Cradle-to-grave carbon footprint of BioDur biocomposites

The key objective of this report is to share potential environmental impacts of Spectalite BioDur biocomposites by using life cycle impact assessment method. This report presents cradle-to-grave climate change impact (global warming potential – carbon footprint) of houseware products made with BioDur.

Cradle-to-grave LCIA of BioDur 1

Carbon footprint assessment framework

Carbon footprint of a product presents the life greenhouse gas emissions as part of the process of creating, storing, transporting, using, recycling, or disposing of a product. This report includes cradle-to-grave carbon footprint of houseware products made in USA using BioDur manufactured in India, with an assumption of co-firing for energy recovery at the end of product’s life.

The cradle-to-grave LCIA assessment is done with following inputs –

  • The inventory that has been curated based on reliable datasets and publications.
  • The electricity needed to manufacture BioDur and mould products.
  • The renewable content & its source.
  • The binders & additives used in making the BioDur.
  • Mode of transport & distance of travel of BioDur and raw materials.
  • Where possible, we have used actual data.

For this report we have considered injection moulding grade of BioDur biocomposites made with virgin Polypropylene (PP) as the binder. They are sustainable replacements to commonly used PP, PE & ABS plastics. We have provided relative comparison between these materials and our biocomposites to understand the ecological benefits of using our biocomposites.

The actual carbon footprint of the biocomposites used in your  product may vary from this report depending on the final formulation, raw materials used and their source.

Cradle-to-grave LCIA of BioDur 2

Relative comparison of carbon footprint

Cradle-to-grave LCIA of BioDur 3

Carbon emissions of BioDur with 40% bamboo fibers

For our conditions & assumptions made, the cradle-to-gate carbon footprint of our biocomposites produced in our facility is provided for different cases depending on the renewable content in the product. The renewable content considered here is the bamboo waste sourced from a bamboo processing factory in India and bamboo sourced from sustainably managed bamboo farm in India.

Our blockchain technology enables us to share real-time carbon footprint of each batch of our biocomposites manufactured. The technology enables to record and determine the carbon footprint at different stages of the biocomposites manufacturing process.

Remarks

  • The BioDur biocomposites offer best carbon footprint compared to most plastics & composite materials used in thermoplastic process.
  • The main raw materials of BioDur biocomposites are natural fibres and polypropylene binder. By using natural fibre as raw material BioDur biocomposites replace the use of fossil based plastics with renewable raw material sourced sustainably, that does not result in deforestation and does not compete with food production with verifiable chain of custody using our blockchain technology.
  • The proportion of the bamboo fibre, binder and other additives varies depending on the product application.
  • This report is provided for reference only and is valid for specific conditions and assumptions made.
  • We plan to further reduce carbon footprint of BioDur by reducing scope 1 & 2 carbon emissions of our manufacturing process.