IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v10y2018i7p2369-d156836.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Carbon Footprint of Packaging Films Made from LDPE, PLA, and PLA/PBAT Blends in South Korea

Author

Listed:
  • Bulim Choi

    (Department of Packaging, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea)

  • Seungwoo Yoo

    (Department of Packaging, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea)

  • Su-il Park

    (Department of Packaging, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea)

Abstract

Bio-plastics such as polylactic acid (PLA) have been investigated as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastics. In this study, the carbon footprint of packaging films made from LDPE, PLA, and PLA/PBAT blends was measured with three different waste scenarios based on the database of South Korea using life cycle assessment (LCA). The LCA followed ISO standards, and was a cradle-to-grave analysis. The functional unit was defined as 400,000 pieces of a film of 300 × 250 mm with thickness of 0.06 mm for packaging bag manufacturing. The waste treatments considered were incineration, landfill, and recycling applied with the present conditions of South Korea. Under the present analysis conditions, the PLA film with landfill was the most effective for reducing carbon emission. The PLA/PBAT with incineration was the worst case among the packaging films tested. Incineration was the worst choice of waste treatment in terms of carbon dioxide emissions. Generally, landfill may not be the best option in terms of sustainability but landfill was a better option for waste treatment than incineration. In addition, before bio-plastics are blended with other material, the blending material should first be evaluated for its environmental impact. The blended bio-plastics with PLA, such as PLA/PBAT, can be more inimical to the environment in terms of carbon dioxide emissions than existing materials, such as LDPE.

