Microsoft Word - Environmental benefits of recycling 2010 update.doc

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^ PP^ / substitutionno^ fertiliser^

Material substitutes paper^ forEcofoil^ PLA,^ PP^ for^ 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. /

Material

disposal

1  [OCT] (OCT = Octopus)

60% PLA, Ecofoil 40%

Material

production

Material

recovery