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Dolci G, Puricelli S, Cecere G, Tua C, Fava F, Rigamonti L, Grosso M. How does plastic compare with alternative materials in the packaging sector? A systematic review of LCA studies. WASTE MANAGEMENT & RESEARCH : THE JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOLID WASTES AND PUBLIC CLEANSING ASSOCIATION, ISWA 2024:734242X241241606. [PMID: 38576323 DOI: 10.1177/0734242x241241606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
In the recent years, packaging made of conventional plastics has been increasingly replaced by materials believed to be more sustainable. However, perceived sustainability must align with scientific assessments, such as life cycle assessments (LCAs). This review analysed 53 peer-reviewed studies published in the time range 2019-2023, aiming at understanding the state of the art in LCA about the environmental impacts of packaging by focusing on the comparison between plastics and alternative materials. The literature showed that consumer perceptions often differ from LCA findings and revealed that, frequently, conventional plastics are not the least environmentally friendly choice. Bioplastics typically show benefits only in the climate change and the fossil resource depletion impact categories. The heavy weight of glass turns out to affect its environmental performances with respect to the light plastics, with reuse being an essential strategy to lower the burdens. The comparison between plastics and metals is more balanced, leaning more towards plastics for food packaging. Similarly, paper resulted often preferable than plastics. Finally, for the other materials (i.e. wood and textiles), the picture is variable. To be competitive with plastics, the alternative materials require improvements like the optimisation of their production processes, their reuse and enhanced end-of-life options. At the same time, recycled polymers could boost the eco-performance of virgin plastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Dolci
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Stefano Puricelli
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Cecere
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Camilla Tua
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Floriana Fava
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Lucia Rigamonti
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Mario Grosso
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
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Liang H, Dong H, Zhang C, Geng Y, Liu X, Liu G, Zhong C. Combining LCA-MFA models to identify China's plastic value chain environmental impact mitigation pathways. iScience 2023; 26:107701. [PMID: 37694146 PMCID: PMC10483054 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Characterizing material flows and environmental impacts of plastic value chain is crucial for sustainable plastic management. Here, we combine material flow analysis and life cycle assessment methods to map the flows of eight major plastics and investigate the multiple environmental impacts of China's plastic value chain. We find that packaging and textile sectors dominate plastic consumption and are responsible for the value chain environmental burdens, but with low recycling rates. Major environmental impacts are generated in plastic production and product manufacturing stages because of the consumption of coal-based feedstocks and electricity. We therefore set up six scenarios by considering carbon neutrality energy pathway, plastic recycling improvement, and technology updating, finding that the value chain environmental impact can be reduced by 14%-57% in 2060 under combined scenario. Particularly, carbon neutrality renewable energy pathway plays an important role. These findings provide valuable insights to identify key mitigation pathways for plastic value chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongda Liang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Huijuan Dong
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Solid Waste Treatment and Resource Recovery, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Chenyi Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yong Geng
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Solid Waste Treatment and Resource Recovery, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- School of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Xiao Liu
- China Institute for Urban Governance, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Gang Liu
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Chen Zhong
- School of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
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Lima TCH, Machado EL, de Cassia de Souza Schneider R. Scientometric analysis of the development of plastic packaging considering the circular economy and clean technologies: A review. WASTE MANAGEMENT & RESEARCH : THE JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOLID WASTES AND PUBLIC CLEANSING ASSOCIATION, ISWA 2023; 41:1188-1202. [PMID: 36922703 DOI: 10.1177/0734242x231160081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Plastics are alternatives to enable the distribution of industrialized products, especially food. Packaging is versatile and of great importance for the conservation of products. However, plastic packaging impacts the environment and calls for a clean technology and circular economy approach to mitigate the damage. A scientometric analysis of the relationship between plastic packaging production and the circular economy was reviewed based on the premise that research is intrinsically linked to clean technologies. VosViewer software was used to conduct the analysis, and the revision was conducted for discussion and relationship building. We concluded that there is a gap regarding the connection between the circular economy and clean technologies with plastic packaging. The development of technologies that adapt plastic packaging to the circular economy is rarely discussed. To make plastic packaging more environmentally attractive, technologies based on eco-design are necessary to achieve an alternative scenario associated with a more sustainable circular economy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tulio Cícero Haas Lima
- Industrial System and Process Postgraduation Program, University of Santa Cruz do Sul, Santa Cruz do Sul, Brazil
| | - Enio Leandro Machado
- Industrial System and Process Postgraduation Program, University of Santa Cruz do Sul, Santa Cruz do Sul, Brazil
- Environmental Technology Postgraduation Program, University of Santa Cruz do Sul, Santa Cruz do Sul, Brazil
| | - Rosana de Cassia de Souza Schneider
- Industrial System and Process Postgraduation Program, University of Santa Cruz do Sul, Santa Cruz do Sul, Brazil
