Our work on different LCA modelling approaches for assessing the environmental impacts of post-industrial scrap recovery has been just published in Advanced Sustainable Systems (open access).
In the transition towards a circular economy, recycling and material recovery are widely implemented across industries. One key question often remains overlooked: how much do our LCA results depend on the allocation method we choose? In our work, we explore this issue in a real industrial case of plastic film production.
We assess how different LCA modelling approaches (Cut-off, Closed-loop, and Circular Footprint Formula) can significantly influence the calculated environmental impacts of post-industrial scrap recovery, and how the resulting level of circularity, evaluated through selected indicators, can also vary depending on the methodological choices.
The contribution of IRPLAST S.p.A., as an innovative company strongly aligned with sustainability-oriented industrial development, gave the work a very concrete and forward-looking dimension. This work is a fine example of fruitful collaboration between academia and industry.
