This document discusses using life cycle assessment (LCA) to measure the environmental impacts of plastics. [1] It outlines how LCA works and how it can assess plastics sustainability. [2] Examples of LCA studies on plastics packaging and reusable vs. single-use cups are provided. [3] The document suggests expanding LCA applications and building LCA capacity in China.

1. Plastics & Sustainability
Better to light a candle
than curse the darkness
----John F. Kennedy using LCA to measure and improve
environmental impacts of plastics
The real voyage of
discovery consists not in Ecovane Environmental
seeking new landscapes Bill Kung
but in having new eyes 2010
---- Marcel Proust
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2. Outline
Plastics & environment
- Why is Plastics on the agenda of Sustainability today?
Plastic & LCA: theoretical explanation
- why LCA? & what’s LCA?
- how can LCA assess the sustainability of plastic?
LCA: practical explanation
- What has been done?
- example of LCA studies, including plastics
Suggestion & Solutions
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3. What plastics offers, what sustainability demands
Eutrophication
Ozone Layer Depletion Human Toxicity
Eutrophication Acidification
Packaging Marine Aquatic Ecotoxicity
Electronics
Ozone Layer Depletion Abiotic Depletion Human Toxicity
Global Warming
Acidification
Fresh Water Aquatic Ecotoxicity
Marine Aquatic Ecotoxicity
Terrestrial Ecotoxicity
Abiotic Depletion Renewable energy use
Global Warming Meet the need of
Non-renewable resource use current generation
Packaging Fresh Water Aquatic Ecotoxicity transportationOxidation
Photochemical but also protect the
Non-renewable energy use Construction capability of future
Electronics generation to meet
Terrestrial Ecotoxicity …
Renewable energy use their own needs
Non-renewable resource use
Photochemical Oxidation
transportation
Construction
Non-renewable energy use
…
Plastic: any of various complex organic compounds produced by polymerization, capable of being molded, extruded, cast into
various shapes and films, or drawn into filaments and then used as textile fibers 3

4. Plastic & Environment – bad images
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5. „ Resistance to chemicals
„ Electrical insulation
„ Thermal insulation
„ Lightweight
„ Freedom of design
„ Durable
„ Energy-efficient
„ Recyclable
Attention

6. Plastic & Environment – the argues
Type search: ‘plastic is good’, after 0.0001s it shows…
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7. Plastic & Environment – the question that matters
POLICY
Triple bottom line

Make a policy that support real
sustainable development?

•Avoid solve one problem by creating
another one
•Identification and prioritization of
problem and opportunities
•Systematic, proactive and long term
thinking
PLASTIC PEOPLE
Make plastic with minimum Can’t live w/o plastic
environmental impacts 
 Sustainable consumption
Make, use and dispose plastic in a 
sustainable way? •Awareness on waste minimization
Planet
 •Reduction of unnecessary usage, e.g.
•Cleaner plastic design over packaging
•Greener alternatives •Choose products based on ‘real’
•New environmental innovation sustainability figures instead of
•Industrial ecology 7

8. 1. The Sin of the Hidden Trade-off, which occurs when one environmental issue is
emphasized at the expense of potentially more serious concerns.
2. The Sin of No Proof. This happens when environmental assertions are not backed up
by evidence or third-party certification.
3. The Sin of Vagueness, which occurs when a marketing claim is so lacking in specifics
as to be meaningless. “All-natural” is an example of this sin.
4. The (new) Sin of Worshipping False Labels. This is when marketers create a false
suggestion or a certification-like image to mislead consumers into thinking that a
product has been through a legitimate green certification process.
5. The Sin of Irrelevance. This sin arises when an environmental issue unrelated to the
product is emphasized. One example is the claim that a product is “CFC-free,” since
CFCs are banned by law.
6. The Sin of Lesser of Two Evils, which occurs when an environmental claim makes
consumers feel “green” about a product category that is itself lacking in
environmental benefits. Organic cigarettes are an example of this sin.
7. The Sin of Fibbing. This is when environmental claims are outright false.

9. LCA, what is it for?

10. Worse? Or better? – an answer LCA tries to get
• Most important ecodesign tool
• Helps you set priorities
• Enables you to make comparisons and measure
improvements
• Supports your choices and testify some old ‘wisdom’
• Helps you support and explain your decisions both
within the company and to the stakeholders
• It’s at the base of major product ecolabels
LCA is the new lens toward environmental, economical and social sustainability
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11. Why is LCA realistic, holistic and comprehensive?
HOLISTIC – REALISTIC – CONPREHENSIVE
Food safety Chemical, toxics and heavy metals
Climate change Biodiversity and landuse
Air pollution
desertification
Waste management
Energy
radiation Ozone layer depletion
Water
Material extraction Emissions
Oceans and fisheries
Waste
Component manufacture
Product manufacture
Electricity
Water
Deforestation
Product transport Resource use
Product use 11
Product disposal

