Page 15 - Plastics News May 2020

Single-use Plastic-Bags And Their Alternatives - A Study And Recommendations
From Life Cycle Assessments
Environmental impact category in the life cycle of the bags
Conditions or Eutrophic Photo
other Climate change Acidification chemical Land use change Littering Potential
observations ation ozone

In the majority of reviewed Ÿ While all reviewed studies Ÿ Though not assessed Ÿ There are several impacts
studies, PE based plastic bags assessed climate impact, the in detail, it is of littering: visual impacts,
were found to have the lowest assessment for other impacts such important to p h y s i c a l i m p a c t s o n
climate impact. as acidification, eutrophication consider that bio- animals, and the impacts of
and ozone related impacts varied based and paper microplastics
Ÿ Single use PE bags from
recycled or bio-based between studies. bags require a Ÿ The assessment of littering
materials were found to have Ÿ For the studies that assessed certain amount of potential in LCA is still
a lower climate impact than acidification, eutrophication and land for feedstock under development. A
their fossil PE alternative. ozone related impacts, fossil PE- cultivation. minority of the reviewed
Ÿ Durable PP and reusable PE based alternatives (HDPE/LDPE) Ÿ In addition to land studies addresses impacts
bags need to be reused 10-20 were found to be the best option. use, there is also the of littering and even these
account for visual impacts
and 5-10 times, respectively T h e r e i s n o c l e a r ' w o r s e ' possibility of land only.
before they can compete on alternative, though the studies use change which
the basis of climate change p o i n t t o w a r d s b i o - b a s e d can lead to impacts Ÿ Littering potential is a
with single-use bags. This is alternatives. on biodiversity, etc. c h a l l e n g e f o r n o n -
due to their higher weight Ÿ Bio-based LDPE was found to degradable bags (fossil- and
and the related material perform worse than fossil LDPE. bio-based) and for bags
consumption. Ÿ For durable and reusable LDPE and labeled as degradable.
Ÿ Paper bags can be better for PP bags, as well as cotton and Ÿ Bio-degradable plastics
the climate if produced in paper bags the same findings as for should not just be left in the
integrated mills using climate change apply: whether environment, handling in
renewable energy and if bags they can compete with the single managed sites is needed.
are reused and recycled or use alternatives depends on the Ÿ The degradation rate
incinerated. Forestry can number of reuses. depends on the local
affect the carbon stocks Ÿ Starch-based bags were found to conditions. Exposure to UV
above and below ground. have no environmental benefit light, availability of
T h i s e ff e c t c a n b e oxygen, temperature, and
considerable, potentially humidity influence the
leading to a high climate degradation process of
impact or a climate benefit, degradable plastics, paper
depending on the forest and cotton.
management.
Ÿ Oxo-degradable plastics
Ÿ Cotton bags need to be seem to only partially
reused 50-150 times followed fragment, i.e. they leave
by incineration or recycling residues behind.
before their climate impact
is comparable to single-use
plastic bags.

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MAY 2020 15 Plastics News