MATERIALS AND APPLICATIONS and, consequently, a reduction in the environmental impacts associated with the production phase.
SENSITIVITY ASSESSMENT To verify the effectiveness of certain design choices in terms of environmental impact on the life cycle assessed in the study, the following sensitivity assessments were performed: 1. Use of PLA from sugarcane synthesis compared to PLA from corn 2. Different PLA disposal scenarios 3. Use of a copper antenna instead of an aluminium antenna The sensitivity assessment highlighted that the choice of raw material and its production chain is one of the main factors influencing the environmental profile of the EIC card. Specifically, replacing corn-based PLA with sugarcane-based PLA reduces the impact on climate change, but may lead to increases in the acidification, particulate matter( PM) and eutrophication categories. Conversely, changing the end-of-life scenarios( recycling or disposal as municipal waste)( Figure 3. b) produces limited, but positive, effects on the overall results, indicating a marginal contribution of this phase to the product’ s environmental profile. Finally, the comparison between aluminium and copper antennas shows that the latter generally performs less favourably, particularly in the eutrophication and acidification categories, while the climate change impact remain essentially unchanged.
Tab. 1- The most significant environmental indicators throughout the product life cycle
Climate change kg CO 2 eq IPCC 2021: GWP 100, global warming potential over 100 years Particulate matter Incidence of the disease PM model Acidification mol H + eq Accumulation model Freshwater eutrophication kg P eq EUTREND model
U. F. 1 CIE card Polycarbonate Polylactic acid Variation Impact category Unit TOTAL TOTAL % Acidification mol H + eq Climate change kg CO 2 eq
Freshwater eutrophication Particulate matter
www. plastmagazine. it kg P eq
kg NMVOC eq
CONCLUSIONS The comparison between the two solutions highlights how the future scenario( PLA cards synthesised from sugarcane and aluminium antenna, to be disposed of in industrial composting plants) involves lower environmental impacts in all categories analysed. Specifically, reductions of 28.4 % are observed for the Climate Change category, 16.0 % for Particulate Matter, 10.7 %
Tab. 2- EIC cards: Comparison of different material solutions
4.40E-04 3.93E-04-10.7 %
8.77E-02 6.28E-02-28.4 %
3.16E-05 2.93E-05-7.3 %
4,74E-09 3,98E-09-16.0 % for Acidification and 7.3 % for Eutrophication and Freshwater. The results of the sensitivity assessment also confirm the validity of the design choices adopted, highlighting how the future EIC cards have provided valid design alternatives on crucial issues such as material selection, production chains and end-of-life options. In conclusion, the comparison between the two options highlights lower environmental impacts for the PLA solution compared to polycarbonate, with the most evident benefit in the climate change category, where the carbon footprint goes from 8.77E-02 kg CO 2 eq for the PC cards to
6.44E-02 kg CO 2 eq for the PLA cards.
Notes:( 1)- UNI( 2021). UNI EN ISO 14040:2021 – Environmental management – Life cycle assessment – Principles and framework.( 2)- UNI( 2021). UNI EN ISO 14044:2021 – Environmental management – Life cycle assessment – Requirements and guidelines.( 3)- ISPRA, « Rapporto rifiuti urbani,» 2025.( 4)- The environmental impact categories required by the PEF methodology are sixteen: Climate change; Ozone depletion; Human toxicity( cancer); Human toxicity( non-cancer); Ionising radiation; Particulate matter; Photochemical ozone formation; Acidification; Eutrophication( terrestrial); Eutrophication( freshwater); Eutrophication( marine); Freshwater ecotoxicity; Land use; Water use; Resource use( minerals & metals); Resource use( fossils).( see PEF Guide, Annex II to Recommendation 2013 / 179 / EU and PEFCR Guidance v6.3)
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