Life cycle assessments (LCAs) entail the measurement of a product's influence over time, generally from an environmental standpoint. With this environmental perspective, these evaluations take a closer look at the implications of greenhouse gas emissions from the product's extraction, manufacture, distribution, consumption, and end-of-life management. In other words, how much of a product's life cycle influence the environment in terms of greenhouse gas emissions from beginning to end?
The food service business offers a wide range of container options. Styrofoam, glass, paper, and reusable (such as stainless steel or pp containers) are just a few examples. Bioplastic is a relatively recent market entry. Bioplastic-based single-use containers are commonly promoted as biodegradable since they are constructed from plant-based ingredients such as polylactic acid (PLA) yet resembling conventional plastics (thus the name "bioplastics"). This choice will be compared to reusable options because it is commonly touted as a "green" option for this reason. We will also refer to these bioplastic possibilities as biodegradable single-use. Break even points are a significant factor to consider when deciding between reusable and single-use items. Simply defined, they describe how many times a reusable product must be reused in order for it to be environmentally friendly than a single-use product.
Municipal governments regulate waste management, and each municipality is unique. What is recyclable in one place may not be recyclable elsewhere. What goes in one city's green bin may not go in another's. This is one factor that makes the usage of biodegradable single-use alternatives more difficult. There is no uniform obligation requiring that they be composted. This was due to the fact that relatively few compost facilities accept PLA food ware. Furthermore, the majority of biodegradable food ware does not decompose within the 60 to 90 day cycling time utilized by professional composters in towns that accept them. Compostable food ware has been demonstrated to produce more greenhouse gas emissions than regular plastic when it ends up in landfills due to increased emissions during manufacture.
Even when the energy needed for dishwashing is taken into consideration, reusable takeaway containers seem to be environmentally friendly after just a few uses when compared to biodegradable single-use containers promoted as "green." Similarly, reusable containers made of PP and stainless steel are more ecologically beneficial than single-use plastic containers.
