Assessment of Potential Environmental Impact: Synthetic and Natural Binders
Binders are important construction materials, especially with plant-based granulates and fibers. A binder is chosen for its physical and chemical properties to be compatible with some construction requirements. New market trends show that green binders meet global sustainability targets, which is a...
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Sciendo
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental and Climate Technologies |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.2478/rtuect-2025-0021 |
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| author | Gboe Nuushuun Archie Garnevičius Mantas Grubliauskas Raimondas |
| author_facet | Gboe Nuushuun Archie Garnevičius Mantas Grubliauskas Raimondas |
| author_sort | Gboe Nuushuun Archie |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Binders are important construction materials, especially with plant-based granulates and fibers. A binder is chosen for its physical and chemical properties to be compatible with some construction requirements. New market trends show that green binders meet global sustainability targets, which is a step towards greener buildings and a greener environment. This study presents a cradle-to-gate comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) of synthetic binders (Polyvinyl Acetate (PVA) and Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC)) and agriculture starch-based binders made from cassava, wheat, and corn. The LCA was conducted using SimaPro software based on ISO 14040/14044 standards using the ReCiPe Midpoint and CML IA Baseline method. The assessment is cradle-to-gate with a binder production function unit of 1 kg. Key environmental sustainability metrics like Global Warming Potential (GWP) and Acidification Potential (AP) are assessed to rank the binder sustainability against each other. The results show that synthetic binder PVA has the highest environmental impact in almost all impact categories, especially GWP (6.55 kg CO2 eq in ReCiPe and 6.37 kg CO2 eq in CML) and AP (0.012 kg SO2 eq in ReCiPe and 0.015 kg SO2 eq in CML). Among natural binders, Corn Starch shows the lowest environmental impact with GWP values of 0.930 kg CO2 eq (ReCiPe) and 0.896 kg CO2 eq (CML) and AP values of 0.010 kg SO2 eq (ReCiPe) and 0.016 kg SO2 eq (CML). The agricultural binders (Cassava Starch, Wheat Starch, and Corn Starch) are environmentally friendlier than the synthetic binders (PVA and CMC). Although agricultural binders carry environmental costs associated with farming operations, they have lower environmental impacts than synthetic alternatives, demonstrating their sustainability potential in binder applications. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-dbfad4f89eab4da2b52830724eeace01 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2255-8837 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Sciendo |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental and Climate Technologies |
| spelling | doaj-art-dbfad4f89eab4da2b52830724eeace012025-08-25T06:12:10ZengSciendoEnvironmental and Climate Technologies2255-88372025-01-0129130031210.2478/rtuect-2025-0021Assessment of Potential Environmental Impact: Synthetic and Natural BindersGboe Nuushuun Archie0Garnevičius Mantas1Grubliauskas Raimondas2Department of Environmental Protection and Water Engineering, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Sauletekio al. 11, Vilnius, LithuaniaDepartment of Environmental Protection and Water Engineering, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Sauletekio al. 11, Vilnius, LithuaniaDepartment of Environmental Protection and Water Engineering, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Sauletekio al. 11, Vilnius, LithuaniaBinders are important construction materials, especially with plant-based granulates and fibers. A binder is chosen for its physical and chemical properties to be compatible with some construction requirements. New market trends show that green binders meet global sustainability targets, which is a step towards greener buildings and a greener environment. This study presents a cradle-to-gate comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) of synthetic binders (Polyvinyl Acetate (PVA) and Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC)) and agriculture starch-based binders made from cassava, wheat, and corn. The LCA was conducted using SimaPro software based on ISO 14040/14044 standards using the ReCiPe Midpoint and CML IA Baseline method. The assessment is cradle-to-gate with a binder production function unit of 1 kg. Key environmental sustainability metrics like Global Warming Potential (GWP) and Acidification Potential (AP) are assessed to rank the binder sustainability against each other. The results show that synthetic binder PVA has the highest environmental impact in almost all impact categories, especially GWP (6.55 kg CO2 eq in ReCiPe and 6.37 kg CO2 eq in CML) and AP (0.012 kg SO2 eq in ReCiPe and 0.015 kg SO2 eq in CML). Among natural binders, Corn Starch shows the lowest environmental impact with GWP values of 0.930 kg CO2 eq (ReCiPe) and 0.896 kg CO2 eq (CML) and AP values of 0.010 kg SO2 eq (ReCiPe) and 0.016 kg SO2 eq (CML). The agricultural binders (Cassava Starch, Wheat Starch, and Corn Starch) are environmentally friendlier than the synthetic binders (PVA and CMC). Although agricultural binders carry environmental costs associated with farming operations, they have lower environmental impacts than synthetic alternatives, demonstrating their sustainability potential in binder applications.https://doi.org/10.2478/rtuect-2025-0021environmental impactslife cycle assessment (lca)sustainable binderssynthetic bindersstarch-based binders |
| spellingShingle | Gboe Nuushuun Archie Garnevičius Mantas Grubliauskas Raimondas Assessment of Potential Environmental Impact: Synthetic and Natural Binders Environmental and Climate Technologies environmental impacts life cycle assessment (lca) sustainable binders synthetic binders starch-based binders |
| title | Assessment of Potential Environmental Impact: Synthetic and Natural Binders |
| title_full | Assessment of Potential Environmental Impact: Synthetic and Natural Binders |
| title_fullStr | Assessment of Potential Environmental Impact: Synthetic and Natural Binders |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment of Potential Environmental Impact: Synthetic and Natural Binders |
| title_short | Assessment of Potential Environmental Impact: Synthetic and Natural Binders |
| title_sort | assessment of potential environmental impact synthetic and natural binders |
| topic | environmental impacts life cycle assessment (lca) sustainable binders synthetic binders starch-based binders |
| url | https://doi.org/10.2478/rtuect-2025-0021 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gboenuushuunarchie assessmentofpotentialenvironmentalimpactsyntheticandnaturalbinders AT garneviciusmantas assessmentofpotentialenvironmentalimpactsyntheticandnaturalbinders AT grubliauskasraimondas assessmentofpotentialenvironmentalimpactsyntheticandnaturalbinders |