Environmental Impact of Biodegradable Packaging Waste Utilization

Packaging waste is a significant portion of municipal solid waste. It is made mainly of polymers of petroleum, which are usually non-biodegradable and are in many cases difficult to be recycled or reused. In recent years, the development of biodegradable packaging materials from renewable natural resources has gained more attention, especially in the EU. The use of biodegradable materials is expected to have a lower environmental impact than traditional materials based on non-renewable raw materials. The LCA environmental impact analysis of biodegradable plastic used in the packaging industry and comparison to other materials as well as the results of physicochemical analyzes are presented here, in addition to a discussion on the effects of replacing petroleum materials with biodegradable materials.