- Environmental Technology Postgraduation Program, University of Santa Cruz do Sul, Santa Cruz do Sul, Brazil
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Javourez U, Rosero Delgado EA, Hamelin L. Upgrading agrifood co-products via solid fermentation yields environmental benefits under specific conditions only. NATURE FOOD 2022; 3:911-920. [PMID: 37118204 DOI: 10.1038/s43016-022-00621-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Transforming residual biomass into edible ingredients is increasingly promoted to alleviate the environmental impacts of food systems. Yet, these approaches mostly rely on emerging technologies and constrained resources, and their environmental benefits remain unclear. By combining process-based consequential life cycle analysis, uncertainty assessment and biomass resource estimation, we quantified the impacts of deploying waste-to-nutrition pathways, here applied to the upgrading of agrifood co-products by solid-state fermentation (SSF). The benefits of reducing the demand for soybean meal by enhancing the protein concentration of feed through SSF do not compensate for the environmental burdens induced by the process on climate change, water depletion and land use. Besides unlocking feed markets to low-feed-quality streams, SSF outperforms energy valorization for most environmental impacts but is less competitive to mitigate climate change. Yet, SSF yields overall environmental benefits when unlocking food markets rather than supplying feed and energy services. Systematic methodological harmonization is required to assess the potential of novel ingredients, as outcomes vary according to the displaced food and feed baskets, and related land use changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- U Javourez
- TBI, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INRAE, INSA, Toulouse, France.
| | - E A Rosero Delgado
- Departamento de Procesos Químicos Alimentos y Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Matemáticas, Físicas y Químicas, Universidad Técnica de Manabí, Portoviejo, Ecuador
| | - L Hamelin
- TBI, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INRAE, INSA, Toulouse, France
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Moretti C, Vera I, Junginger M, López-Contreras A, Shen L. Attributional and consequential LCAs of a novel bio-jet fuel from Dutch potato by-products. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 813:152505. [PMID: 34968608 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
To mitigate the climate change impact of aviation, jet fuels from bio-based by-products are considered a promising alternative to conventional jet fuels. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a commonly applied tool to determine the environmental impacts of bio-jet fuels. This article presents both attributional and consequential LCA models to assess an innovative bio-jet fuel produced from potato by-products in the Netherlands. The two models led to opposite conclusions regarding the overall environmental performance of this bio-jet fuel. The attributional LCA showed that this bio-jet fuel could offer about a 60% GHG emissions reduction compared to conventional jet fuel. In comparison, the consequential LCA estimated either a much lower climate change benefit (5-40%) if the potato by-products taken from the animal feed market are replaced with European animal feed or a 70% increase in GHG emissions if also imported soybean meals are used to replace the feed. Contrasting conclusions were also obtained for photochemical ozone formation. Conversely, the attributional and consequential LCAs agree on acidification, terrestrial eutrophication and depletion of fossil fuels. Although the consequential LCA was affected by higher uncertainties related to the determination of the actual product displaced, it allowed understanding the consequence of additional animal feed production. This process was not included in the system boundaries of the attributional LCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Moretti
- Utrecht University, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Ivan Vera
- Utrecht University, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Martin Junginger
- Utrecht University, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Ana López-Contreras
- Wageningen University & Research, Food & Biobased Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Li Shen
- Utrecht University, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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Zhang Y, Wen Z. Mapping the environmental impacts and policy effectiveness of takeaway food industry in China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 808:152023. [PMID: 34861304 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The takeaway food industry, involving more than 0.4 billion consumers in China, has brought mass of packaging waste and salient environmental burden. Here we mapped the distribution of takeaway food industry across China including the industry scale, diet structure and order time based on the analysis of more than 35 million takeaway food orders. The real use situation of various packaging materials in the takeaway food industry market has been clarified. The life cycle assessment of "a piece of takeaway food delivery order" has been carried out in different regions. Results show that in addition to plastic waste generation, takeaway food industry causes more types of environmental impacts. In terms of the national resource consumption, greenhouse gases emission, water pollution and health damage risk, the top 5 ranked provinces in each accounted for 44%, 48%, 43% and 49%, respectively. Under the latest Chinese plastic pollution control policy, the industry needs to reduce 1.12 million tons of non-degradable plastic packaging by the end of 2025, and 65% of the pressure is clustered in the metropolis and provincial capitals. However, without targeted and regionally differentiated plastic pollution control policies, the environmental impact control of takeaway food industry is still ineffective. It is urgent to explore the control measures applicable to different regions. Overall, packaging reduction is more effective than material substitution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Zhang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control (SKLESPC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Industrial Energy Saving and Green Development Assessment Center, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Zongguo Wen
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control (SKLESPC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Industrial Energy Saving and Green Development Assessment Center, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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