Life cycle assessments of biodegradable, commercial biopolymers - A critical review

Biopolymers are generally considered an eco-friendly alternative to petrochemical polymers due to the renewable feedstock used to produce them and their biodegradability. However, the farming practices used to grow these feedstocks often carry significant environmental burdens, and the production energy can be higher than for petrochemical polymers. Life cycle assessments (LCAs) are available in the literature, which make comparisons between biopolymers and various petrochemical polymers, however the results can be very disparate. This review has therefore been undertaken, focusing on three biodegradable biopolymers, poly(lactic acid) (PLA), poly(hydroxyalkanoates) (PHAs), and starch-based polymers, in an attempt to determine the environmental impact of each in comparison to petrochemical polymers. Reasons are explored for the discrepancies between these published LCAs. The majority of studies focused only on the consumption of non-renewable energy and global warming potential and often found these biopolymers to be superior to petrochemically derived polymers. In contrast, studies which considered other environmental impact categories as well as those which were regional or product specific often found that this conclusion could not be drawn. Despite some unfavorable results for these biopolymers, the immature nature of these technologies needs to be taken into account as future optimization and improvements in process efficiencies are expected. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An approach to scenario analysis of the sustainability of an industrial sector applied to clothing and textiles in the UK

Companies aiming to be 'sustainability leaders' in their sector and governments wanting to support their ambitions need a means to assess the changes required to make a significant difference in the impact of their whole sector. Previous work on scenario analysis/scenario planning demonstrates extensive developments and applications, but as yet few attempts to integrate the 'triple bottom line' concerns of sustainability into scenario planning exercises. This paper, therefore, presents a methodology for scenario analysis of large change to an entire sector. The approach includes calculation of a 'triple bottom line graphic equaliser' to allow exploration and evaluation of the trade-offs between economic, environmental and social impacts. The methodology is applied to the UK's clothing and textiles sector, and results from the study of the sector are summarised. In reflecting on the specific study, some suggestions are made about future application of a similar methodology, including a template of candidate solutions that may lead to significant reduction in impacts. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.