IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i13p5529-d1424740.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Environmental Impact and Sustainability of Bioplastic Production from Food Waste

Author

Listed:
  • Katerina Synani

    (Department of Geography, Harokopio University of Athens, 17676 Kallithea, Greece)

  • Konstadinos Abeliotis

    (Department of Economics and Sustainable Development, Harokopio University of Athens, 17676 Kallithea, Greece)

  • Kelly Velonia

    (Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Greece)

  • Angeliki Maragkaki

    (Department of Agriculture, Hellenic Mediterranean University, 71410 Heraklion, Greece)

  • Thrassyvoulos Manios

    (Department of Agriculture, Hellenic Mediterranean University, 71410 Heraklion, Greece)

  • Katia Lasaridi

    (Department of Geography, Harokopio University of Athens, 17676 Kallithea, Greece)

Abstract

Plastic generation exacerbates the challenge of solid waste management. Moreover, plastics emit substantial amounts of microplastics, which infiltrate the environment and food chain, posing significant environmental risks. Compounded by their production from fossil fuels, such as crude oil and natural gas, plastics present a formidable environmental concern. As a result, bioplastics are an attractive alternative to fossil-based plastics since they use renewable energy sources, aim to alleviate worries about reliance on fossil fuels, and are biodegradable, further enhancing their environmental appeal. Along similar lines, the utilization of food waste to produce bioplastics is attracting international interest. The current study presents the results of a life cycle assessment conducted on bioplastic production from food waste, carried out in a pilot-scale reactor located in Greece. The objective was to ascertain the comparative sustainability of recovering food waste for bioplastic production versus utilizing cultivable raw materials. To this end, an equivalent amount of polylactic acid was produced from corn. The findings revealed a reduction in climate change, eutrophication, and ecotoxicity as a result of the study process. Despite these environmental benefits, the study highlighted that energy consumption throughout the process poses a significant environmental burden. This aspect calls for attention and modification to enhance the entire sustainability of the process.

Suggested Citation

  • Katerina Synani & Konstadinos Abeliotis & Kelly Velonia & Angeliki Maragkaki & Thrassyvoulos Manios & Katia Lasaridi, 2024. "Environmental Impact and Sustainability of Bioplastic Production from Food Waste," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-21, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:13:p:5529-:d:1424740
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/13/5529/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/13/5529/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. 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.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Hamed Sadaghian & Behrooz Dadmand & Majid Pourbaba & Soheil Jabbari & Jung Heum Yeon, 2023. "The Effect of Size on the Mechanical Properties of 3D-Printed Polymers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-21, December.
    2. Lostado-Lorza, Rubén & Corral-Bobadilla, Marina & Sabando-Fraile, Celia & Somovilla-Gómez, Fátima, 2024. "Enhancing thermal conductivity of sinterized bronze (Cu89/Sn11) by 3D printing and thermal post-treatment: Energy efficiency and environmental sustainability," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 299(C).

    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:16:y:2024:i:13:p:5529-:d:1424740. 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.