System Dynamics Approach in LCA for PET-Renewable Raw Materials Impact

Abstract

It has been shown that system dynamics and life-cycle analysis together provide an analytical tool to study different impacts between variables in decision-making process. This paper presents an application of this approach toward to a plastic material of quotidian use, considering both, a production chain using renewable resources and petrochemical production of Polyethylene Terephthalate, used as a beverage bottle application, and showing its impacts to the system when production replacement of non-renewable resources is allowed. We have already studied the substitution between different materials: glass and aluminum.