The important role of plastics in reducing climate change effects

PlasticsEurope - www.plasticseurope.org

In a perfectly environmentally sustainable world the manufacture and use of all products would be based on renewable materials using renewable energy sources, with no harmful emissions being produced throughout the life-cycle. With the current high dependence on oil and other fossil fuels, however, we are a long way from this vision.

The use of fossil fuel resources for the generation of heat and power, as well as for meeting the ever increasing demands of fuel for transportation, is the major cause of climate change effects as a result of greenhouse gas emissions, mainly in the form of CO2. Increasing economic growth also results in a higher total energy demand, as well as more materials, and ultimately more waste, which can also affect greenhouse gas emissions.

Rather surprisingly, plastics, which are currently almost entirely derived from fossil fuel sources, can actually play an important role in helping to reduce such emissions and associated climate change effects. A key feature of plastics is the high degree of energy efficiency achieved throughout their whole life-cycle. The wide range of plastics available with tailored mechanical properties combined with easy processing and mouldability allow design versatility to meet the functional requirements while using a minimum of material. And in general the use of less material means a lower associated energy demand.

A good example is telephone communication. The earliest phones weighed more than a kilogram with a high metal content, but over time with continuing technological innovation have been replaced by today's ubiquitous mobile phone weighing a few grams only, yet capable of numerous functions in addition to simple voice messaging. While the innovation relies on optimising the use of numerous different materials, including precious metals, it is difficult to envisage such an application being so resource and energy efficient without the use of plastics.

In other sectors the property balance of plastics, with their lightweight and insulating properties also contribute to energy savings with reduced associated greenhouse gas emissions. Their light weight and design flexibility contribute to fuel savings in transportation, both when used in vehicle components as when making light weight packaging for the marketing of goods. In fact a recent study estimates that there is no alternative to the use of plastics for about 19% of total plastic related applications. In addition, it is estimated that substituting plastics wherever possible in W. Europe with other materials would result in an increased energy consumption of 22.4 M tonnes of oil equivalent with associated greenhouse gas emissions of 97M tonnes CO2, equivalent to about 30% of the Kyoto reduction target.

However, the continuing challenge for the future is to reduce energy use and associated climate change effects while ensuring continuing economic growth. While improved combinations of materials in various applications can generally help, a more significant contribution often can be made by focussing on specific sectors, such as the insulation of buildings. It is estimated, for example, that for every MJ of energy used in producing insulating material - whatever the material - saves 80-100 MJ of energy over the lifetime of the building. Currently plastics account for about 30% by volume of all insulation materials and clearly have an important role both now and in the future alongside other materials, in significantly improving the efficiency of the energy we use.

Another important area for plastics is in the promotion of renewable energies. Wind turbines and solar cells rely on the properties of plastics for efficient design.

While the major emissions of greenhouse gases occur during the production and use phases of products, the end-of-life phase should not be neglected. Whether to prevent greenhouse emissions from biodegradable materials or to recover resources as material or energy, it is now accepted that diversion of untreated waste from landfills is an important factor in reducing resource use and associated climate change effects.

When available in homogeneous waste streams, the recycling of plastics saves energy, but when in complex waste streams it is more appropriate to use the high calorific value of plastics waste as a source of energy. When used as a substitute for coal for example, the resultant greenhouse gas emissions are reduced by as much as 29%.

PlasticsEurope is the association of plastics raw material manufacturers in Europe and is dedicated to promoting the sensible use of plastics materials to help improve energy efficiencies and reduce the associated climate change effects caused throughout the whole life-cycle of products made partly or wholly from plastics. Plastics alone cannot save the planet from global warming, but they can play an important role alongside other developments and initiatives to ensure that our future is indeed sustainable.

For more information: info@plasticseurope.org