Life Cycle Assessment of Calcium-Rich Industrial Waste Reinforced Polypropylene and Low-Density Polyethylene Composites Using the Cradle-to-Gate Approach

Abstract

The first life cycle assessment (LCA) of injection-molded composites made of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and polypropylene (PP) reinforced with calcium-rich flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum and marble waste is shown in this work. The life cycle phases of the manufacturing of polymer composites were assessed using the methodological framework of IS/ISO 14044:2006. Midpoint indicators were evaluated by the ReCiPe method. To determine the composition, the physicochemical properties of the used FGD gypsum and marble waste were analyzed to ensure utilization in subsequent composite materials. American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards were followed for mechanical testing to check the quality of the developed composites. The flexural strength of the developed polymer composites was higher than that of pristine specimens with a 20–80 wt % filler concentration. Using the openLCA software and ecoinvent database, a cradle-to-gate LCA was performed for the developed composites. The global warming potential of the MW-PP composites is 1.01–1.06 times less than those of the other developed reinforced composites. The results of the present research are useful for creating environmentally friendly technologies, particularly the injection-molding practice.

Emergy Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment for Evaluating the Sustainability of Solar-Integrated Ecotechnologies in Winery Wastewater Treatment

“…The LCA is a rigorous and structured methodology that has been used widely as the sustainability tool to quantify and aggregate the emission and its impact on the environment at various stages of the entire product/process life cycle, i.e., from raw material extraction or processing to manufacturing to use to disposal . A LCA study can be categorized as cradle to grave, cradle to gate, gate to gate, or gate to cradle . In this study, we comprehensively studied sustainability from gate to disposal of the various scenarios of winery wastewater treatment emission following the LCA methodology recommended in ISO standard 14040:2006 using GABI software …”

“…45 A LCA study can be categorized as cradle to grave, cradle to gate, gate to gate, or gate to cradle. 46 In this study, we comprehensively studied sustainability from gate to disposal of the various scenarios of winery wastewater treatment emission following the LCA methodology recommended in ISO standard 14040:2006 using GABI software. 47 The goal of this study was to evaluate and compare the environmental impact of a winery wastewater treatment system.…”

Circularity in polymers: addressing performance and sustainability challenges using dynamic covalent chemistries

“…Open-source options exist for both TEA and LCA (e.g., Bio-renery Simulation and TEA Modules (BioSTEAM), openLCA, Materials Flows through Industry (MFI) tool) to aid in the preliminary design and calculation of economic and environmental impacts of newly synthesized DCvC-based polymers. 227,242,243 The results will guide method optimization during lab-scale development and identify optimal application areas for DCvC-based polymers that utilize their unique features. 239 Unfortunately, most dynamic polymers have yet to be evaluated in applied scenarios and are lacking the relevant data (e.g., GHG emissions, overall energy demands, costs) to make direct comparisons with incumbent materials.…”

Biodegradable and Structure-Tunable Poly(lactic acid) Foam Prepared by Temperature-Induced CO2 Foaming

“…Owing to their low cost and fascinating chemical and physical properties, plastics have been extensively applied in many fields, such as packaging, transportation, and construction, which brings tremendous convenience to people’s lives. , However, most of them are nondegradable and often discarded after use, thus leading to severe environmental issues. − Therefore, the application of biodegradable polymers, specially made from renewable resources, has become an urgency for environmental sustainability. Poly­(lactic acid) (PLA) derived from biobased sources, such as crops and waste sugars, , is one of the most produced biodegradable and biocompatible polymers.…”