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Life Cycle Analysis : Paper vs Plastic Bags

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Globalization and the Environment (ENVS 152)

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EnvS 152 Sec - 81 October 23, 2019 San Jose State University Professor Olszewski

Life Cycle Analysis : Paper vs Plastic Bags By Monique Barreto

Part A:

Table 1

Component/ Issue Paper: Input and Emissions Plastic: Input and Emissions

LCI : Raw Materials Acquisition

14 million trees (Washington Post, 2007)

12 million barrels of oil (Washington Post, 2007)

LCI :

Manufacturing

2,511 BTUs - it takes 4X more energy to manufacture a paper bag as it does a plastic bag. Paper bags generate 70% moe air pollution and 50 times more water pollution (Washington Post, 2007) A single paper bag uses the energy equivalent of 550 kJ of wood as feedstock, energy embodied within physical materials. And 850kj of petroleum and coal. The total amount of energy used by a single paper bag is 1,680 kJ. (Institute for Lifecycle Environmental Assessment, 2004) The manufacture of paper bags consumes three times more water and emits about 80% more greenhouse gases than the production of plastic bags (ULF, 2007)

Energy used: 594 BTUs (Washington Post, 2007) The energy used for two plastic bags is 1,470 kJ. Two plastic bags use 87% the amount of energy used by one paper. (Institute for Lifecycle Environmental Assessment, 2004)

Plastic grocery bags consume 40% less energy during production (ULF, 2007)

LCI : Use/Reuse/ Maintenance

10 billion+ paper bags consumed per year (Washington Post, 2007) one paper creates 50 g.(Institute for Lifecycle Environmental Assessment, 2004)

100 billion+ plastic bags consumed per year (Washington Post, 2007) At current recycling rates two plastic bags produces 14 g of solid waste (Institute for Lifecycle Environmental Assessment, 2004)

LCI : End of Life 10-15% of bags are recycled 4 billion bags end up as litter each

(Recycling/Waste Management)

1,444BTUs of energy to recycle Usually recycled into a lesser form (cardboard) paper is degradable but not completely (Washington Post, 2007) paper creates substantially greater quantities of solid waste because it has a greater mass (Institute for Lifecycle Environmental Assessment, 2004) Less litter but more environmental impacts (pollution) (ULF, 2007)

year 17 BTUs of energy to recycle 1-3% of bags are recycled Time consuming and expensive to recycle Plastic is not biodegradable (Washington Post, 2007) At current recycling ratestwo plastic bags use less energy and produce less solid, atmospheric, and waterborne waste than a single paper bag. (Institute for Lifecycle Environmental Assessment, 2004) generate 80% less solid waste than paper bags(ULF). 2007

Impact Analysis Composted paper produces approximately twice the CO emissions produced by non- composted paper. Use Less Stuff (ULF, 2007)

Plastic bags generate 60% less greenhouse gas emissions than uncomposted paper bags, and 79% less greenhouse gas emissions than composted paper bags. Plastic bags consume less than 4% of the water needed to make paper bags. It takes 5,527 cubic meters of water to produce 100 million plastic bags, versus 145,729 cubic meters of water to produce 100 million paper bags.(ULF, 2007)

Improvement Analysis

Invest in reusable bags or collapsible plastic crates Don’t use a bag if not needed Reuse bags in different ways (Washington Post, 2007)

← Same

Table 2 *Data was retrieved from (Brower et al, 1999).

intensive and costly project.

Describe the impacts of both types of bags.

Plastic bags: The use of plastic bags requires about 12 million barrels of oil, raw material each

year (Washington Post, 2007). For the manufacturing of plastic bags it takes about 594 BTUs

(Washington Post, 2007). In contrast to paper bags, this means that the energy used to make only

1 paper bag will be enough to make 2 plastic bags (Institute for Lifecycle Environmental

Assessment, 2004). Over 100 billion plastic bags consumed each year, and at the current

recycling rate each bag produces about 7 grams of solid waste, which means there is over 700

billion grams of waste produced each year, just from plastic bag waste management (Institute for

Lifecycle Environmental Assessment, 2004).

Paper bags: Paper bags have an enormous impact on the environment throughout its entire life

cycle. Over 10 billion paper bags are consumed per year and about 14 million trees are cut down

in the production of those bags (Washington Post, 2007). Compared to the manufacturing of

plastic bags, paper bags take 4 times more energy, about 2,511 BTUs, and generate 70% more air

pollution and 50 times more water pollution (Washington Post, 2007). The manufacturing of

paper bags uses wood, petroleum, and coal (Institute for Lifecycle Environmental Assessment,

2004). In addition, paper bags consume 3 times more water and emit about 80% more

greenhouse gases than the production of plastic bags (ULF, 2007). For every dollar spent on

paper bags, 286 grams of greenhouse gases are created (Brower et al, 1999). This number is

calculated by multiplying the raw average of greenhouse gases by the percentage of greenhouse

gases produced when making one dollars worth of paper bags (264 grams * 108%).

