Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Do Biopolymers Fulfill Our Expectations Concerning Environmental Benefits?

  • Conference paper
Biodegradable Polymers and Plastics

Abstract

This book chapter discusses results from Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies for the commercially most important biopolymers. Biopolymers are defined here as polymers that are fully or partially produced from renewable raw materials, covering both biodegradable and non-degradable polymers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. ECCP (European Climate Change Programme), 2001, Long report. http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/climat/eccp_longreport_0106.pdf, Brussels, Belgium.

    Google Scholar 

  2. ISO (1997-1999), International Organisation for Standardisation: — ISO 14 040 (DIN EN ISO 14040), 1997, Environmental Management — Life Cycle Assessment — Principles and Framework. Berlin: DIN (Deutsches Institut für Normung).-EN ISO 14 041, 1998, Environmental Management — Life Cycle Assessment — Goal and scope definition and inventory analysis. Berlin: DIN (Deutsches Institut für Normung). — EN ISO 14 042, 1998, Environmental Management — Life Cycle Assessment — Life Cycle Impact Assessment. Draft. Berlin: DIN (Deutsches Institut für Normung). — EN ISO 14 043. 1999, Environmental Management — Life Cycle Assessment — Life Cycle Interpretation. Draft. Berlin: DIN (Deutsches Institut für Normung).

    Google Scholar 

  3. CARBOTECH (1996): Dinkel, F., Pohl, C., Ros, M., Waldeck, B., Ökobilanz stärkehaltiger Kunststoffe (Nr. 271), 2 volumes. Commissioned by the Bundesamt für Umwelt und Landschaft (BUWAL), Bern, Switzerland.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Kaltschmitt, M., and Reinhardt, G. A., 1997, Nachwachsende Energieträger-Grundlagen, Verfahren, Ökologische Bilanzierung. Vieweg Publishers, Braunschweig/Wiesbaden, Germany

    Google Scholar 

  5. BIFA/IFEU/Flo-Pak, 2001, Kunststoffe aus nachwachsenden Rohstoffen — Vergleichende Ökobilanz für Loose-fill-Packmittel aus Stärke bzw. aus Polystyrol (confidential interim report). Bayrisches Institut für angewandte Umweltforschung und-technik, Augsburg (BIFA, project leader), Institut für Energie-und Umweltforschung Heidelberg (IFEU), Flo-Pak GmbH, Germany

    Google Scholar 

  6. Geier, U., Frieben, B., Haas, G., Molkenthin, V., and Köpke, U., 1998, Ökobilanz Hamburger Landwirtschaft — Umweltrelevanz verschiedener Produktionsweisen, Handlungsfelder Hamburger Umweltpolitik. Prepared by the Institute of Organic Agriculture of the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelm-Universität Bonn, Part 1. Schriftenreihe für organischen Landbau, Verlag Dr. Köster, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  7. Kopf, N., 1999, Kunststoffe aus nachwachsenden Rohstoffen — Polyhydroxybutyrat und Stärkekunststoffe — Abschätzungen zum kumulierten Energieaufwand und zu CO 2-Emissionen. Student’s report, prepared at the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (FhG-ISI), Karlsruhe for Engler-Bunte-Institut at Karlsruhe University. Karlsruhe, Germany

    Google Scholar 

  8. Meuser, F., German, H., 1981, Enrgiebedarf und Energiefluss einer Kartoffelstärkefabrik. Starch/Stärke 33(10): 332–337

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Winter, D., Fürniß, B., Klein-Vielhauer, S., Leible, L., Nieke, E., Rösch, Ch., and Taugen, H., 1993, TFA (Technologiefolgenabschätzung zum Thema Nachwachsende Rohstoffe), Landwirschaftsverlag, Münster, Germany

    Google Scholar 

  10. Patel, M., Bastioli, C., Marini, L., and Würdinger, E., 2003, Life-cycle assessment of bio-based polymers and natural fibres. In Biopolymers, Vol. 10, Wiley-VCH, forthcoming in 2003, see also downloadable documents on http://www.chem.uu.nl/nws/www/nws.html

    Google Scholar 

  11. Fraunhofer ISI, 1999, C-STREAMS — Estimation of material, energy and CO2 flows for model systems in the context of non-energy use, from a life cycle perspective — Status and scenarios. Volume I: Estimates for the total system (in German, English abstract). M. Patel, E. Jochem, F. Marscheider-Weidemann, P. Radgen, N. von Thienen, Karlsruhe, Germany

    Google Scholar 

  12. APME (1999, 2000) Eco-profiles of plastics and related intermediates (about 55 products). Association of Plastics Manufacturers in Europe (APME). Downloadable from the internet (http://lca.apme.org), Brussels, Belgium

    Google Scholar 

  13. COMPOSTO (July 2000): Life cycle assessment of Mater-Bi and EPS loose fills. Study prepared by by R. Estermann, B. Schwarzwälder and B. Gysin, Composto, for Novamont, Olten, Switzerland for Novamont, Novara, Italy

    Google Scholar 

  14. COMPOSTO (September 1998): Life cycle assessment of Mater-Bi bags for the collection of compostable waste. Study prepared by R. Estermann and B. Schwarzwälder, Composto, Olten, Switzerland for Novamont, Novara, Italy

