Biobased polymers, life cycle assessment

Domburg, V., Lewandowski, I., Patel, M., 2004. An analysis and system extension of life cycle assessment studies. Comparing the land requirements, energy savings, and greenhouse gas emissions reduction of biobased polymers and bioenergy. Journal of Industrial Ecology 7 (3-4), 93-116. 

As biopolymers capture a larger market share, the measurement of their life cycle environmental impacts will be important to enable consumers and producers to identify more sustainable methods of use, production and disposal for such products. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a tool that quantifies the environmental sustainability of biobased polymers from cradle to grave. ... 

In Europe, biobased polymers can be certified as biobased with the OK Biobased certification program from VinCotte (OK Biobased Certification 2013). Biobased plastics are made with a renewable resource that can offer lower environmental impacts than petroleum-based plastics (Bastioli, C. (2005)). Replacing petroleum-based carbon with organic carbon from today can reduce the carbon footprint of the plastic material based on life cycle assessments (LCA Narayan 2006a, 201 lb). 

Patel, M., Bastioli, C., Marini, L., and Wurdinger, E., 2003, Life-cycle assessment of biobased 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... 

Patel, M., Bastioli, C., Marini, L., et al., 2005. Life-cycle assessment of biobased polymers and natural fiber composites. Biopolymers. 

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