Environmental analysis of plastic production processes: comparing petroleum-based polypropylene and polyethylene with biologically-based poly-beta-hydroxybutyric acid using life cycle analysis.

Abstract in brief

• This study compares the environmental impacts of producing biodegradable plastic PHB from renewable resources with traditional petroleum-based plastics like polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) using a comprehensive life cycle analysis (LCA).
• The findings show that PHB generally has a smaller environmental footprint across most categories, including global warming and fossil fuel depletion, compared to PP and PE, although PE performs slightly better in acidification and eutrophication.
• The research highlights that PHB production requires less energy and results in fewer environmental impacts overall, emphasizing its potential as a more sustainable alternative to conventional plastics, although each plastic's impact varies depending on the specific environmental category.