Analyzing the life cycle of a product is one of the best ways ✓ Solved

Analyzing the life cycle of a product is one of the best ways to understand the impact of our consumption on the environment. In this assignment, you will research the series of steps that it takes to deliver a common product to the public and consider how consumers’ choices and behavior can contribute to or diminish environmental sustainability. Select one of the following products: car, new cell phone, plastic grocery bags, food of your choice, a new 3-bedroom home, an online purchase of your choice, or another product of your choice with faculty approval. Research the life cycle of your selected product using the internet, textbook, University Library, or other resources.

Analyze the environmental impact of the purchase or usage of the product you selected by completing the matrix below. Answer each question in the matrix with a 1- to 2-sentence response. Be sure to provide references for the sources you use.

Environmental Impact Research Matrix: Plastic Grocery Bags

Name of Product/Process

Plastic Grocery Bags

1. How is the product/process obtained or created? What raw materials are required?

Plastic grocery bags are made from a polymer substance known as polyethylene, which is created by extracting ethylene from natural gas and treating it to become the polymer. The production of plastic bags necessitates the use of fossil fuels, which contribute to carbon emissions.

2. How is the product processed or implemented?

The manufacturing process for plastic bags is called extrusion. Polyethylene pellets are heated to melting temperatures, cooled, and then cut and sealed into bag shapes for distribution (Xanthos & Walker, 2017).

3. How is the product delivered or transported to you?

Once produced, plastic grocery bags are packed and transported via trucks to warehouses and retail stores where they are made available to consumers.

4. How is the product disposed of?

Consumers may dispose of plastic bags in recycling bins, but many improperly discard them, leading to environmental issues such as landfill accumulation and ocean pollution.

5. What kind of waste is generated? How can it be recycled?

Improper disposal of plastic grocery bags contributes to significant waste in oceans and landfills. However, through mechanical recycling processes, used plastic can be washed, repurposed into pellets, and remolded, or treated through chemical recycling methods that convert them back into raw materials (Saidan et al., 2017).

6. List any other observations or insights pertaining to the environmental impact of the product.

The environmental impact of plastic grocery bags is substantial, as they pose risks to wildlife, clog waterways, and contribute to pollution. Their pervasive nature raises serious health and ecological concerns, necessitating better management practices and consumer education.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the life cycle analysis of plastic grocery bags reveals significant environmental impacts at each stage from production to disposal. Understanding this cycle is crucial for encouraging sustainable practices among consumers and fostering a reduction in plastic waste.

References

  • Xanthos, D., & Walker, T. R. (2017). International policies to reduce plastic marine pollution from single-use plastics (plastic bags and microbeads): a review. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 122(1-2), 17-26.

  • Saidan, M. N., Ansour, L. M., & Saidan, H. (2017). Management of plastic bags waste: An assessment of scenarios in Jordan. Journal of Chemical Technology & Metallurgy, 52(1).

  • Thompson, R. C., Swan, S. H., Moore, C. J., & vom Saal, F. S. (2009). Our plastic age. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 364(1526), 1973-1976.

  • Parker, L. (2020). The plastic problem: how plastic pollution harms wildlife. National Geographic. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/plastic-pollution-harms-wildlife.

  • Jambeck, J. R., Geyer, R., