Appendix 4 Summary of key elements from the studies on biopolymers.........................................
from the studies on biopolymers
Biopolymers‐ n°1
Title
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Biopolymers for
single‐use carrier bags
Year 2008
Author Murphy (DEFRA)
Case
Material composition
Sub‐scenario Incinerationenergy recover^ withy^ Landfill Composting
Virgin material
Material marginal: which? No inf. No inf. No inf.
Electricity marginal: which? No inf. No inf. No inf.
Steam marginal: which? No inf. No inf. No inf.
Co‐products dealt with? No No No
Recovered material
Material marginal: which? / / /
Electricity marginal: which? / / /
Steam marginal: which? / / /
Co‐products dealt with? / / /
Material recovery included? No No No
Type of recycling / / /
In which ratio does recycled material substitute
virgin material?
///
General
Technology No inf. 19,6%^ waterlandfill^ sanitary^ No inf.
Infrastructures taken into account? No inf. No No inf.
Transport included? Yes Yes Yes
Energy production Yes No inf. No
Produced energy substitutes electricity? grid electricity UK / /
Produced energy substitutes steam? No / /
Avoided processes ‐ credits paperincineration^ and^ PE^ / substitutionno^ fertiliser^
Material substitutes forpaper polycaprolactone^ for^ starch,^ PE^ cardboard
Carbon sequestration issue taken into account? / Yes Yes
Waste characteristics
Heating value No inf. / /
Degradation rate (over 100 years) / 32% 90%
Incineration
Alternative use of incineration capacity included? No inf. / /
Composting
Compost spreading for composting taken into
account? //No^ inf.
Compost leaching after spreading taken into
account? //No^ inf.
Reference to EN 13432:2000 (Requirements for
Packaging Recoverable Through Composting and
Biodegradation)?
//Yes
Landfill
Methane emissions included? / No inf. /
1 [MB] (MB = Mater‐Bi)
50% starch (corn) , 50% polycaprolactone
Material
production
Material
recovery
Material
disposal
