A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Protective Mailers in the Postal Industry
Date
2013-09-27
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Abstract
In 2010, Purolator and Canada Post were seeking an alternative to low density polyethylene (LDPE) parcel packaging due to its inability to be recycled. A study was required to determine if the disposal stage was in fact the most detrimental. A comparative Life Cycle Assessment was conducted evaluating a generic 8” x 12” LDPE bubble mailer, versus a product marketed as environmentally-friendly, a generic 8” x 12” Kraft paper and newsprint filled padded mailer. General Life Cycle Inventory data from U.S. LCI and ecoinvent were customized with primary data from Associated Bag Company and product measurements. SimaPro software calculated the Life Cycle Impact Assessment. Results showed the upstream stages and the use stages as significant for both products. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that both products are eventually replaced with lighter, rapidly renewable materials.
Description
Keywords
Environmental, Packaging
Citation
Pilfold, K. (2013). A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Protective Mailers in the Postal Industry (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/24667