5-7 OCTOBERISFR2011

175

TOLEDO (SPAIN)

LIFE STYLE ASSESSMENT (LSA) OF PLASTIC ENGINEERING PRIOR TO LCA
Akira Oku
Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8585 Japane-mail: oku2038ak@future.ocn.ne.jp

Abstract
Chemical recycling of plastic wastes can reproduce technically the same materials by applying a much less energy than frompetroleum. Thus, the recycling is equivalent to the resources management to mitigate plastic’s socio-toxicity. To overcome
the confronting resource stress caused by plastic production-consumption, a novel assessment method for plasticproduction, i.e., life-style assessment (LSA), is proposed here. Basic concept of the assessment and its development thatare needed for social sustainability will be proposed and discussed.

Keywords: life style assessment (LSA), plastic recycling, resources management, chemicals management, smaller
lifestyle

1. Introduction
In theory, economy is not benign to the globalenvironment. Obviously, unlimited inflation of humans’
demands has obviously violated the border of theenvironment and resources that are essential to thehuman society. Little time remains for the mitigation ofstresses on resources and the environment.
Nevertheless, the crisis consciousness is still thin among
the expanding global economy that rather stimulates theproduction and consumption. Plastic production is not an
exception while campaigns of Green Chemistry andGreen New Deal tend to avoid the issue of limited
resources.
In this meeting, a novel assessment method for plastic
production and people’s life-style with plastic goods is
proposed as a possible solution of the issue. It is “lifestyle assessment” (LSA).

2. Conceptual Bases
The basic concept of plastic recycling for sustainabilityconsists of the followings.
2.1 Urgent paradigm shift of economy from economybasis to environment- and resource-basis.
2.2 Less production, more recycling for active economy.
2.3 Proposal of life-style assessment (LSA) as a novel
assessment tool for sustainable plastic industry.
2.4 Positioning of plastic recycling as the equivalent ofresources and socio-toxicity management.

3. Development of Discussion
3.1 Finiteness of natural organic resources needed forplastic production is discussed in terms of oil andcarbohydrates resources.
3.2 How to mitigate the stresses on the global resourcesand environment.

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3.3 Less production, more recycling. To overcome theproblem of excessive production and massive
consumption, the necessity of mental vigor of austerity
and gratitude for plastic products and consumption must
be preached.
3.4 A new assessment tool, LSA, is needed prior to theLCA. It consists of the measurement of (1) CSR conceptof the environment and natural resources, (2) purpose,necessity, scale of plastic production, (3) defect of plastic
production on the resource depletion and energy, (4)materials’ vs. goods’ lifespan, (5) network of plastic
reproduction, (6) impact on promoting smaller life style.
3.5 The results of LSA will appear in (1) elongation ofresources lifespan, (2) reducing massive production,
consumption and wasting, (3) learning of mentally richer
but smaller lifestyle in energy and materials, (4) posterity
education of correct environment- and resourceconsciousness.
3.6 Chemical recycling of plastic wastes reproduces thesame materials by applying much less energy than frompetroleum. Therefore, it is equivalent to an oil resource
management and chemical socio-toxicity management
for mitigating the stress caused by plastic production,
3.7 Sensuous and deceiving words such as "green" and"benign to the environment" anesthetize people to forgetthe real reason of environment and resource problems.
Indeed, the reason bases on our hypertrophied lifestyleabundant in materials and energy. Therefore, theproblems are unsolvable simply by shifting the resourcesfrom fossil to biomass, the energy from fossile or atomic
to solar or biomass.

4. Plastic as Recyclable Urban Resources
Two schemes shown in the next page will be discussed
for the present resource and environment issues.

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6th International Symposium on Feedstock Recycling of Polymeric Materials

An Achievable Plastic Recycling System
polymer
designconceptofmaterial
rebirth &recycle
material
designstop wastes export

additive,
composite
designmolding,
processing
product
designplastic
marketretailers,consumers

by CSR

material
recyclechemicalrecycle,polymerization

nonrecyclable
materials

surcharge

end-of-life of plastic

collection
andsorting

deposit money
to recycle

material unification
recyclable
materials[2] A. Oku. Creative production within the limitations ofresource and environment—Is there any sciencetechnology to suppress people’s deep demands?
(Japanese) Journal of Synthetic Organic Chemistry,
Japan 69 (2010) 1071-1075.

rebornmaterials
energy recovery,
coke-substitute

Biomass recycling circuit.
Bio-based plastic as the storage of urbanorganic resources and energy
energy &resourcesenergy &resourcescarbonstorage

CO2 absorption

agriculture
aMeOH
EtOH
H2

harvest,minimum
amountCHs, fats,
peptides,lactides, etc

energy &resourcesenergyrecoverycharcoal,
carbonstorage㧔

Biological sphere

plantsenergy &resources

lumberingenergy & resources needed㧕eCO2fuel useenergyrecoveryenergy &resources

paper,resins,chemicals,
medicines,
eetc.

for housing,cellulose,lignin, etc.

Man-made sphererecycle5. Conclusions
We can’t take back what we have excavated andconsumed. We can’t further expand our lifestyle along
the axes of limited resources and energy. However, ourfuture will be enriched by other ways to go spiraling up
along the axis of mentality.

neither
one-wayswelling up

instead,we needspiral-up
development

nor U-turning

mental satisfaction

Our future: Spiral-up within limitations

material resources,energy, global
environment
are limited࡮
We can’t get back what we have lost and consumed.
࡮We can turn back to go up higher, not horizontally.
࡮We need mental satisfaction more than materialistic one.

References[1] A. Oku. Biomass: future view from the resources andenvironment (Japanese). Chemistry & Chemical Industry,
63 (2010) 12-14.

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