Sphera Case Studies Introducing the New Easy-To-Use (Bio)plastic LCA Tool

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	Introducing the New Easy-To-Use (Bio)plastic LCA Tool Sphera

Introducing the New Easy-To-Use (Bio)plastic LCA Tool

Sphera

Technology Category	Analytics & Modeling - Digital Twin / Simulation Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration
Applicable Industries	Packaging Plastics
Applicable Functions	Product Research & Development Quality Assurance
Use Cases	Material Handling Automation Predictive Quality Analytics
Services	Software Design & Engineering Services System Integration
Challenge	In recent years, sustainability-related issues concerning plastics, such as sourcing from non-renewable resources and end-of-life issues (recycling, reuse, littering, biodegradability), have gained significant attention. The plastics industry is under pressure to provide credible solutions to these problems. To bring about sustainable change in the plastics industry, accurate information in the form of standardized and credible Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) results needs to be made available in a transparent way to as broad an audience as possible, including non-LCA experts. Read More
About Customer	The customer in this case study is the plastics industry at large. The plastics industry has been under increasing scrutiny due to the environmental impact of plastic production and disposal. Plastics have advantages over other materials, such as being lightweight and having superior forming and processing properties. They are widely used in applications such as packaging, transportation, mobility, housing, and infrastructure. Since their introduction in the 50s and 60s, world production of plastics has grown to roughly 335 million tons. Today, bio-based materials are also available for all major applications and processing steps and offer an alternative to fossil-based plastic products. Read More
Solution	Sphera, with the support of the Institute for Bioplastics and Biocomposites (IfBB, Hannover), has developed an easy-to-use LCA tool specifically for the assessment of (bio)plastic products. The tool is based on Sphera’s award-winning GaBi Envison Web platform, which allows access—through a standard web browser—to high-quality LCA models in the GaBi database. The (Bio)plastic LCA Tool covers the complete life cycle of (bio) plastic products and allows for a choice of different feedstocks, materials (e.g., PP, PE, PLA, PET, starch blends), standard and customized compounding and converting steps, transportation along the supply chain, and end-of-life options (incineration, landfill, recycling, composting, etc.). The tool allows for the comparison of different product scenarios and comparisons between petrochemical-based and bio-based plastics. The results are calculated for several environmental impact categories, such as the carbon footprint, and are displayed immediately in a customized PDF report. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Digital Twin / Simulation

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration

Applicable Industries

Packaging

Plastics

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development

Quality Assurance

Use Cases

Material Handling Automation

Predictive Quality Analytics

Services

Software Design & Engineering Services

System Integration

Challenge

In recent years, sustainability-related issues concerning plastics, such as sourcing from non-renewable resources and end-of-life issues (recycling, reuse, littering, biodegradability), have gained significant attention. The plastics industry is under pressure to provide credible solutions to these problems. To bring about sustainable change in the plastics industry, accurate information in the form of standardized and credible Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) results needs to be made available in a transparent way to as broad an audience as possible, including non-LCA experts.

About Customer

The customer in this case study is the plastics industry at large. The plastics industry has been under increasing scrutiny due to the environmental impact of plastic production and disposal. Plastics have advantages over other materials, such as being lightweight and having superior forming and processing properties. They are widely used in applications such as packaging, transportation, mobility, housing, and infrastructure. Since their introduction in the 50s and 60s, world production of plastics has grown to roughly 335 million tons. Today, bio-based materials are also available for all major applications and processing steps and offer an alternative to fossil-based plastic products.

Solution

Sphera, with the support of the Institute for Bioplastics and Biocomposites (IfBB, Hannover), has developed an easy-to-use LCA tool specifically for the assessment of (bio)plastic products. The tool is based on Sphera’s award-winning GaBi Envison Web platform, which allows access—through a standard web browser—to high-quality LCA models in the GaBi database. The (Bio)plastic LCA Tool covers the complete life cycle of (bio) plastic products and allows for a choice of different feedstocks, materials (e.g., PP, PE, PLA, PET, starch blends), standard and customized compounding and converting steps, transportation along the supply chain, and end-of-life options (incineration, landfill, recycling, composting, etc.). The tool allows for the comparison of different product scenarios and comparisons between petrochemical-based and bio-based plastics. The results are calculated for several environmental impact categories, such as the carbon footprint, and are displayed immediately in a customized PDF report.

Impact #1	The tool provides immediate results in a customized PDF report.
Impact #2	The tool allows for the comparison of different product scenarios and comparisons between petrochemical-based and bio-based plastics.
Impact #3	The tool covers the complete life cycle of (bio) plastic products and allows for a choice of different feedstocks, materials, standard and customized compounding and converting steps, transportation along the supply chain, and end-of-life options.

Impact #1

The tool provides immediate results in a customized PDF report.

Impact #2

The tool allows for the comparison of different product scenarios and comparisons between petrochemical-based and bio-based plastics.

Impact #3

The tool covers the complete life cycle of (bio) plastic products and allows for a choice of different feedstocks, materials, standard and customized compounding and converting steps, transportation along the supply chain, and end-of-life options.

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Overview

Introducing the New Easy-To-Use (Bio)plastic LCA Tool

Operational Impact