Performing accurate life-cycle analysis of plastics
Rosanna Cavanaugh, President, Key Tech Corp., Packaging materials supplier
I am trying to clarify something I was told recently. When a life-cycle analysis (LCA) is completed on plastics, it is done considering the raw material being crude oil and the processes employed, including drilling, refining, cracking, etc. However, what I was told was that plastics are actually made from the byproducts of gasoline or fuel manufacturing and are never really made straight from crude. Given most of the oil drilled is used for gasoline or fuel, then is it correct to start there when doing LCA, or is it more correct to start somewhere else? Seems there is something not quite right about starting from crude oil? What am I missing here? Anyone?
Read 3 responses to this question: greenerpackage.com/node/1714
Weighing the impact of one-way glass vs.
the bottle return/refund model
Conscious Brands, Consultant
Just wondering if anyone has done any work in quantifying the environmental impact of one-way glass in the brewing industry vs. the bottle return/refund model?
Read 2 responses to this question: greenerpackage.com/node/1657
Need to recycle dry pet-food bags
David Bennett, Consultant
I am working with a team of MBA students to develop a system for capturing and recycling dry pet-food bags. We are working in partnership with Nestlé Purina and PetSmart to find vendors who can recycle either one or both of the bag types: 1) #5 PP bags, and 2.) multiwall paper bags with a thin plastic liner. Does anyone have suggestions for facilities that can recycle a large amount of these material types?
Read 6 responses to this question: greenerpackage.com/node/1686
