Life Cycle and Environmental Cycle Assessment of Biodegradable Plastics for Agriculture

The study of the life cycle of products for the quantification of their environmental impacts, in each of their production and utilization stages, is a well-established and scientifically recognized methodology. This approach is known as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and it is the base for several product and service certifications. This chapter focuses on the strengths and weakness of the LCA approach to biodegradable plastic in agriculture, thorough the description of main issues emerged from an extensive literature search and key case studies. In particular, studies which apply LCA on biodegradable mulching films and nursery pots are presented and discussed. Results of the study are somehow controversial. Despite the fact that LCA is the most systematic way to understand the interrelation between a product and the environment (including biodegradable products), some specific issues, related to the own nature of biodegradable products, require a more detailed way to be properly addressed. In particular crucial issues are related to the modelling of realistic waste management scenarios, the development of more appropriate impact categories (e.g. effects of littering) and the assessment of biorefineries which represent the only non-fossil carbon source for bio-based plastic materials.