Bioplaster: Fakta och siffror 1
FAQ JUN 2017 European Bioplastics e.V. Marienstr.
19/20 10117 Berlin phone fax e-mail web European Bioplastics e.V. Marienstr. 19/20, 10117 Berlin +49.30.28 48 23 50 +49.30.28 48 23 59 info@european-bioplastics.org www.european-bioplastics.org VIII SUSTAINABILITY OF BIOPLASTICS Are bio-based plastics more sustainable than conventional plastics? Bio-based plastics have the same properties as conventional plastics but also feature the unique advantage to reduce the dependency on limited fossil resources and to potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Consequently, bio-based plastics can help to decouple economic growth from the resource depletion and help the EU to meet its 2020 targets of greenhouse gas emissions reduction. Moreover, bioplastics can make a considerable contribution to increased resource efficiency through a closed resource cycle and use cascades, especially if bio-based materials and products are being either reused or recycled and eventually used for energy recovery (i.e. renewable energy). When it comes to sustainability, according to a study by the German Environment Agency “bioplastics are at least as good as conventional plastics”. The study also mentions that “considerable potential is yet untapped” (ifeu/ GEA, 2012). http://www.european-bioplastics.org/bioplastics/environment/ Do bioplastics have a lower carbon footprint than fossil based plastics? How is this measured? Bio-based plastics have the unique advantage over conventional plastics to reduce the dependency on limited fossil resources and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Plants sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2 ) during their growth. Using these plants (renewable biomass) to produce bio-based plastics removes CO2 the entire product life. This carbon fixation (carbon sink) can be extended for even longer if the material is recycled. Substituting the annual global demand for fossil-based polyethylene (PE)4 with bio-based PE would safe more than 42 million tonnes of CO2 the CO2 emissions of 10 million flights aground the world per year. The carbon footprint of a product (CFP) can be measured by carbon footprinting or the life cycle assessment (LCA, standard ISO 14040 and ISO 14044). Information on how a carbon footprint should be established is set out in the ISO 14067 standard entitled the “Carbon Footprint of Products” published in 2013. http://www.european-bioplastics.org/bioplastics/environment/ http://docs.european-bioplastics.org/publications/EUBP_Environmental_communications_guide.pdf 4 Based on the global demand for conventional polyethylene in 2015 (PlasticsEurope) and a CO2 equivalent of bio-based PE of -2,78 p.t. (Braskem, 2016) VR 19997 Nz, Amtsgericht Charlottenburg, USt-IdNr. DE235874231 HypoVereinsbank Rosenheim, BLZ 711 200 77, Konto 6356800, IBAN DE26 7112 0077 0006 3568 00, BIC/SWIFT HYVEDEMM448 21 . This equals from the atmosphere and keeps it stored throughout