12. Application of LCA: government
GOVERNMENT
Framing policies and initiatives, e.g.
1. Advocating Low-carbon society and support green initiatives ‟ Globally
2. Sustainable consumption and production (SCP) ‟ EU initiated
3. Public procurement tool development ‟ Global, including China
4. Circular economy (China), and 3R (Japan)
5. Rules and standard on production, processing and technology ‟ EU, Australia,
Japan
6. Life cycle thinking relevant policy making, e.g. IPP (EU), EMAS (EU), EUP (EU),
Eco-labeling (Global, including China) , technology evaluation(EU, Australia,
Singapore and etc)
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13. Application of LCA: private sector
PRIVATE SECTOR
Product, decision making, market, communication and obligation:
• Internal product improvement: de-bottlenecking & green competitive
• Strategic decision support for major technology investments (e.g. biofuels)
• End-consumer marketing via Ecolables (e.g. EU Flower, Carbon labels), or directly
• Environmental reporting, business-to-business information via Environmental Product
Declarations (EPD)
• LCA required for certain activities, e.g. compulsory LCA reporting for new WW
infrastructure and lead acid battery recycling plant (Australia)
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14. Application of LCA: examples of LCA studies in Singapore, 2009 (13)
• Municipal solid waste options
• Conventional and Bio-diesel, including land use
GDP, 2009
• Crude oil based and Bio-based plastics 28% Rest
9%
• Carbon capture, utilization and sequestration Europe
9% 9% China
• Bioenergy from Microalgae
Japan
0%
In industry 54% Singapore
• Alterntive packaging materials for electronic components Source: IMF, 2009
• Sustainability of supply chain for specialty chemicals
• Zinc recycling and reuse
Source: Dr. Reginald Tan, 2009
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15. Application of LCA: Organic cotton – better for environment?
Organic cotton has been claimed as an environmental friendly material by some key
designers, textile manufacturers, retailers etc. A farm-gate LCA was conducted in
XinJiang area to testify whether and how organic cotton shows its outstanding
environmental features?
result:
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16. Application of LCA: single use and reusable cups
Question:
For serving 1000liter of drinks,
How many (X) uses of reusable cups = 1 single use cup ?
X= 2, 9, 10, 14…
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17. Application of LCA: single use and reusable cups
Results - single score: the minimum number of uses of the reusable cup necessary for
it to have a smaller environmental impact than the single-use cup is 10
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18. LCA: Identify where in the life
cycle an impact should be
targeted for reduction
„ Considering a piece of garment, from
the raw material production, to the
production of dyes, the spinning of yarn,
knitting and sewing up of the garment
and packaging for sale; to the consumer
stage and disposal or recycle of the
garment, they all impose a burden to
environment, but which stage, has the
highest environmental impact and
should thus be targeted for reduction?
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19. LCA: Scientifically testify some “old wisdom”
“Natural” equals “more environmentally friendly”?
Yes and No
LCA key indicators for end products
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Source: M. Patel et. al., Utrecht University

20. LCA – paper vs. plastic bags
Life cycle Energy and Air Emissions
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21. Careful in comparison– glass vs. aluminum vs. PET
April 2010, PET Resin Association PETRA + Franklin Associates
PET > Al can and Glass bottle with
Less energy, less solid waste and much less GHG
April 2010, European Glass Container Federation, Fabrice Rivet
“comparative studies are dependent upon such a huge number of assumptions,
that it is difficult to compare like with like and come to fair conclusions - to say
the least”.
May 2010, Owens-Illinois, Inc
“cradle to cradle” LCA
Considering Carbon emission (CO2)
Sounds right, but…2%
Anyway, it is a beer bottle recycling rate of PET?
study, not a comprehensive What about the benefit
Pet, Glass and Aluminum of extra PET recycled?
comparison
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22. Avoiding pitfalls of LCA
LCA: You Are What You Eat
„ Assumptions are un-avoidable in LCA study (e.g. recycling rate, transportation distance, end
of life waste treatment);
„Choice of functional unit, system boundary, allocation rules;
„ Data representativeness, uncertainties and sensitivities;
Review what is in your LCA before your draw important conclusions like
“product A is better than product B”;
Since A little knowledge (on LCA and the context) is a dangerous thing
Besides, don’t forget
LCA is much more than comparing products! 22

23. LCA: Management & Suggestion
LCA Development
1. China LCI database
2. China LCA impact assessment
methodology
3. Streamlined LCA tool for various
industry and applications
4. Expand LCA application, from
policy making to industrial
research, from central
government to local government
5. Certification and pilot qualification
Business Interaction Capacity building
1. Life cycling thinking & 1. Formal LCA education in
management University / academics
2. Interaction and cooperation 2. Informal LCA training /
3. Join the funding/working for certification and accreditation of
industrial and cross-boundary LCA LCA practitioners
study 3. Global LCA interaction
4. Knowledge sharing and 4. Found a China LCA center e.g.
experience exchanging steering committee from
5. Quick LCA tools and improve government, academic, business
6. Ask the right question to get the association, LCA consultants for
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right answer with LCA cross-boundary study

24. Thank You!
Any comments pls contact:
Bill Kung
Email: bill.k@ecovane.cn
+86-21-34635036
Energy and Product sustainability: www.ecovane.cn
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