Inclusion of multiple climate tipping as a new impact category in life cycle assessment of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)-based plastics

The merits of temporary carbon storage are often debated for bio-based and biodegradable plastics. We employed life cycle assessment (LCA) to assess environmental performance polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)-based plastics, considering multiple climate tipping as a new impact category. It accounts the contribution GHG emissions trigger points in Earth system, total 13 elements that could pass point with increasing warming. PHA was either laminated poly(lactic acid), or metallized aluminum oxides lower permeability resulting plastics toward oxygen, water vapor aromas. assessments were made accounting potential differences kinetics evolution greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4) from bioplastic degradation end-of-life. Results show that: (1) films high biodegradability perform best relation tipping, but not necessarily radiative forcing increase global temperature change; (2) sugar beet molasses used feedstock is an hot spot, contributing significantly wide range problems; (3) production scale pilot full commercial increases impacts, mainly due decreasing yield; (4) further process optimization necessary PHA-based become attractive alternatives fossil-based Our study suggests relevant category LCA bioplastics.