    Google Scholar 

  15. CARGILL DOW, 2001, NatureWorks-A new generation of biopolymers. Presentation by E. Vink on 29 March 2001, Birmingham, United Kingdom

    Google Scholar 

  16. Gerngross, T. U., and Slater, S., 2000, How Green are Green Plastics? Scientific American, August, 2000, pp. 37–41

    Google Scholar 

  17. Heyde, M., 1998, Ecological considerations on the use and production of biosynthetic and synthetic biodegradable polymers. Polym. Degrad. Stab. 59(1-3): 3–6.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Kosbar, L. L., Gelorme, J. D., Japp, R. M., and Fotorny, W. T., 2001, Introducing biobased materials into the electronics industry. J. Ind. Ecol. 4(3): 93–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Diehlmann, A., Kreisel, G., 2000, Ökologische Bilanzierung ausgewählter Lackrohstoffe: Vergleich von Bindemitteln auf nativer und petrochemischer Basis. ITUC (Institute for Technical Chemistry and Environmental Chemistry), Jena University, Germany, pp. 95

    Google Scholar 

  20. Diener, J., and Siehler, U., 1999, Ökologischer Vergleich von NMT-und GMT-Bauteilen. Angew. Makromol. Chem. 272: 1–4.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Wötzel, K., Wirth, R., and Flake, R., 1999, Life cycle studies on hemp fibre reinforced components and ABS for automotive parts. Angew. Makromol. Chem. 272: 121–127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Heijungs, R., Guinee, J. B., Huppes, G., Lankreijer, R. M., Udo de Haes, H. A., Wegener, and Sleeswijk, A., 1992, CML (Centre for Environmental Science Leiden), Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Fuels and Raw Materials Bureau (B&G): Environmental Life-Cycle Assessment of Products — Guide and Background. Leiden, Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  23. Schleiss, K., and Chardonnens, M., 1994, Stand und Entwicklung der Kompostierung in der Schweiz 1993. BUWAL Umwelt-Materialien Nr. 21. Bundesamt für Umwelt, Wald und Landschaft (BUWAL), Bern, Switzerland

    Google Scholar 

  24. Hauspurg, Ch., Reußmann, T., and Mieck, K.-P., 2000, Recycling von Naturfaserverbundwerkstoffen im Plastifizier-Pressverfahren. GAK 8/2000, Jahrgang 53, 523–527.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Climate Change 2001 — The scientific basis, 2001 (Houghton, J. T., Ding, Y., Griggs, D. J., Noguer, M., van der Linden, P. J., Da, X., Maskell, K., and Johnson, C. A., eds.), Contribution of Working Group I to the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Full text downloadable from www.ipcc.ch.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Patel, M., 1999, PhD thesis Closing Carbon Cycles: Carbon use for materials in the context of resource efficiency and climate change. (ISBN 90-73958-51-2, http://www.library.uu.n1/digiarchief/dip/diss/1894529/inhoud.htm), Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Reimann, D. O., and Hämmerli, H., 1995, Verbrennungstechnik für Abfälle in Theorie und Praxis. Schriftenreihe Umweltschutz, Bamberg, p. 246.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Patel, M., 2003, Environmental life cycle comparisons of biodegradable plastics. In Handbook on Biodegradable Materials (C. Bastioli, ed.), RAPRA Technology Ltd., forthcoming in 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  29. FAT/CARBOTECH, 1997, Beurteilung nachwachsender Rohstoffe in der Schweiz in den Jahren 1993-1996 — Vergleichende Betrachtung von Produkten aus ausgewählten nachwachsenden Rohstoffen und entsprechenden konventionellen Produkten bezüglich Umweltwirkungen und Wirtschaftlichkeit, (U. Wolfensberger and F. Dinkel, eds.). Prepared by FAT (Eidgenössische Forschungsanstalt für Agrarwirtschaft und Landtechnik) and CARBOTECH for the Federal Office of Agriculture, Bern, Switzerland.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Corbière-Nicollier, T., Gfeller Laban, B., Lundquist, L., Leterrier, Y. Manson, J.-A.E., and Jolliet, O., 2001, Life cycle assessment of biofibres replacing glass fibres as reinforcement in plastics. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, Switzerland. Resour. Conserv. Recy. 33: 267–287.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Finnveden, G., 2000, On the limitations of life cycle assessment and environmental system analysis tools in general. Int. J. Life Cycle Assess. 5(4): 229–238.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Kurdikar, D., Paster, M., Gruys, K. J., Fournet, L., Gerngross, T. U., Slater, S. C., and Coulon, R., 2001, Greenhouse gas profile of a plastic derived from a genetically modified plant. J. Ind. Ecology. 4(3): 107–122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Science, Technology and Society, Utrecht University, Padualaan 14, 3584 CH, Utrecht, Netherlands

    Martin Patel

Authors
  1. Martin Patel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

    Emo Chiellini  & Roberto Solaro  & 

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2003 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this paper

Cite this paper

Patel, M. (2003). Do Biopolymers Fulfill Our Expectations Concerning Environmental Benefits?. In: Chiellini, E., Solaro, R. (eds) Biodegradable Polymers and Plastics. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9240-6_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9240-6_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-4854-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-9240-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation