Life Cycle Assessment Overview on Polyhydroxyalkanoates

Fossil-based plastics are used in a lot of fields of application and make our daily life comfortable. The consumption of such plastics, meaning polymeric materials, is continuously increasing. Unfortunately, it leads to pollution of our environment. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are biopolymers mainly produced by bacteria as carbon and energy storage. Due to their biodegradability and the potential range of their thermal and mechanical properties, these biopolymers are considered as a relevant alternative to substitute traditional polymers derived from fossil resources. This paper is a literature overview of papers and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies related to PHA production. The environmental impact of different processes for the PHA production is evaluated in accordance with the LCA guidelines. Some recent and relevant publications were reviewed in detail, mainly focusing on the environmental impact.