Study by ETH Zurich – Coal drives the growing ecological footprint of plastic
Coal grow to the ecological footprint of plastic
ETH researchers have discovered that the global carbon footprint of plastic has doubled since 1995. That is much higher than expected.
The ETH research team attributes the fact that the global carbon footprint of plastics has increased so largely to the fact that plastics production is booming in countries where a lot of energy comes from climate-damaging coal.
According to the study published in the journal Nature Sustainability, plastics caused 4.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2015. Over the entire value chain, plastics production is responsible for the largest part (96 percent) of the carbon footprint, while recycling, incineration and landfills only have a small impact on the ecological balance, reports the team led by ETH doctoral student Livia Cabernard.
The study shows “that the carbon footprint of plastics is about twice as high as previously assumed in life cycle assessments,” said Andreas Köhler from the Öko-Institut in Freiburg im Breisgau to the Science Media Center.
Global demand for plastic has quadrupled over the past four decades. In order to determine the environmental and health effects of plastics, studies have so far mostly dealt with environmental pollution from plastic waste and microplastics as well as plastic incineration. So far, little attention has been paid to production.
Imported Emissions
The ETH researchers identified the growth in plastics production in emerging countries such as China and South Africa, where plastic is burned to manufacture, as the main Indonesian driving force behind the growing CO2 footprint of plastics.
Ban makes little sense
The authors of the study consider it important to reduce plastic consumption and promote recycling. However, a general ban on plastics would be counterproductive, as materials would often pollute the environment even more.
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