CHE3175: Assignment 1

Life Cycle Assessment

Implications of
Nonrenewable v. Renewable
Resources Products
Presented by
Timothy Laycock
Lau Grissel Leija Torres
Leong Kai Lun
Arthur Parreira Sila Medeiros
Cameron Ekins
Cristhiana Perdigo Martins Ferreira
Carlos Eduardo de Araujo Silva

24163031
26174995
24285855
26209926
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Table of Contents
I.
II.
I.

Introduction
Method
LCA Type

III. Case Study: PLA from sugar-cane bagasse substituting for PP

used in packaging in Australia
I.

Objectives, functional unit, limits and considerations

II.

Brief explanation of processes and overall block diagram

III. Results and discussion

IV. Conclusion

IV. Market for PLA in Australia

V. Case Study: Biodiesel from palm oil in Malaysia used as a 50%
blend in diesel in Malaysia
I.

Objective, functional unit, limits and considerations

II.

Brief explanation of processes and overall block diagram

III. Results and discussion

VI. Appendices

Introduction

Comparative Cradle to Grave LCA

Implications of choosing one product over the other
Transit through current state of industry sectors
Midpoints and Endpoints
Renewable scenario characterized by lower indicators

PP v. PLA

Diesel v.
Blended
Biodiesel

Method
LCA methodology
ISO 14040:2006

Inventory
TRACI 2.1

LCA Type
Cradle to Grave
Excepting recycling

Case Study: PLA from sugar-cane bagasse

substituting for PP used in packaging in
Australia
Sugarcane

Second largest export crop: 30 million tonnes/year

Bagasse: waste
Lignocelluostic
Through hydrolysis, fermentation > Lactic acid > Polylactic acid =
Biodegradable

Functional Unit:
Fruit container
Single use
Australian market
Alternative needed
Recycled, reused or quickly
degraded
PLA is labelled as eco-friendly

Limits and considerations:

Products associated with
functional unit
Representative average
Standardize inventory
Transport efficiency [Km/L]
Data unavailability
Closest to Australian industry

Production
of PLA Tray
Overall Block Diagram

Production
of PP Tray
Overall Block Diagram

Results and discussion

Analysis of categorized charts and classified inventory
Inputs and Outputs
Unit equivalences

Critical stages
MIDPOINTS ENDPOINTS
Acidification Ecotoxicity
Eutrophication Human
Health
Criteria
Fossil Fuel
Global Warming
Potential
Land Use
Photochemical
Smog
Water Use

TRACI charts
Specific resources
Reasonable? Midpoint or Endpoint?
Consequences
IMPACT UNIT
CATEGORIES EQUIVALENCE
Acidification Moles of H+
Equivalent
Ecotoxicity Lbs of 2,4 D
Equivalent
Eutrophication Kg of N
Fossil Fuel MJ
Global Warming Kg CO2 Equivalent
Potential
Human Health Total DALYs
Criteria
Land Use t&e Species
Photochemical g of NOx Equivalent
Smog

10

Overall Comparison of Products

11

Midpoints
Acidification

Eutrophication

12

Fossil Fuel

Global Warming Potential

13

Land Use

Water Use

Photochemical Smog

14

Endpoints
Ecotoxicity

Human Health Criteria

15

Sensitization Analysis / Critical Processess

(*) >95% of total impact
Impact Categories
Acidification

PP
Raw Material

PLA
Material Manufacturing*

Ecotoxicity

Acquisition*
Raw Material

Material Manufacturing*

Eutrophication

Acquisition*
Raw Material

Material Manufacturing*

Fossil Fuel

Acquisition
Raw Material

N/A

Global Warming

Acquisition*
N/A

Raw Material

Potential
Human Health Criteria N/A
Land Use
N/A
Photochemical Smog

Raw Material
Acquisition*

Acquisition*
Material Manufacturing
Raw Material
Acquisition*
N/A

16

Conclusion
PLA better in 5 out of 9
Major land and water requirements
Australia
Large farmland = no significant problem

