Abstract
The massive plastic production worldwide leads to a global concern for the pollution made by the plastic wastes and the environmental issues associated with them. One of the best solutions is replacing the fossil-based plastics with bioplastics. Bioplastics such as polylactic acid (PLA) are biodegradable materials with less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. PLA is a biopolymer produced from natural resources with good mechanical and chemical properties, therefore, it is used widely in packaging, agriculture, and biomedical industries. PLA products mostly end up in landfills or composting. In this review paper, the existing life cycle assessments (LCA) for PLA were comprehensively reviewed and classified. According to the LCAs, the energy and materials used in the whole life cycle of PLA were reported. Finally, the GHG emissions of PLA in each stage of its life cycle, including feedstock acquisition and conversion, manufacturing of PLA products, the PLA applications, and the end of life (EoL) options, were described. The most energy-intensive stage in the life cycle of PLA is its conversion. By optimizing the conversion process of PLA, it is possible to make it a low-carbon material with less dependence on energy sources.
Highlights
Nowadays, plastics are employed widely in different industries, such as construction, packaging, electronics, clothing, healthcare, and so on, due to their excellent physical, chemical, and mechanical properties, and economic viabilities compared to traditional materials [1,2,3,4]
More than 8.3 billion tons of plastics were produced in the span of 1950 to 2015, in which less than 20% were recycled or incinerated, and the rest were left in the environment or were landfilled [7,8]
Cradle-to-cradle life cycle assessments (LCA) of polylactic acid (PLA) compared to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and PS thermoformed clamshell containers and consideration of their environmental impacts based on different LOI scenarios
Summary
Plastics are employed widely in different industries, such as construction, packaging, electronics, clothing, healthcare, and so on, due to their excellent physical, chemical, and mechanical properties, and economic viabilities compared to traditional materials [1,2,3,4]. The global plastics manufacturing started from 1.5 million tons in 1950, and reached 322 million tons in 2017, and is predicted to increase to 1.63 billion tons in 2050 [5,6]. The environmental issues and ecological impact associated with plastics have led to more studies and research into developing more sustainable materials. New factors such as recyclability and biodegradability are taken into account when developing new plastics [2,9].
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