriminate use has negative consequences on the environment, such as depletion of fossil resources and accumulation of waste. In this context, it is necessary to create more sustainable alternatives to replace them. Therefore, new biobased materials have been developed, which can be bio-based, biodegradable, or both. However, it is necessary to evaluate whether these replacements decrease the environmental impacts compared to plastics of fossil origin. Life cycle analysis is a useful tool for assessing this behavior. Therefore, this chapter focuses on the systematic study of 53 scientific articles in which the environmental impact of bioplastics against petrochemical plastics is compared, generally addressing the product's entire life cycle. These studies differ in scope, functional units, and environmental impacts; however, the vast majority converge that new bio-based systems have environmental advantages. In addition to its impact on the environment, it is necessary to evaluate the technical, social, and economic aspects that make it possible to establish the global sustainability of bioplastics.