Competition with food industry

Bagasse usually combusted to produce energy
GWP

Ideal situation: allocation for both

Best scenario: Renewable
PLA

17

Market Analysis for PLA in Australia

Plastic overall consumption
1,476,690 tons in 2011/12 (PCIA)

Plastic consumption and typical recovery life cycle (PCIA 2011-12)

18

Overall consumption of PP in
2011/12
216,347 tons

19

Market for PLA in Australia

Hypothetical situation
30% of the total PP production would be replaced by PLA from
sugar cane bagasse
147,000 tonnes

49%

Therefore, 44 100 tonnes (30% of 147,000 tonnes) would be

replaced by PLA

20

Assumptions
The yield of PLA from solid bagasse is 80% (Groot & Born, 2010)
55125 tonnes of bagasse would be necessary;

Approximately 34000 tonnes of bagasse is produced per hectare

of sugarcane growth: 1.6 hectares of sugarcane farmland would
be necessary for the required PLA production

21

Nature Works LLC in

Nebraska, USA
Annual capacity of
140,000 tons

Area of Sugar Cane

Production and
Clyde Plant location
(Google Maps 2013)

22

Case Study: Biodiesel from palm oil in Malaysia used as a

50% blend in diesel in Malaysia

Increasing
demand of
energy

Fossil Fuels
cannot
supply the
demand

Biodiesel

23

Case Study: Biodiesel from palm oil in Malaysia used as a

50% blend in diesel in Malaysia

Malaysian case study:

biodiesel from palm oil
Palm: most productive crop
for oil extraction
The country is one of the
Biodiesel
largest producers of palm
oil
Biodiesel can be blended
with petroleum diesel
MPOB: policies to enhance
the production of biodiesel

24

Case Study: Biodiesel from palm oil in Malaysia

used as a 50% blend in diesel in Malaysia

Functional Unit:
1 MJ of fuel used in engine vehicles

Limitations:
Diesel: American Inventory
Biodiesel: Blending process neglected
Transport to centres of consumption:
neglected

Production of
Petroleum-Diesel
Overall Block Diagram

26

Production of
Biodiesel Blend
Overall Block Diagram

27

Results and discussion

Analysis of categorized charts and classified inventory
Inputs and Outputs
Unit equivalences

Critical stages
MIDPOINTS ENDPOINTS
Acidification Ecotoxicity
Eutrophication Human
Health
Cancer
Fossil Fuel
Global Warming
Potential
Photochemical
Smog
Water Use

TRACI charts
Specific resources
Reasonable? Midpoint or Endpoint?
Consequences
IMPACT UNIT
CATEGORIES EQUIVALENCE
Acidification Moles of H+
Equivalent
Ecotoxicity Lbs of 2,4 D
Equivalent
Eutrophication Kg of N
Fossil Fuel MJ
Global Warming Kg CO2 Equivalent
Potential
Human Health lbs C6H6 eq.
Cancer
Photochemical g of NOx Equivalent
Smog
Water Use gallons

28

Overall Comparison of Products

100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%

Diesel
Biodiesel

29

Midpoints
Acidification

Eutrophication

30

Fossil Fuel

Global Warming Potential

31

Photochemical Smog

Water Use

32

Endpoints
Ecotoxicity

Human Health Cancer

33

Sensitization Analysis / Critical Processes

(*) >95% of total impact
Impact Categories
Acidification

Diesel
Materials

PLA
Product Fabrication*

Ecotoxicity

Manufacturing*
Raw Materials

Product Fabrication*

Acquisition
Materials

Raw Materials

Fossil Fuel

Manufacturing
Materials

Acquisition
Product Fabrication*

Global Warming

Manufacturing
Materials

Raw Material Acquisition

Potential
Human Health Cancer

Manufacturing*
Raw Materials

Product Fabrication*

Photochemical Smog

Acquisition
Raw Material

Materials

Water Use

Acquisition
Raw Material

Manufacturing*
Materials

Eutrophication

34

Conclusion
Biodiesel is better in 6 out of 8
Based on impact assessment

However, requires large area of land

There is plenty of land in Malaysia

Established organization and company

MPOB, Sime Darby

Is palm biodiesel viable in the long run?