Greenhouse Gas Reduction Potential of Novel CO<sub>2</sub>‑Derived Polylactic-<i>co</i>-glycolic Acid (PLGA) Plastics
To reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of plastics, fossil feedstocks need to be replaced by alternative carbon sources, such as recycled plastics, biomass, and captured CO<sub>2</sub>. However, these alternatives do not necessarily result in a lower GHG footprint when the full lif...
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2025
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| Summary: | To reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of plastics, fossil feedstocks need to be replaced by alternative carbon sources, such as recycled plastics, biomass, and captured CO<sub>2</sub>. However, these alternatives do not necessarily result in a lower GHG footprint when the full life cycle of the products is taken into account. Here, we assess the potential life-cycle GHG reductions of polylactic-<i>co</i>-glycolic acid (PLGA) produced with captured CO<sub>2</sub> and biomass, which can be used to replace fossil or biobased plastic bottles, mulch, and film. Using prospective life-cycle assessment (pLCA), we determine the full-life-cycle GHG footprint of 1 kg PLGA used in these applications while considering different CO<sub>2</sub> sources, GHG intensities of energy, and end-of-life scenarios modeled for the Netherlands. We compare the GHG footprints of PLGA to commonly used fossil and biobased plastics. In a future scenario with low-emission energy production, PLGA leads to GHG emission reductions between 11 and 70% compared to its fossil counterparts if end-of-life emissions are not captured and mostly higher emissions compared to biobased PE/PET. The use of PLGA as a plastic film in a multilayer food packaging provides the greatest reduction in GHG emissions, up to 70% compared to the use of conventional plastics. |
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