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Life Cycle Assessment of Nanocellulose-Based Bioplastics
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This paper reviews existing research on nanocellulose-based bioplastics, a possible alternative to conventional plastics linked to microplastic pollution. It examines their environmental impacts across production, use and disposal, including how farming and extraction methods affect sustainability, using life-cycle assessment methods.
The escalation of global plastic production has led to severe environmental damage, e.g., climate change and microplastic contamination in the ecosystems. In response, nanocellulose-based bioplastics have attracted attention in replacing conventional plastics. The bioplastics’ materials have various benefits to improve mechanical performance as well as biodegradability. This chapter provides a review of the diverse forms of nanocellulose, their integration into bioplastic matrices, and their environmental impact. Combining a recent life-cycle assessment (LCA) approach, this chapter also explores important environmental contributions related to agricultural feedstock systems and energy-intensive extraction methods in order to underline how they essentially influence the sustainability. The investigation encompasses the entire value chain, from the raw materials, bioplastic production, use phase, and end-of-life scenarios of bioplastics. It discusses the methodologies for sensitivity analysis and interpretation to address uncertainties and promote sustainable design practices.
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