Publication: A trade-off between carbon and water impacts in bio-based box production chains in Thailand: A case study of PS, PLAS, PLAS/starch, and PBS
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0
Issued Date
2017
Resource Type
File Type
application/pdf
ISSN
9596526
Other identifier(s)
2-s2.0-85007417994
Rights Holder(s)
มหาวิทยาลัยศรีนครินทรวิโรฒ
Bibliographic Citation
Journal of Cleaner Production. Vol 167, (2017), p.987-1001
Suggested Citation
Cheroennet N., Pongpinyopap S., Leejarkpai T., Suwanmanee U. A trade-off between carbon and water impacts in bio-based box production chains in Thailand: A case study of PS, PLAS, PLAS/starch, and PBS. Journal of Cleaner Production. Vol 167, (2017), p.987-1001. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.11.152 Retrieved from: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14740/4005
Abstract
Currently, bio-based plastics are considered the most promising and environmentally friendly alternative to replace petroleum-based plastics to reduce their environmental impacts. The aim of this research work is to assess and compare the life cycle impact of three types of bio-based boxes (namely, polylactic acid from sugarcane, polylactic acid from sugarcane-starch blends and polybutylene succinate from sugarcane and corn) and petroleum-based boxes of polystyrene. The locations of the plantation stage are focused in 4 provinces, namely, Kanchanaburi, Sakaeo, Prachinburi, and Chonburi provinces, in Thailand. The total impact using the external environmental cost (unit: THB equivalent) is performed at two impact categories: carbon footprint and fresh water consumption. The results from this study indicate that polybutylene succinate reveals the lowest water footprint at 0.38 m3 H2O of all the bio-based boxes and presents the second lowest water deprivation at 0.008 m3 H2O equivalent and the lowest carbon footprint at −0.06 kg CO2 equivalent. The lowest water footprints for all bio-based boxes production chains are found in Kanchanaburi and Chonburi provinces because the highest sugarcane and corn yield were observed, respectively, whereas, the minimum of water deprivation for all bio-based boxes production chains are clearly observed in Sakaeo province because of the lowest amount of chemicals used during plantation stage. The total impact on carbon footprint decreased by 26–69% for the production of bio-based boxes because CO2 absorption from the photosynthetic reactions during the plantation stages were included. In conclusion, for bio-based boxes, the polybutylene succinate box showed the lowest total externality cost of 0.046 THB equivalent on production chain in Sakaeo province. This externality accounts for 64–74% of total cost for freshwater consumption but only accounts for 26–36% of total cost for carbon footprint. These results are beneficial to supporting the development for establishing bio-plastics industry in aspects of water used and carbon footprint. Therefore, the effective strategies for preparing a sufficient supply of irrigation system or efficient water management and appropriate performance from agrochemicals used for supporting the feedstocks production to bio-plastics industry production chains should be proposed. © 2016
Subject(s)
Agricultural chemicals
Carbon dioxide
Economic and social effects
Elastomers
Emission control
Gasoline
Life cycle
Plastics
Plastics industry
Polyesters
Starch
Water
Water conservation
Water management
Environmentally friendly alternatives
External environmental costs
Fresh water consumption
Photosynthetic reaction
Poly lactic acid
Polybutylene succinate
Starch blends
Water deprivation
Carbon footprint
Carbon dioxide
Economic and social effects
Elastomers
Emission control
Gasoline
Life cycle
Plastics
Plastics industry
Polyesters
Starch
Water
Water conservation
Water management
Environmentally friendly alternatives
External environmental costs
Fresh water consumption
Photosynthetic reaction
Poly lactic acid
Polybutylene succinate
Starch blends
Water deprivation
Carbon footprint