Composting life cycle assessment

Life cycle assessments were applied in 1997/98 to analyse the degree of ecological damage caused by the production and disposal of Mater-Bi bags used in households to collect organic waste. Paper bags "haushalt kompost , which can be composted, and PE multipurpose bags, which cannot be composted, were used as points of reference. 

Life Cycle Assessment of Mater-Bi Bags for the Collection of Compostable Waste, Composto, Switzerland, 1998. 

The potential of compostable polymers materials depends on a further reduction in price, development of the cost of fossil resources, process optimization and scaling up supported by full life cycle assessment analysis, legislative measures, and development of composting infrastructures and the environmental awareness of consumers. 

Life cycle assessment reveals that no petroleum-derived polymer can rival the greenhouse gas sink effect of the improved PLA process. Although disposal of PLA products - whether by combustion, composting or other conventional means - results in a return of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, this advantage survives. 

Life Cycle Assessment of Compostable and Biodegradable Polymers 97... 

LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT OF COMPOSTABLE AND BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS... 

Cnd-of-life options for plastics are important factors that influence the life cycle assessment (LCA) of plastics. Disposal options for plastics are to mechanically recycle the plastic, chemically recycle the plastic, compost the biobased plastic, burn the plastic into energy, or bury the plastic in a landfill. 

Irish Composting Study (2013) A Life Cycle Assessment of a Standard Irish Composting Process and Agricultural Use of Compost, http //www.rx3.ie/ MDGUploadedFiles/file/rx3publications/Compost Life Cycle.pdf (last accessed June 2013). 

LCA for Windrow Compost (2006) Life Cycle Inventory and Life Cycle Assessment for Windrow Composting Systems, New South Wales, Australia, http //www. epa.nsw.gov.au/resources/warr/2006400 org lcassesswindrowsys.pdf (last accessed June 2014). 

Chaffe, C. and Yaros, B. (2007) Life Cycle Assessment for Three Types of Grocery Bags - Recyclable Plastic Compostable, Biodegradable Plastic and Recycled,... 

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

Life Cycle Assessment of Mater-Bi bags for the collection of compostable waste (1998)- Composto Switzerland,... 

The life cycle included raw material acquisition, the production and processing and/or disposal of bags as well as routes of transport. Packaging, distribution, utilization and collection as well as transport to wholesalers could not be considered due to dependency of these processes on the prospective bulk buyers and retailers [25], Paper bags haushalt compost , which can be composted, and PE multipurpose bags, which cannot be composted, were used as points of reference. It is not relevant to the overall results whether maize produced in Switzerland or in France is used. Mater-Bi bags made of French maize were selected for the overall assessment as maize on the European market is mainly produced in France. 

The use of green yard waste compost on farmland can lead to a positive environmental impact with lower water usage, lower fertilizer usage, lower herbicide usage, and sequestration. Life cycle impact assessments of environmental concerns from production and application of composted products provide a net positive environmental impact. The use of composting process and products provides a reduction in GHG, human toxicity potential, ecotoxicity potential, and eutrophication potential due to lower use of fertilizers, herbicides, water, and electricity (LCA for Windrow Compost 2006). 

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