Application of Plastic Wastes in Construction Materials: A Review Using the Concept of Life-Cycle Assessment in the Context of Recent Research for Future Perspectives

The urbanization process contributes to the growth of solid waste generation and causes an increase in environmental impacts and failures in the management of solid waste. The number of dumps is a concern due to the limited implementation and safe disposal of this waste. The interest in sustainable techniques has been growing in relation to waste management, which is largely absorbed by the civil construction sector. This work aimed to review plastic waste, especially polyethylene terephthalate (PET), that can be incorporated with construction materials, such as concrete, mortars, asphalt mixtures, and paving. The use of life-cycle assessment (LCA) is related, as a tool that allows the sustainability of products and processes to be enhanced in the long term. After analyzing the recent literature, it was identified that studies related to plastic wastes in construction materials concentrate sustainability around the alternative destination of waste. Since the plastic waste from different production chains are obtained, it was possible to affirm the need for a broader assessment, such as the LCA, providing greater quantification of data making the alternative processes and products more sustainable. The study contributes to enhance sustainability in alternative building materials through LCA.

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Comparative Study on Life-Cycle Assessment and Carbon Footprint of Hybrid, Concrete and Timber Apartment Buildings in Finland

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph19020774 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

pp. 774

Author(s):

Roni Rinne ◽

Hüseyin Emre Ilgın ◽

Markku Karjalainen

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

End Of Life ◽

Environmental Impacts ◽

Carbon Footprint ◽

Building Materials ◽

Construction Materials ◽

Software Tool ◽

Long Run ◽

Building Life Cycle

To date, in the literature, there has been no study on the comparison of hybrid (timber and concrete) buildings with counterparts made of timber and concrete as the most common construction materials, in terms of the life cycle assessment (LCA) and the carbon footprint. This paper examines the environmental impacts of a five-story hybrid apartment building compared to timber and reinforced concrete counterparts in whole-building life-cycle assessment using the software tool, One Click LCA, for the estimation of environmental impacts from building materials of assemblies, construction, and building end-of-life treatment of 50 years in Finland. Following EN 15978, stages of product and construction (A1–A5), use (B1–B6), end-of-life (C1–C4), and beyond the building life cycle (D) were assessed. The main findings highlighted are as following: (1) for A1–A3, the timber apartment had the smallest carbon footprint (28% less than the hybrid apartment); (2) in A4, the timber apartment had a much smaller carbon footprint (55% less than the hybrid apartment), and the hybrid apartment had a smaller carbon footprint (19%) than the concrete apartment; (3) for B1–B5, the carbon footprint of the timber apartment was larger (>20%); (4) in C1–C4, the carbon footprint of the concrete apartment had the lowest emissions (35,061 kg CO2-e), and the timber apartment had the highest (44,627 kg CO2-e), but in D, timber became the most advantageous material; (5) the share of life-cycle emissions from building services was very significant. Considering the environmental performance of hybrid construction as well as its other advantages over timber, wood-based hybrid solutions can lead to more rational use of wood, encouraging the development of more efficient buildings. In the long run, this will result in a higher proportion of wood in buildings, which will be beneficial for living conditions, the environment, and the society in general.

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LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT OF SOLID WASTE GENERATION DURING AND BEFORE PANDEMIC OF COVID-19 IN BALI PROVINCE

Journal of Sustainability Science and Management ◽

10.46754/jssm.2021.01.002 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. 11-21

Author(s):

I WAYAN KOKO SURYAWAN ◽

◽

ARI RAHMAN ◽

IVA YENIS SEPTIARIVA ◽

SAPTA SUHARDONO ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Solid Waste ◽

Waste Generation ◽

Solid Waste Generation

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Life cycle assessment of earthen materials for low-cost housing a comparison between rammed earth and fired clay bricks

International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation ◽

10.1108/ijbpa-02-2021-0021 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Hamed Nouri ◽

Majid Safehian ◽

Seyed Majdeddin Mir Mohammad Hosseini

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Building Materials ◽

Low Cost ◽

Construction Materials ◽

Embodied Energy ◽

Rammed Earth ◽

Energy Calculation ◽

Content Type ◽

Clay Bricks

PurposeAlthough the use of diverse types of bricks as the primary construction materials has been considered for many years, vernacular earthen materials are also widely used for construction with low potential environmental impacts in developing countries. In this study, the life cycle of two types of building materials for wall building is investigated.Design/methodology/approachFor this purpose, life cycle carbon emissions (LCCO2) are compared and embodied energy calculation for rammed earth and fired clay bricks as two construction materials. The complete construction chain using rammed earth, as a modern norm, and fired clay bricks, as the most common construction materials in buildings, is investigated in this research.FindingsStudies on the constructions in Kashan city in the north of Isfahan province, Iran, as a case study, showed that replacing the fired bricks with rammed earth would reduce the CO2 emissions up to 1,245 kg/ton and 4,646 MJ/ton (i.e. more than 95%) of the embodied energy. It also shows that the choice of building materials should be important for building practitioners to consider the environmental impact.Originality/valueThis paper provide life cycle assessment of building materials. The findings of this study help builders and owner to choose sustainable building materials.

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Long-term Piloting Of Osmotic MBR For Potable Reuse: Performance, Life-Cycle Assessment, and Lessons Learned

Proceedings of the Water Environment Federation ◽

10.2175/193864716819712827 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 (14) ◽

pp. 830-854

Author(s):

Tzahi Y Cath ◽

Ryan W Holloway ◽

Leslie Miller-Robbie ◽

Mehul Patel ◽

Jennifer R Stokes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Potable Reuse

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Life cycle assessment of plastic waste end-of-life for India and Indonesia

Resources Conservation and Recycling ◽

10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.105774 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 174 ◽

pp. 105774

Author(s):

Edward Ren Kai Neo ◽

Gibson Chin Yuan Soo ◽

Daren Zong Loong Tan ◽

Karina Cady ◽

Kai Ting Tong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

End Of Life ◽

Plastic Waste

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Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of System Solution Scenarios for Residual Municipal Solid Waste Management in NSW, Australia

The Science of The Total Environment ◽

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144355 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 144355

Author(s):

Behnam Dastjerdi ◽

Vladimir Strezov ◽

Ravinder Kumar ◽

Jing He ◽

Masud Behnia

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Waste Management ◽

Municipal Solid Waste ◽

Solid Waste ◽

Solid Waste Management ◽

Municipal Solid Waste Management ◽

System Solution ◽

Comparative Life Cycle Assessment

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A Review of Bioplastics and Their Adoption in the Circular Economy

Polymers ◽

10.3390/polym13081229 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 1229

Author(s):

Alberto Di Bartolo ◽

Giulia Infurna ◽

Nadka Tzankova Dintcheva

Keyword(s):

European Union ◽

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

European Commission ◽

Circular Economy ◽

Environmental Risks ◽

Plastic Waste ◽

The European Union ◽

Sustainable Society ◽

Net Zero

The European Union is working towards the 2050 net-zero emissions goal and tackling the ever-growing environmental and sustainability crisis by implementing the European Green Deal. The shift towards a more sustainable society is intertwined with the production, use, and disposal of plastic in the European economy. Emissions generated by plastic production, plastic waste, littering and leakage in nature, insufficient recycling, are some of the issues addressed by the European Commission. Adoption of bioplastics–plastics that are biodegradable, bio-based, or both–is under assessment as one way to decouple society from the use of fossil resources, and to mitigate specific environmental risks related to plastic waste. In this work, we aim at reviewing the field of bioplastics, including standards and life cycle assessment studies, and discuss some of the challenges that can be currently identified with the adoption of these materials.

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