Circular economy: comparative life cycle assessment of fossil polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and its recycled and bio-based counterparts

• Autorzy: Rybaczewska-Błażejowska Magdalena , Mena-Nieto Angel

Identyfikatory

DOI

10.24425/mper.2020.136126

• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

The transition to circular economy requires diversifying material sources, improving secondary raw materials management, including recycling, and finally finding sustainable alternative materials. Both recycled and bio-based plastics are often regarded as promising alternatives to conventional fossil-based plastics. Their broad application instead of fossilbased plastics is, however, frequently the subject of criticism because of offering limited environmental benefits. The study presents a comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) of fossil-based polyethylene terephthalate (PET) versus its recycled and bio-based counterparts. The system boundary covers the plastics manufacturing and end-of-life plastic management stages (cradle-to-cradle/grave variant). Based on the data and assumptions set out in the research, recycled PET (rPET) demonstrates the best environmental profile out of the evaluated plastics in all impact categories. The study contributes to circular economy in plastics by providing transparent and consistent knowledge on their environmental portfolio.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

circular economy; life cycle assessment; LCA; polyethylene terephthalate; PET; polylactic acid; PLA; recycled plastics; sustainable consumption; packaging waste management

• Wydawca: Production Engineering Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences ; Polish Association for Production Management
• Czasopismo: Management and Production Engineering Review
• Rocznik: 2020
• Tom: Vol. 11, No. 4
• Strony: 121--128
• Opis fizyczny: Bibliogr. 39 poz., rys., tab.

Twórcy

autor

Rybaczewska-Błażejowska Magdalena

• Kielce University of Technology, Department of Production Engineering, Poland

autor

Mena-Nieto Angel

• University of Huelva, School of Engineering, Department of Electrical and Thermal Engineering, Design and Projects, Campus El Carmen, 21007 Huelva, Spain

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