Environmental sustainability assessment of biodegradable bio-based poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) from agro-residues: Production and end-of-life scenarios

• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120522
• Publication Date: 2024-03-16T06:27:36Z
• Authors: Trang T. Nhu; Lieselot Boone; Valérie Guillard; Lucile Chatellard; Maria Reis; Mariana Matos; Jo Dewulf
• Keywords: Carbon Footprint; Environmentally Friendly

In the context of a circular bio-based economy, more public attention has been paid to environmental sustainability biodegradable plastics, particularly plastics produced using emerging biotechnologies, e.g. poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) or PHBV. However, this not thoroughly investigated in literature. Therefore, study aimed address three aspects regarding impact PHBV-based plastic: (i) potential benefits scaling up pellet production from pilot industrial scale and hotspots at each scale, (ii) most favourable end-of-life (EOL) scenario for PHBV, (iii) performance PHBV compared benchmark materials considering both EOL stages. Life cycle assessment (LCA) was implemented Cumulative Exergy Extraction Natural Environment (CEENE) Environmental Footprint (EF) methods. The results show that, firstly, when upscaling significant benefit can be achieved by reducing electricity nutrient usage, together with implementation better practices such as recycling effluent diluting feedstock. Moreover, circularity perspective, mechanical might short-life products, carbon neutrality approach, material remains recycled hence credits are substituting recyclates virgin raw materials. Lastly, environmentally beneficial equal even some extent greater than common bio- fossil-based well-established technologies. Besides methodological choices, feedstock source technology specifications (e.g. pure mixed microbial cultures) were also identified factors contributing variations LCA (bio)plastics; therefore, transparency reporting these factors, along consistency implementing methodologies, is crucial conducting meaningful comparative LCA.