Selected Aspects of the Environmental Analysis of HDPE Film Using the LCA Method

Environmental pollution and its consequences for our planet have led more and more organisations to pay attention to the environmental impact of their products and services. On the one hand, this is due to the requirements of European Union legislation and, on the other, to consumer demands, which further motivates manufacturers to work towards protecting the planet from the harmful effects of their products. There are now a number of tools and methods used to assess environmental impact. Among the most popular tools is the LCA – Life Cycle Assessment analysis, which is used to assess the environmental impact of a product/technology/process. As a result of the LCA technique, business managers are able to identify areas that are a source of environmental or human health burdens [3]. The information extracted from the LCA analysis can be used by the company to, among other things, reorganise the manufacturing and distribution process, redesign the product, replace harmful components with cleaner ones and manage the company in an environmentally friendly manner. This paper performs an LCA analysis for HDPE films, where the main component used for the film production is high-density polyethylene. SimaPro 9.1.1.7 was used for the analysis. The results of the impact of HDEP film technology on the environment were expressed using the ReCiPe Midpoint 2016 eco-indicator. Based on a life cycle assessment, the environmental effects associated with the HDEP film production technology were estimated, and the impact of the production technology on greenhouse gas emissions was determined.