The final methodology for life cycle assessment (LCA) of alternative feedstock for plastics production clearly and structurally favours fossil-based over biobased plastics, and so undermines many of the deliverables set out by the European Green Deal. This is wildly at odds with the EU’s commitment towards reducing dependency on fossil-carbon and to becoming climate neutral by 2050. It also jeopardises the potential of innovation in biobased products.
Over the past three years, industry stakeholders were given the opportunity to provide input to the development of the LCA methodology comparing biobased with fossil-based plastic products, and European Bioplastics (EUBP) and other stakeholders invested time and effort in contributing to this study. Thus, we would like to note that a considerable amount of the input and expertise provided has not been adequately taken into account in the final methodology published in June 2021.
Therefore, we feel compelled to once again point out the most important flaws making it impossible to carry out an adequate, balanced evaluation.