Assessing regionalization of LCI datasets of fossil-based and biodegradable bio-based polymers used for food packaging in the European context

This study examines the influence of choosing generic and country-specific Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) datasets on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) outcomes for key fossil-based (FB) and bio-based (BB) polymers produced in Europe. Although regionalized data are increasingly demanded, site-specific datasets are often absent, leading to reliance on generic datasets. Despite Europe offering the most country-specific coverage, comparative studies remain limited. This analysis uses regionalized datasets for FB polymers (HDPE, LDPE, LLDPE, and PP) and BB polymers (PLA/starch, and TPS) from Managed LCA Content (MLC) Databases, applying the EF 3.1 method, and using “1 kilogram of granulate polymer for packaging" as functional unit. Results were evaluated based on i) the occurrence of burden shifting from FB to BB polymers and ii) the influence of European country-specific datasets compared to RER datasets. Acidification and Eutrophication impacts were found to increase in BB polymers. In Climate Change, no decrease was observed because EF 3.1 lacks standardized biogenic carbon accounting, preventing this from being captured. Significant variations were found in Ionizing Radiation, Land Use, Ozone Depletion, and Water Use, both in the FB and BB datasets. The importance of regionalization in BB datasets was highlighted due to differing agricultural practices. In conclusion, enhanced inventory and impact regionalization are recommended to capture regional dynamics accurately.