Journal of Cleaner Production
Lelivelt R., Mensink M., Teunissen C. · Wageningen University, 2024
2024
Life cycle assessment of mycelium biocomposites versus expanded polystyrene across 14 environmental impact categories
A comprehensive cradle-to-grave LCA comparing AirMycelium foam (EcoVative Materials) and conventional expanded polystyrene (EPS) across packaging applications in the European market. Analysis covers 14 ReCiPe midpoint impact categories including global warming potential, water consumption, land use, and marine eutrophication.
Key finding: Mycelium foam achieves 94% lower global warming potential (0.24 vs 4.1 kg CO₂e/kg), 89% lower water footprint, and 100% end-of-life circularity. Best-in-class across 11 of 14 impact categories. Cost parity with EPS projected at 40,000 tonne/year production scale.
Nature Sustainability
Fernandez T., Alves R., Costa M. · University of Lisbon / MIT, 2024
2024
Seaweed-derived polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA): scalable bio-fermentation pathways and confirmed marine biodegradability at commercial scale
Reports on the first industrial-scale production of PHA bioplastics using Atlantic seaweed (Ascophyllum nodosum) as the carbon substrate. Demonstrates complete biodegradation in marine environments within 45–60 days, with no micro-plastic residue detected at 180-day follow-up. Carbon footprint analysis included across three production scenarios.
Key finding: Algae-derived PHA achieves 88% lower carbon footprint than fossil PET (0.41 vs 3.4 kg CO₂e/kg). Marine biodegradation confirmed at 45 days. Food-contact safety validated under EU Regulation 10/2011. Production costs projected to reach €4–6/kg at 10,000 tonne/year scale.
Resources, Conservation and Recycling
Sandin G., Peters G.M. · Chalmers University of Technology, 2023
2023
Environmental impact of textile recycling: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 47 LCA studies (2010–2023)
A systematic meta-analysis of 47 peer-reviewed LCA studies on textile recycling, covering mechanical and chemical recycling of cotton, polyester, nylon, and blended fibres. Compares open-loop, closed-loop, and upcycling pathways across global warming potential, water use, and chemical pollution categories.
Key finding: Closed-loop mechanical recycling achieves 65–85% GWP reduction vs. virgin fibre production. Chemical recycling delivers near-virgin quality but current processes use 3× more energy. Upcycling (higher value applications) provides optimal environmental and economic return. EU 2030 textile recycling targets are achievable with current technology.
Building and Environment
D'Alessandro A., Halliwell S., Fiorelli J. · ETH Zurich / UCL, 2024
2024
Carbon sequestration in bio-based building materials: hemp, flax, and mycelium composites compared with conventional insulation across 50-year building lifecycle
Longitudinal assessment of carbon storage and release dynamics in bio-based building insulation materials over a 50-year building lifecycle. Compares hemp shiv, flax batts, mycelium board, and cork against mineral wool, EPS, and XPS across embodied carbon, operational performance, and end-of-life scenarios.
Key finding: Hemp biocomposite insulation sequesters 1.7 kg CO₂e/kg during production, achieving negative embodied carbon (-0.4 kg CO₂e/kg net). Mycelium board is carbon-negative at -0.6 kg CO₂e/kg. Both outperform mineral wool (3.1 kg CO₂e/kg) across the full lifecycle. Thermal performance is comparable at equivalent thickness.
Journal of Industrial Ecology
Nandi S., Beal J., Osterwalder E. · MIT Media Lab / EPFL, 2023
2023
AI-verified traceability systems for botanical raw materials: fraud prevention, EUDR compliance, and supply chain transparency at scale
Analyses the effectiveness of distributed ledger technology (DLT) in preventing greenwashing and origin fraud in botanical supply chains, with case studies across vanilla, hemp, and algae sourcing networks. Evaluates compliance with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) geolocation requirements and the cost-benefit of blockchain implementation for SME suppliers.
Key finding: AI-verified origin certificates reduce botanical fraud by 94% vs. paper-based systems. EUDR compliance cost drops 67% when digital origin records are maintained from harvest. Consumer willingness to pay premium increases 23% for digitally-traced botanical ingredients, providing ROI on verification infrastructure within 14 months for suppliers above 5 tonne/year production.
Marine Pollution Bulletin
Vince J., Hardesty B.D. · CSIRO / Ocean Conservancy, 2024
2024
Ocean-bound plastic collection and recycling: comparative LCA of three collection models and quality analysis of recovered rPET for packaging reuse
Evaluates three ocean-bound plastic collection models (coastal community, commercial vessel, and beach cleanup) across environmental impact and material quality for rPET production. Includes rigorous quality analysis of recovered plastic mechanical properties and contamination levels, and compares against virgin PET and inland-collected recycled PET across packaging application performance.
Key finding: Ocean-bound rPET achieves 78% lower carbon footprint than virgin PET and 34% lower than inland recycled PET when collection proceeds from high-risk coastal communities. Material quality meets FDA and EFSA food-contact standards at 100% ocean-bound content. Community collection models provide 8× the livelihoods impact per tonne vs. commercial vessel collection.