Suggested Citation

  • Bulim Choi & Seungwoo Yoo & Su-il Park, 2018. "Carbon Footprint of Packaging Films Made from LDPE, PLA, and PLA/PBAT Blends in South Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-11, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:7:p:2369-:d:156836
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/7/2369/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/7/2369/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Giovanni Mondello & Roberta Salomone & Giuseppe Ioppolo & Giuseppe Saija & Sergio Sparacia & Maria Claudia Lucchetti, 2017. "Comparative LCA of Alternative Scenarios for Waste Treatment: The Case of Food Waste Production by the Mass-Retail Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-18, May.
    2. Yu-Tsang Lu & Yuh-Ming Lee & Chien-Yu Hong, 2017. "Inventory Analysis and Social Life Cycle Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Waste-to-Energy Incineration in Taiwan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-18, October.
    3. Jiyoon Park & Solhee Kim & Kyo Suh, 2018. "A Comparative Analysis of the Environmental Benefits of Drone-Based Delivery Services in Urban and Rural Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-15, March.
    4. Luc Alaerts & Michael Augustinus & Karel Van Acker, 2018. "Impact of Bio-Based Plastics on Current Recycling of Plastics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-15, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Haiwei Ren & Siqi Li & Ming Gao & Xueye Xing & Yaqin Tian & Zhe Ling & Weixia Yang & Lichao Pan & Wenguang Fan & Yi Zheng, 2023. "Preparation and Characterization of Microcrystalline Cellulose/Polylactic Acid Biocomposite Films and Its Application in Lanzhou Lily ( Lilium davidii var. unicolor ) Bulbs Preservation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-18, September.
    2. Sebastian Spierling & Venkateshwaran Venkatachalam & Marina Mudersbach & Nico Becker & Christoph Herrmann & Hans-Josef Endres, 2020. "End-of-Life Options for Bio-Based Plastics in a Circular Economy—Status Quo and Potential from a Life Cycle Assessment Perspective," Resources, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-20, July.
    3. Ana Fonseca & Edgar Ramalho & Ana Gouveia & Filipa Figueiredo & João Nunes, 2023. "Life Cycle Assessment of PLA Products: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-19, August.
    4. Xiaowei Ma & Chuandong Li & Bin Li, 2019. "Carbon Emissions of China’s Cement Packaging: Life Cycle Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-18, October.
    5. Baoqing Chen & Jixiao Cui & Wenyi Dong & Changrong Yan, 2023. "Effects of Biodegradable Plastic Film on Carbon Footprint of Crop Production," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-9, March.
    6. Luca Di Paolo & Simona Abbate & Eliseo Celani & Davide Di Battista & Giovanni Candeloro, 2022. "Carbon Footprint of Single-Use Plastic Items and Their Substitution," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-16, December.
    7. Min Shang & Ji Luo, 2021. "The Tapio Decoupling Principle and Key Strategies for Changing Factors of Chinese Urban Carbon Footprint Based on Cloud Computing," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-17, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jones, R.E. & Speight, R.E. & Blinco, J.L. & O'Hara, I.M., 2022. "Biorefining within food loss and waste frameworks: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    2. Zhou, Hewen & Yang, Qing & Gul, Eid & Shi, Mengmeng & Li, Jiashuo & Yang, Minjiao & Yang, Haiping & Chen, Bin & Zhao, Haibo & Yan, Yunjun & Erdoğan, Güneş & Bartocci, Pietro & Fantozzi, Francesco, 2021. "Decarbonizing university campuses through the production of biogas from food waste: An LCA analysis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 176(C), pages 565-578.
    3. Giovanni Gadaleta & Sabino De Gisi & Francesco Todaro & Michele Notarnicola, 2022. "Carbon Footprint and Total Cost Evaluation of Different Bio-Plastics Waste Treatment Strategies," Clean Technol., MDPI, vol. 4(2), pages 1-14, June.
    4. Karl-Arne Johannessen & Hans Comtet & Erik Fosse, 2021. "A Drone Logistic Model for Transporting the Complete Analytic Volume of a Large-Scale University Laboratory," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-19, April.
    5. Léa Barbaut & Olivier Brette & Nathalie Lazaric & Valérie Massardier & Valérie Revest, 2023. "Bio-based Plastics: a ‘Sustainable’ Alternative for the Plastic Industry?," Post-Print halshs-04188889, HAL.
    6. David O. Kazmer & Davide Masato & Leonardo Piccolo & Kyle Puleo & Joshua Krantz & Varun Venoor & Austin Colon & Justin Limkaichong & Neil Dewar & Denis Babin & Cheryl Sayer, 2021. "Multivariate Modeling of Mechanical Properties for Hot Runner Molded Bioplastics and a Recycled Polypropylene Blend," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-23, July.
    7. Kähler, Svantje T. & Abben, Thomas & Luna-Rodriguez, Aquiles & Tomat, Miriam & Jacobsen, Thomas, 2022. "An assessment of the acceptance and aesthetics of UAVs and helicopters through an experiment and a survey," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    8. Amina Baccar Chaabane & Esther Robbe & Gerald Schernewski & Hendrik Schubert, 2022. "Decomposition Behavior of Biodegradable and Single-Use Tableware Items in the Warnow Estuary (Baltic Sea)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-16, February.
    9. Kofi Armah Boakye-Yiadom & Alessio Ilari & Daniele Duca, 2022. "Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Life Cycle Assessment on the Black Soldier Fly ( Hermetia illucens L.)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-29, August.
    10. Joonyup Eun & Byung Duk Song & Sangbok Lee & Dae-Eun Lim, 2019. "Mathematical Investigation on the Sustainability of UAV Logistics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-15, October.
    11. Guoxian Cao & Chaoyang Guo & Hezhong Li, 2022. "Risk Analysis of Public–Private Partnership Waste-to-Energy Incineration Projects from the Perspective of Rural Revitalization," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-19, July.
    12. Irene Huertas-Valdivia & Anna Maria Ferrari & Davide Settembre-Blundo & Fernando E. García-Muiña, 2020. "Social Life-Cycle Assessment: A Review by Bibliometric Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-25, August.
    13. Halayit Abrha & Jonnathan Cabrera & Yexin Dai & Muhammad Irfan & Abrham Toma & Shipu Jiao & Xianhua Liu, 2022. "Bio-Based Plastics Production, Impact and End of Life: A Literature Review and Content Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-20, April.
    14. Sara Alonso-Muñoz & Rocío González-Sánchez & Cristina Siligardi & Fernando Enrique García-Muiña, 2021. "Building Exploitation Routines in the Circular Supply Chain to Obtain Radical Innovations," Resources, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-18, March.
    15. Yuuki Yoshimoto & Koki Kishimoto & Kanchan Kumar Sen & Takako Mochida & Andrew Chapman, 2023. "Toward Economically Efficient Carbon Reduction: Contrasting Greening Plastic Supply Chains with Alternative Energy Policy Approaches," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-19, September.
    16. Mousavi-Avval, Seyed Hashem & Sahoo, Kamalakanta & Nepal, Prakash & Runge, Troy & Bergman, Richard, 2023. "Environmental impacts and techno-economic assessments of biobased products: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    17. Laís Fabiana Serafini & Manuel Feliciano & Manuel Angelo Rodrigues & Artur Gonçalves, 2023. "Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Use of LCA to Assess the Environmental Impacts of the Composting Process," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-33, January.
    18. Ziyao Fan & Huijuan Dong & Yong Geng & Minoru Fujii, 2023. "Life cycle cost–benefit efficiency of food waste treatment technologies in China," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(6), pages 4935-4956, June.
    19. Damián Burneo & José M. Cansino & Rocio Yñiguez, 2020. "Environmental and Socioeconomic Impacts of Urban Waste Recycling as Part of Circular Economy. The Case of Cuenca (Ecuador)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-22, April.
    20. Carlo Ingrao & Claudia Arcidiacono & Valentina Siracusa & Monia Niero & Marzia Traverso, 2021. "Life Cycle Sustainability Analysis of Resource Recovery from Waste Management Systems in a Circular Economy Perspective Key Findings from This Special Issue," Resources, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-9, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:7:p:2369-:d:156836. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.