IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i12p6894-d577416.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/12/6894/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/12/6894/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jane C. Bare, 2002. "Traci: The Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and Other Environmental Impacts," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 6(3‐4), pages 49-78, July.
    2. Lijó, Lucía & González-García, Sara & Bacenetti, Jacopo & Fiala, Marco & Feijoo, Gumersindo & Lema, Juan M. & Moreira, María Teresa, 2014. "Life Cycle Assessment of electricity production in Italy from anaerobic co-digestion of pig slurry and energy crops," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 625-635.
    3. Tippayawong, N. & Thanompongchart, P., 2010. "Biogas quality upgrade by simultaneous removal of CO2 and H2S in a packed column reactor," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(12), pages 4531-4535.
    4. Mezzullo, William G. & McManus, Marcelle C. & Hammond, Geoff P., 2013. "Life cycle assessment of a small-scale anaerobic digestion plant from cattle waste," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 657-664.
    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. 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.

    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. Bacenetti, Jacopo & Sala, Cesare & Fusi, Alessandra & Fiala, Marco, 2016. "Agricultural anaerobic digestion plants: What LCA studies pointed out and what can be done to make them more environmentally sustainable," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 669-686.
    2. Freitas, F.F. & Furtado, A.C. & Piñas, J.A.V. & Venturini, O.J. & Barros, R.M. & Lora, E.E.S., 2022. "Holistic Life Cycle Assessment of a biogas-based electricity generation plant in a pig farm considering co-digestion and an additive," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(PB).
    3. Jemni, Mohamed Ali & Kantchev, Gueorgui & Abid, Mohamed Salah, 2011. "Influence of intake manifold design on in-cylinder flow and engine performances in a bus diesel engine converted to LPG gas fuelled, using CFD analyses and experimental investigations," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 2701-2715.
    4. Huang, Haiping & Zhang, Hong & Han, Denglin, 2021. "Ferrocene addition for suppression of hydrogen sulfide formation during thermal recovery of oil sand bitumen," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 230(C).
    5. Whiting, Andrew & Azapagic, Adisa, 2014. "Life cycle environmental impacts of generating electricity and heat from biogas produced by anaerobic digestion," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 181-193.
    6. Carolinne Secco & Maria Eduarda Kounaris Fuziki & Angelo Marcelo Tusset & Giane Gonçalves Lenzi, 2023. "Reactive Processes for H 2 S Removal," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-14, February.
    7. Dwivedi, Puneet & Bailis, Robert & Stainback, Andrew & Carter, Douglas R., 2012. "Impact of payments for carbon sequestered in wood products and avoided carbon emissions on the profitability of NIPF landowners in the US South," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 63-69.
    8. Nur Izzah Hamna A. Aziz & Marlia M. Hanafiah & Shabbir H. Gheewala & Haikal Ismail, 2020. "Bioenergy for a Cleaner Future: A Case Study of Sustainable Biogas Supply Chain in the Malaysian Energy Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-24, April.
    9. Han, Siyu & Meng, Yuan & Aihemaiti, Aikelaimu & Gao, Yuchen & Ju, Tongyao & Xiang, Honglin & Jiang, Jianguo, 2022. "Biogas upgrading with various single and blended amines solutions: Capacities and kinetics," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 253(C).
    10. Baena-Moreno, Francisco M. & Rodríguez-Galán, Mónica & Vega, Fernando & Reina, T.R. & Vilches, Luis F. & Navarrete, Benito, 2019. "Converting CO2 from biogas and MgCl2 residues into valuable magnesium carbonate: A novel strategy for renewable energy production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 457-464.
    11. Yasar, Abdullah & Ali, Aleena & Tabinda, Amtul Bari & Tahir, Aleena, 2015. "Waste to energy analysis of shakarganj sugar mills; biogas production from the spent wash for electricity generation," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 126-132.
    12. Matteo Baldelli & Lorenzo Bartolucci & Stefano Cordiner & Giorgio D’Andrea & Emanuele De Maina & Vincenzo Mulone, 2023. "Biomass to H2: Evaluation of the Impact of PV and TES Power Supply on the Performance of an Integrated Bio-Thermo-Chemical Upgrading Process for Wet Residual Biomass," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-17, March.
    13. Sara Rajabi Hamedani & Mauro Villarini & Andrea Colantoni & Michele Moretti & Enrico Bocci, 2018. "Life Cycle Performance of Hydrogen Production via Agro-Industrial Residue Gasification—A Small Scale Power Plant Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-19, March.
    14. Auburger, Sebastian & Jacobs, Anna & Märländer, Bernward & Bahrs, Enno, 2016. "Economic optimization of feedstock mix for energy production with biogas technology in Germany with a special focus on sugar beets – Effects on greenhouse gas emissions and energy balances," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 1-11.
    15. Sara Rajabi Hamedani & Mauro Villarini & Andrea Colantoni & Maurizio Carlini & Massimo Cecchini & Francesco Santoro & Antonio Pantaleo, 2020. "Environmental and Economic Analysis of an Anaerobic Co-Digestion Power Plant Integrated with a Compost Plant," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-14, May.
    16. Takata, Miki & Fukushima, Kazuyo & Kawai, Minako & Nagao, Norio & Niwa, Chiaki & Yoshida, Teruaki & Toda, Tatsuki, 2013. "The choice of biological waste treatment method for urban areas in Japan—An environmental perspective," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 557-567.
    17. Congguang Zhang & Jiaming Sun & Jieying Ma & Fuqing Xu & Ling Qiu, 2019. "Environmental Assessment of a Hybrid Solar-Biomass Energy Supplying System: A Case Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-14, June.
    18. David E. Meyer & Sarah Cashman & Anthony Gaglione, 2021. "Improving the reliability of chemical manufacturing life cycle inventory constructed using secondary data," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(1), pages 20-35, February.
    19. Nahlik, Matthew J. & Chester, Mikhail V., 2014. "Transit-oriented smart growth can reduce life-cycle environmental impacts and household costs in Los Angeles," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 21-30.
    20. Grubert, E. & Zacarias, M., 2022. "Paradigm shifts for environmental assessment of decarbonizing energy systems: Emerging dominance of embodied impacts and design-oriented decision support needs," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    bioplastics; disposal; LCA;
    All these keywords.

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:13:y:2021:i:12:p:6894-:d:577416. 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.