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Life Cycle Assessment of Bioplastics and Food Waste Disposal Methods

Author

Listed:
  • Shakira R. Hobbs

    (Civil Engineering Department, College of Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA)

  • Tyler M. Harris

    (Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352, USA)

  • William J. Barr

    (School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85004, USA)

  • Amy E. Landis

    (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA)

Abstract

The environmental impacts of five waste management scenarios for polylactic acid (PLA)-based bioplastics and food waste were quantified using life cycle assessment. Laboratory experiments have demonstrated the potential for a pretreatment process to accelerate the degradation of bioplastics and were modeled in two of the five scenarios assessed. The five scenarios analyzed in this study were: (1a) Anaerobic digestion (1b) Anaerobic digestion with pretreatment; (2a) Compost; (2a) Compost with pretreatment; (3) Landfill. Results suggested that food waste and pretreated bioplastics disposed of with an anaerobic digester offers life cycle and environmental net total benefits (environmental advantages/offsets) in several areas: ecotoxicity (−81.38 CTUe), eutrophication (0 kg N eq), cumulative energy demand (−1.79 MJ), global warming potential (0.19 kg CO 2 ), and human health non-carcinogenic (−2.52 CTuh). Normalized results across all impact categories show that anaerobically digesting food waste and bioplastics offer the most offsets for ecotoxicity, eutrophication, cumulative energy demand and non-carcinogenic. Implications from this study can lead to nutrient and energy recovery from an anaerobic digester that can diversify the types of fertilizers and decrease landfill waste while decreasing dependency on non-renewable technologies. Thus, using anaerobic digestion to manage bioplastics and food waste should be further explored as a viable and sustainable solution for waste management.

Suggested Citation

  • Shakira R. Hobbs & Tyler M. Harris & William J. Barr & Amy E. Landis, 2021. "Life Cycle Assessment of Bioplastics and Food Waste Disposal Methods," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-14, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:12:p:6894-:d:577416
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Spyridoula Gerassimidou & Manoj Dora & Eleni Iacovidou, 2022. "A Tool for the Selection of Food Waste Management Approaches for the Hospitality and Food Service Sector in the UK," Resources, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-27, September.
    2. 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.

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    Keywords

    bioplastics; disposal; LCA;
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