Abstract
Biomass-derived chemical products are regarded as alternative materials because they substitute fossil resources for renewable resources. In this regard, the environmental impact originating from the production and consumption of the biomass-derived products should be assessed through life-cycle analysis, including biomass cultivation. In 2010, a commercial plant producing ethylene from sugarcane ethanol was constructed in Brazil and production of biomass-derived polyethylene (bio-PE) was started. In this study, we aim to reveal the environmental performance of bio-PE using life-cycle assessment by investigating scenarios in which bio-PE is produced in Brazil, shipped to Japan, used in containers and packages, and finally incinerated. The results demonstrate that bio-PE gives rise to a reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emission during its life cycle as compared to that of fossil-derived PE (fossil-PE). It is furthermore revealed that neither the transport of bio-PE from Brazil to Japan, the nonuse of surplus biomass, or land use transformation upends the dominance of bio-PE over fossil-PE. Based on these results, we conclude that the adoption of bio-PE can reduce GHG emissions originating from polyethylene production.