Where in the process-based and EIO analyses are the greatest environmental impacts of

each type of bag?

Plastic bags: For plastic bag the stage that impacts the environment the most is in the end of life

of plastic bags. Although a plastic bag only takes 17BTUs of energy to recycle, each year about

4 billion bags end up as litter (Washington Post, 2007). Plastic bags are also time consuming and

expensive to recycle cause only about 1-3% of plastic bags to actually be recycled and the rest

end up as litter or in a landfill (Washington Post, 2007).

Paper bags: Paper bags seem to impact the environment throughout all stages of their life. From

needing trees to be cut down in the acquisition of raw materials to waste management. Paper

bags are having a huge impact on the environment. The manufacture of paper bags consumes

300% more water and emits about 80% more greenhouse gases than the production of plastic

bags (ULF, 2007). This may be worth it if paper bags didn’t end up as waste, but most do. Only

about 10-15% of bags are recycled. It also takes 1,444BTUs of energy to recycle and they are

usually recycled into a lesser form (Washington Post, 2007). The bags not recycled turn into

solid waste, about 50 grams of solid waste per bag.

From an environmental standpoint which bag is better? Support your opinion. (Which is

better and why?) With the current use and waste management of both paper and plastic bags, it

seems to me that plastic bags are better from an environmental standpoint. Plastic bags generate

between 60%- 79% greenhouse gas emissions than paper bags. They also require less water to

produce and produce less solid waste (ULF, 2007).

Work Cited

Brower, Michael and Warren Leon. 1999. The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental

Choices. Three Rivers Press. New York.

Carnegie Mellon University. 2008. Economic Input-Output Lifecycle Assessment. eiolca/index.html

Institute for Lifecycle Environmental Assessment. 2004. Paper vs. Plastic Bags (Franklin

Associates, Ltd. 1990). iere/ILEA/lcas/franklin1990.html

Trulio, Lynne. 2008. EnvS 152 Lecture: Life Cycle Analysis and Design for Environment. sites.google/site/envs

Use Less Stuff (ULF). 2007. Review of Life Cycle Data Relating to Disposable, Compostable,

Degradable and Reusable Grocery Bags. use-less-stuff/Paper-and-Plastic-Grocery-

Bag-LCA-Summary

Washington Post. 2007. Paper or Plastic?

washingtonpost/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2007/10/03/GR2007100301385.html?

referrer=emaillink

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Life Cycle Analysis : Paper vs Plastic Bags

Course: Globalization and the Environment (ENVS 152)

4 Documents

Students shared 4 documents in this course

University: San José State University

Was this document helpful?

EnvS 152 Sec - 81

October 23, 2019

San Jose State University

Professor Olszewski

Life Cycle Analysis : Paper vs Plastic Bags

By Monique Barreto

Part A:

Table 1

Component/ Issue Paper: Input and Emissions Plastic: Input and Emissions

LCI : Raw

Materials

Acquisition

14 million trees (Washington Post,

2007)

12 million barrels of oil

(Washington Post, 2007)

LCI :

Manufacturing

2,511 BTUs - it takes 4X more

energy to manufacture a paper bag

as it does a plastic bag.

Paper bags generate 70% moe air

pollution and 50 times more water

pollution (Washington Post, 2007)

A single paper bag uses the energy

equivalent of 550 kJ of wood as

feedstock, energy embodied within

physical materials. And 850kj of

petroleum and coal. The total

amount of energy used by a single

paper bag is 1,680 kJ. (Institute for

Lifecycle Environmental

Assessment, 2004)

The manufacture of paper bags

consumes three times more water

and emits about 80% more

greenhouse gases than the

production of plastic bags (ULF,

2007)

Energy used: 594 BTUs

(Washington Post, 2007)

The energy used for two plastic bags

is 1,470 kJ.

Two plastic bags use 87% the

amount of energy used by one paper.

(Institute for Lifecycle

Environmental Assessment, 2004)

Plastic grocery bags consume 40%

less energy during production (ULF,

2007)

LCI :

Use/Reuse/Mainte

nance

10 billion+ paper bags consumed

per year (Washington Post, 2007)

one paper creates 50 g.(Institute for

Lifecycle Environmental

Assessment, 2004)

100 billion+ plastic bags consumed

per year (Washington Post, 2007)

At current recycling rates two

plastic bags produces 14 g of solid

waste (Institute for Lifecycle

Environmental Assessment, 2004)

LCI : End of Life 10-15% of bags are recycled 4 billion bags end up as litter each

Life Cycle Analysis : Paper vs Plastic Bags

Globalization and the Environment (ENVS 152)

San José State University

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LCI :

Life Cycle Analysis : Paper vs Plastic Bags

Course: Globalization and the Environment (ENVS 152)

University: San José State University

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