Biodegradable & Compostable Packaging

Material Composition Assumptions

The default reference product is 1 kg of PLA-based compostable packaging film or container, representing the most commercially widespread biodegradable packaging material:

• PLA (polylactic acid) resin: Derived from corn starch (NatureWorks Ingeo, ~70% global PLA capacity) or sugarcane. Polymerization involves starch hydrolysis, glucose fermentation to lactic acid, and ring-opening polymerization of lactide. Approximately 90-95% of finished product mass.
• Additives and processing aids: Nucleating agents, plasticizers (for flexibility), anti-block agents, and colorants, approximately 2-5% by weight.
• Alternative materials in scope: The CCI score also applies approximately to:
  • PBAT (polybutylene adipate terephthalate): Petrochemical-derived but compostable. ~3.0-4.0 kgCO2e/kg.
  • Starch blends (Mater-Bi type): Thermoplastic starch blended with biodegradable polyesters. ~2.0-3.5 kgCO2e/kg.
  • PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates): Microbially produced biopolymer. ~2.5-5.0 kgCO2e/kg.

PLA is the highest-volume biodegradable packaging polymer, accounting for approximately 50-60% of the bioplastics market by production capacity.

Manufacturing Geography

Biodegradable packaging production is concentrated in a few regions:

• PLA resin production: NatureWorks (USA, Blair, Nebraska) produces ~150,000 tonnes/year. TotalEnergies Corbion (Thailand) is the second-largest PLA producer. Smaller producers in China and EU.
• PBAT production: BASF (Germany, ecoflex), Novamont (Italy, Mater-Bi blends), and Chinese producers.
• PHA production: Danimer Scientific (USA), Kaneka (Japan), emerging capacity in China.
• Film conversion and thermoforming: Distributed globally, near end markets.
• Grid intensity (USA): 390 gCO2e/kWh (IEA 2024). NatureWorks uses some renewable energy.
• Grid intensity (China): 565 gCO2e/kWh (IEA 2024). Growing PLA production capacity.
• Rationale: PLA polymerization is moderately energy-intensive (fermentation, distillation, ring-opening polymerization, pelletizing). NatureWorks reports significant use of renewable energy (wind power) at its Nebraska facility, which reduces production emissions.

Regional Variation

Resin + Conversion Region	Grid Intensity	Estimated Score (per kg)	Adjustment vs Default
USA — NatureWorks (default)	~390 gCO2e/kWh	3.5 kgCO2e	Baseline
Thailand — Corbion	~420 gCO2e/kWh	3.0 kgCO2e	-14% (sugarcane feedstock)
China	~565 gCO2e/kWh	4.0 kgCO2e	+14%
EU (Netherlands, Germany)	~300 gCO2e/kWh	3.0 kgCO2e	-14%
Japan	~460 gCO2e/kWh	3.6 kgCO2e	+3%

Note: Feedstock choice (corn vs. sugarcane) affects upstream agricultural emissions. Sugarcane-based PLA typically has lower feedstock emissions than corn-based PLA due to higher yields and lower fertilizer intensity.

Provenance Override Guidance

A supplier or manufacturer may override the default CCI score by submitting:

1. Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) or Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) per ISO 14025 / ISO 14067 for the specific bioplastic product.
2. Resin supplier data: NatureWorks and TotalEnergies Corbion publish PCF data for their PLA resins.
3. Feedstock sourcing data: Certified sustainable corn or sugarcane (e.g., Bonsucro for sugarcane) with verified agricultural emission data.
4. Conversion facility energy data: Renewable electricity procurement for film extrusion and thermoforming.
5. Compostability certification: EN 13432 (EU) or ASTM D6400 (US) certification confirms industrial compostability but does not directly address production-phase emissions.

Methodology Notes

• CCI score of 3.5 kgCO2e/kg represents a conservative estimate for PLA-based compostable packaging, consistent with Vink et al. (2010) reporting ~2.0 kgCO2e/kg for PLA resin plus conversion energy. The CCI score adds a conservative margin for generic production conditions.
• Scope breakdown: Scope 3 dominates at 71% (2.5 kgCO2e/kg), driven by corn/sugarcane cultivation, starch extraction, lactic acid fermentation, and chemical inputs. Scope 2 is 23% (0.8 kgCO2e/kg) from polymerization, extrusion, and conversion electricity. Scope 1 is 6% (0.2 kgCO2e/kg).
• Confidence: Low because the bioplastics category encompasses chemically diverse materials (PLA, PHA, PBAT, starch blends) with significantly different production processes and emission profiles. The score represents PLA as the dominant material.
• Functional unit: 1 kg of PLA-based compostable packaging film or container, cradle to gate.
• Biogenic carbon: PLA contains biogenic carbon from photosynthesis (~1.8 kgCO2e of biogenic carbon per kg of PLA). Following standard LCA conventions, biogenic carbon uptake is reported separately and excluded from the fossil GWP score.
• End-of-life caveat: Compostable packaging requires industrial composting (58 degC+ for PLA) to biodegrade. In landfill conditions, PLA degrades very slowly. The environmental benefit of compostability is only realized with proper waste infrastructure, which is not widely available.
• Comparison: PLA packaging (~3.5 kgCO2e/kg) is comparable to conventional polyethylene (~1.8-2.0 kgCO2e/kg) and polypropylene (~1.5-1.8 kgCO2e/kg) on a cradle-to-gate basis. The production-phase carbon footprint of bioplastics is generally similar to or slightly higher than conventional plastics.