Page 167 - CW E-Magazine (6-2-2024)

Special Report Special Report

Non-level playing fi eld for renewable materials vs. cascading use principles and circu- all feedstocks. The methodology they have to report carbon footprint
lar economy objectives.
should fairly demand the same data
information to their customers.

fossil in Life Cycle Assessments  Biogenic/atmospheric carbon up- requirements, consider all land use  Consider the policy interface &
take cannot be transparently visua-
landscape of developed methodo-
impacts and all indirect impacts in
n the race towards the European and problems, involving a recent metho- approaches and methodologies for lised in PEF and the JRC Plastics the same way, and ask the same sus- logies. While the JRC clearly states
Commission’s net-zero targets, the dological proposal by the JRC. different carbon sources’, aimed to be LCA method at the factory gate, tainability sourcing demands of all that the methodology is not a policy
Ishift from fossil-based to renew- released later in 2024. to clearly illustrate the benefi ts of feedstocks. Scientifi cally uncertain recommendation, it does to some
able materials is a critical journey for Unravelling the issues: The JRC renewable carbon for sustainable criteria such as indirect land-use extent reject reality with this state-
environmental sustainability. Avail- Plastics LCA Methodology Key challenges and disparities carbon cycles. changes should not be integrated ment. As the central science and
able renewable carbon sources in this In 2021, the JRC published a study The JRC Plastics LCA method is a  The methodology does not consider into the LCA methodology – as knowledge service of the European
transition are biomass, carbon capture titled: ‘LCA of alternative feedstocks detailed scientifi c approach that aims to the interface of environmental sus- long as correspondingly uncertain Commission, its methodologies
and utilisation (CCU) and recycling. for plastic products’, commonly re- ensure that all environmental impacts tainability assessment, policy design aspects are also not included for should always be considered also
Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) serve ferred to as the JRC Plastics LCA are considered when assessing alter- and the infl uence of the JRC on the crude oil production. within the existing policy context.

as the standard method for comparing Method. Alternative feedstocks refer native feedstocks. However, from our per- European policy landscape. The  Enable comparisons of novel and The JRC Plastics LCA methodo-
the environmental impacts of different to the same three feedstocks that RCI spective a central issue is that the metho- JRC should facilitate future-orien- established products. Policy should logy already infl uences how other
products or services. They provide the defi nes as renewable carbon: biomass, dology does not exist in a vacuum. ted policy design, e.g., by including be forward-driven, promoting inno- measurement tools like the PEF are
benchmark for comparing the environ- CO utilisation and recycling. The Some methodological aspects remain scenario analysis or sensitivity vation, guiding the economy and used in various policies.
2
mental impacts of diverse products and study describes a methodology deve- unresolved and, more importantly, the assessment. industry towards sustainable solu-  Develop future scenarios or add
services. loped by the JRC to assess the environ- policy landscape in which the metho- tions. There needs to be options to sensitivity analysis: The JRC is
mental performance of alternative feed- dology is implemented creates systemic Despite its scientifi c rigor, the metho- assess the development of novel the scientifi c body of the European
Amidst this imperative transition, stocks, potentially in comparison with disadvantages for innovative indus- dology is still criticised as unbalanced technologies to better compare Commission, and should enable
a spotlight falls on the methodological fossil-based plastic products. While the tries using alternative feedstocks. This in certain aspects. This includes debates their long-term environmental im- future-oriented policy-making by
intricacies presented by the Joint Re- methodology presents a detailed scien- creates additional barriers to the tran- on land use change, data reporting, in- pacts compared to the established providing not only assessment of
search Centre (JRC), the scientifi c arm tifi c approach, it has faced signifi cant sition away from fossil feedstocks and direct effects, biodiversity, carbon products. Sensitivity analysis of the status quo, but also an outlook
of the European Commission. For years, criticism from various stakeholders, towards these alternative feedstocks. Key sequestration and the comparison of e.g., electricity generation and the of future developments. The deve-
LCA experts have been discussing how mainly from the bio-based sector, even issues at this interface are the following: mature and immature systems. agricultural system might provide lopment of future scenarios or sensi-
to create a level playing fi eld between eliciting responses from the JRC. This insights into future environmental tivity analysis of critical aspects
fossil and non-fossil products, in parti- RCI report aims to provide additional  The environmental footprint of RCI recommendations: Paving the impacts of alternative feedstocks like energy mix and agricultural

cular addressing bio-based feedstock, context, highlighting potential issues fossil feedstock is likely to be under- way forward and derived products. system would facilitate such future-
and how to assess non-fossil products in that might arise with implementation estimated, not transparent and lacks There is an urgent need for a ro-  Establish a level-playing fi eld in oriented policy-making.
LCA. The debate is still ongoing. The of the JRC Plastics LCA methodology. regional differentiation. Given that bust methodology to enable fair com- LCA methodology between energy  Develop concepts to refl ect and

new scientifi c background paper sum- It serves as a pre-cursor to an upcom- fossil feedstocks are the root and parisons and to identify the most envi- and material use. The current LCA incorporate positive environmental
marises and discusses the main issues ing RCI report on ‘Understanding LCA main cause of climate change, this ronmentally preferable solutions in methodology for bio-based fuels aspects. Soil carbon storage, land
is a critical issue that deserves more order to facilitate the defossilisation of and bio-based energy is much more taken out of production for bio-
attention. the chemical and derived material and favourable than the LCA plastics diversity and conservation aspects,
 Renewable/alternative feedstocks are plastics industries. The RCI has deve- methodology, systemically directing and similar concepts are not refl ec-
much more critically evaluated than loped the following recommendations biomass utilisation towards ener- ted in LCA. But these are signifi cant
fossil feedstocks. There is a discrep- to meet these needs: getic instead of material use. This is aspects for future sustainability, and
Co Biomass Recycling ancy of scrutiny between the alter-  Investigate the environmental im- in complete opposite of EU’s waste LCA misses these aspects, despite it
2 pact of fossil feedstock at least at hierarchy, circular economy targets, being the widely accepted metho-
native/renewable feedstocks and
the current main feedstock – fossil the same level of detail as the alter- the cascading principle and policy dology to assess environmental
crude oil. native feedstocks. Fossil carbon is aspects like the Communication on impacts today.
Hydrogen the main cause of humanmade cli- Sustainable Carbon Cycles and the
 There is a long-standing inconsis-
tency in methodological approach mate change, and it is a signifi cant Net-Zero Industry Act. A call to action
and regulatory support between fl aw that its environment footprint  Acknowledge the value of renew- As we navigate the complexities of

Renewable carbon-based fuels Chemicals - Plastics - Other materials energy (e.g., based on RED) and mate- is likely underestimated, not trans- able carbon uptake in cradle-to-gate transitioning to sustainable materials,
rial use (e.g., based on JRC Plas- parent, scientifi cally disputed and approaches. Many actors along the a robust and fair LCA methodology is
tics LCA) of alternative materials, lacking regional and technological value chain are not able to accu- paramount. RCI urges stakeholders,
All fi gures available at www.bio-based.eu/graphics which tends to favour energy use differentiation. rately depict the emission-related policymakers, and industries to consider
Fig. 1: Renewable carbon over material use. This is in stark  Require the same proof, sourcing advantages of renewable carbon- these recommendations for a more
Source: nova-Institute GmbH contrast to the EU’s waste hierarchy, demands and data provision of based products, in particular when equitable and sustainable future.

166 Chemical Weekly February 6, 2024 Chemical Weekly February 6, 2024 167

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