Page 84 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

Assumed to float for 6 months
Assume to float for 6 months
Litter: marine biodiversity Sinks in 1 day (0.0221 g/year) Sinks in 1 day (0.016 g/year) Sinks in 1 day (0.016 g/year) Floats for 6 months (3 g/year) Floats for 3 months (due to prodegradant) (1.5 g/year) Sinks in 1 day (0.016 g/year) Will float for 6 months (3.5 g/ year) Assumed to sink in 1 day (0.116 g/year) Assumed to float for 6 months Life
Sinks in 1 day (0.34 g/year)

(58 g/year)
(62 g/year)
(65 g/year)

Assume bag litter lasts for 6 months A (0.03 m 2 y)
Assume bag litter lasts for 6 months (0.03 m 2 y)
Assume bag litter lasts for 6 months (0.03 m 2 y)
Assume bag litter lasts for 6 months (0.03 m 2 y)
Assume bag litter lasts for 6 months (0.03 m 2 y)
Assume bag litter lasts for 6 months (0.03 m 2 y)
Assume bag litter lasts for 2 years due to light Assume bag litter lasts for 6 months (0.03 m 2 y) Assume bag litter lasts for 5 years (0.45 m 2 y) Assume bag litter lasts for 5 years (0.9 m 2 y) Assume bag litter lasts for 2 years (0.18 m 2 y) Assume bag litter lasts for 2 years (0.18 m 2 y)

Litter: aesthetics film (0.12 m 2 y) m 2 a, metre squared area; m 2 y, metre square per year; LDPE, low density polyethylene; HDPE, high density polyethylene; PE, polyethylene; PLA, polylactic acid; PP, polypropylene. A This is an assumption. There is limited data available on degradation rates in litter. Estimated ‘shelf-life’ is six mont

Characteristics of all bags in different littering environments
Litter by mass 8.1 g 6 g 6 g 6 g 6 g 8.1 g 6 g 42.5 g 115.9 g 130.7 g 125.4 g 125.4 g Estimates of degradation times depend on both the resin and the environment, and range from two months to more than a year.

Litter by area 30 × 20 cm = 0.06 m 2 a 30 × 20 cm = 0.06 m 2 a 30 × 20 cm = 0.06 m 2 a 30 × 20 cm = 0.06 m 2 a 30 × 20 cm = 0.06 m 2 a 30 × 20 cm = 0.06 m 2 a 30 × 20 cm = 0.06 m 2 a 20 × 30 cm = 0.06 m 2 a 42 × 42 cm = 0.09 m 2 a 50 × 50 cm = 0.18 m 2 a 42 × 42 cm = 0.09 m 2 a 42 × 42 cm = 0.09 m 2 a

Table 6.9 Alternative bags Mater-Bi Bionelle EcoFlex Earthstrength Oxo-biodegradable (PE and prodegradant additive) PLA HDPE singlet bag Kraft paper bag with handle PP fibre ‘green bag’ Woven HDPE ‘swag bag’ LDPE ‘bag for life’ Calico bag

100804•Life Cycle Assessment 5pp.indd 71 17/02/09 12:46:18 PM