Environmental impact of three different engineering thermoplastics: How much does it change when using recycled polyamide?

IF 9.7 1区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL

Journal of Cleaner Production Pub Date : 2025-05-20 DOI:10.1016/j.jclepro.2025.145769

Alberto Pietro Damiano Baltrocchi , Davide Lotti , Marco Carnevale Miino , Lucrezia Maggi , Elena Cristina Rada , Vincenzo Torretta

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Abstract

Thermoplastic compounds are used in several industrial, domestic and consumer applications. Thanks to their strength, lightness, flexibility and processing properties, they are also widely used for engineering purposes (EngTh). However, thermoplastics are often derived from polymers formed from non-renewable sources, such as oil. In addition, the production processes have a high consumption of energy. This research aims to evaluate the environmental impacts with the Life Cycle Assessment methodology of three polymers based on polyamide 6.6 modified with flame retardants (brominated polystyrene and antimony trioxide, aluminium diethylphosphinate and melamine polyphosphate, red phosphorus) and the influence of the replacement of the oil-based polyamide 6.6 with mechanical recycled polyamide on the sustainability of the production. The analysis was conducted using SimaPro v9.5 software, Ecoinvent 3.9.1 database and ReCiPe 2016 v1.07 impact assessment method. The primary data was collected in 2023 in a facility located in Italy. The results show that the impact of raw materials accounts for more than 95 % of the environmental profile in all three products considered, while the processes for the production and the subsequent transports are no more than 5 %. The analysis highlighted that up to 6–9 % of environmental benefits can be achieved by replacing only 10 % of oil-based PA 6.6 with mechanical recycled PA (MRPA), with the best results for RPm given the highest percentage of PA 6.6 in the initial mixture. The results of this assessment will be useful to promote the production of EngTh more sustainably.

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三种不同的工程热塑性塑料对环境的影响：使用回收聚酰胺会有多大的变化？

热塑性化合物广泛应用于工业、家庭和消费领域。由于其强度，重量轻，柔韧性和加工性能，它们也广泛用于工程目的（EngTh）。然而，热塑性塑料通常是由不可再生资源（如石油）形成的聚合物制成的。此外，生产过程能耗高。本研究以阻燃剂改性聚酰胺6.6为基础（溴化聚苯乙烯和三氧化二锑、二乙基膦酸铝和三聚氰胺聚磷酸酯、红磷），采用生命周期评价方法对三种聚合物的环境影响进行了评价，并探讨了机械再生聚酰胺替代油基聚酰胺6.6对生产可持续性的影响。采用SimaPro v9.5软件、Ecoinvent 3.9.1数据库和ReCiPe 2016 v1.07影响评价方法进行分析。主要数据于2023年在意大利的一个设施中收集。结果表明，在考虑的所有三种产品中，原材料的影响占环境概况的95%以上，而生产过程和随后的运输不超过5%。分析强调，仅用机械再生PA （MRPA）代替10%的油基pa6.6就可以实现高达6-9%的环境效益，在初始混合物中pa6.6的百分比最高的情况下，RPm的效果最好。该评价结果将有助于促进EngTh的可持续生产。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Cleaner Production 环境科学-工程：环境

CiteScore

20.40

自引率

9.00%

发文量

4720

审稿时长

111 days

期刊介绍： The Journal of Cleaner Production is an international, transdisciplinary journal that addresses and discusses theoretical and practical Cleaner Production, Environmental, and Sustainability issues. It aims to help societies become more sustainable by focusing on the concept of 'Cleaner Production', which aims at preventing waste production and increasing efficiencies in energy, water, resources, and human capital use. The journal serves as a platform for corporations, governments, education institutions, regions, and societies to engage in discussions and research related to Cleaner Production, environmental, and sustainability practices.