Life cycle (gap) analysis for advanced material recycling of PLA cups

This paper analyses and compares the LCA & LCC results of single-use PLA cups from a circular economy perspective using life cycle gap analysis and identifies potential optimizations to increase its eco-efficiency. Based on highlighted life cycle gaps of > 82 %, an advanced material recycling process chain for the recovery of secondary PLA is introduced, including washing, thermal treatment, milling and recompounding. Through the new end-of-life pathway, it is possible to recover PLA with virgin quality and to increase the energy efficiency of the mechanical recycling process. The results indicate positive effects from an environmental perspective, as well as from an economic perspective, as the eco-efficiency increases by > 88 %.