Cradle-to-grave is the full Life Cycle Assessment from manufacture ('cradle') to use phase and disposal phase ('grave'
Example applyed to paper
Trees produce paper, which is recycled into low-energy production cellulose (fiberised paper) insulation, then used as an energy-saving device in the ceiling of a home for 40 years, saving 2,000 times the fossil-fuel energy used in its production. After 40 years the cellulose fibers are replaced and the old fibres are disposed of, possibly incinerated. All inputs and outputs are considered for all the phases of the life cycle.
Example applyed to plasticOther materials as plastic can be ricycled to produce a new product that may or may not be recycled. the plastic normally end up in big incinerators that do not eliminate waste, but change the form of waste into hazardous air emissions and toxic ash.
CRADLE TO CRADLE
IN ADDITION TO THE FLOW OF MATERIALS IN CRADLE-TO-CRADLE LIFE CYCLES, HEALTHY BIOLOGICAL AND TECHNICAL METABOLISMS REQUIRE THE USE OF HEALTHY CHEMICAL AND MATERIAL INPUTS. CRADLE TO CRADLE DESIGN INCLUDES THE EVALUATION AND OPTIMIZATION OF ALL CHEMICAL AND MATERIAL INPUTS THROUGHOUT PRODUCT LIFE CYCLES. EVALUATION AND OPTIMIZATION ENSURES MAXIMUM MATERIAL HEALTH AND SAFETY TO HUMANS AND THE ENVIRONMENT, AS WELL AS MAXIMUM MATERIAL QUALITY OVER MANY LIFE CYCLES, AND EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT USE OF ENERGY INPUTS.
BIOPLASTIC
Plastic made from pig urine
Denmark-based AGROPLAST wants to transform pig urine into plastic dinnerware and household items. The company has essentially devised a way to better commercialize urea, a compound of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen, found in urine.
Other animal waste products like manure can be inserted into the system, but pig urine is particularly interesting because it is an environmental hazard, says Peter Tottrup, a partner at Seed Capital, a Danish venture firm that also helps the government incubate start-ups. We ran into Tøttrup at the coffee urn at the NordicGreen conference in Menlo Park, Calif., this week.
"There are 20 million pigs in Denmark, and what they do environmentally is a problem," he said.
Transforming farm waste into plastic precursors is potentially attractive over other bioplastic ideas because the feedstock effectively has no value. In fact, it has negative value because animal waste must be disposed, which costs money. Some other bioplastic companies make their resins out of corn starch.Tøttrup claims that the process could, conceivably, result in plastics that cost a third less than conventional plastics made from fossil fuels. That's a big conceivably. Traditionally, bioplastic made of vegetable matter have cost more than fossil fuel plastics. Evaluation of the pricing will have to wait until large volumes of this stuff are made. Agroplast is going into a pilot study now, Tøttrup said.
Agroplast says its farm-friendly chemicals have other uses too. They can be used as fertilizers, as an ingredient in lotions, and "as a flavor enhancer in cigarettes," according to the company's Web site.
Other animal waste products like manure can be inserted into the system, but pig urine is particularly interesting because it is an environmental hazard, says Peter Tottrup, a partner at Seed Capital, a Danish venture firm that also helps the government incubate start-ups. We ran into Tøttrup at the coffee urn at the NordicGreen conference in Menlo Park, Calif., this week.
"There are 20 million pigs in Denmark, and what they do environmentally is a problem," he said.
Transforming farm waste into plastic precursors is potentially attractive over other bioplastic ideas because the feedstock effectively has no value. In fact, it has negative value because animal waste must be disposed, which costs money. Some other bioplastic companies make their resins out of corn starch.Tøttrup claims that the process could, conceivably, result in plastics that cost a third less than conventional plastics made from fossil fuels. That's a big conceivably. Traditionally, bioplastic made of vegetable matter have cost more than fossil fuel plastics. Evaluation of the pricing will have to wait until large volumes of this stuff are made. Agroplast is going into a pilot study now, Tøttrup said.
Agroplast says its farm-friendly chemicals have other uses too. They can be used as fertilizers, as an ingredient in lotions, and "as a flavor enhancer in cigarettes," according to the company's Web site.
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Bookmarks:
www.bio-tec.biz
www.agroplastics.
www.amazon.com
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