Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of PET Bottles and comparative LCA of three disposal options in Mauritius

Disposal of the increasing volume of used Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottles has been a cause for concern for the Mauritian Government. To assist Government in decision-making, a study on PET bottles and its disposal was undertaken using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tool. Three disposal scenarios, namely (100%) landfilling; (100%) incineration; and 50% landfilling and 50% incineration were compared. Sima Pro 5.1 software was used to analyse data and Eco-indicator 99 method was used for the impact assessment. The results showed that about 90% of the total environmental impact happened during the assembly and use phase of PET bottles. 100% incineration was found to be the most preferred option.

Keywords: life cycle assessment, LCA, polyethylene terephthalate, PET bottles, plastic bottles, solid waste, waste management, waste disposal, Mauritius, incineration, landfill, environmental impact