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LCA OF EVERYDAY PRODUCTS FROM PLA AND BIO-BASED MATERIALS
Abstract
The paper presents an LCA analysis of biomaterials with particular emphasis onpolylactic acid (PLA), as it is recognized as one of the most popular bioplastics on themarket. The results show that there are several factors to consider when selecting thebest decommissioning option for this type of material in line with the newly introducedcircular economy concept, which is the most desirable way to manage waste. A lifecycle assessment was carried out to assess the environmental impact of two wastemanagement pathways for PLA, mechanical recycling and composting, compared to themechanical recycling of PET and PP. The results showed a slight advantage ofmechanical recycling of PLA compared to PET and PP, with the composting processhaving the biggest impact as it does not process the polymer, resulting in the highestenvironmental impact among the impact categories studied. The analysis was performedusing SimaPro software based on the Ecoinvent database. The analysis presents thatbio-products are not only eco-solutions but also problems with correct wastemanagement
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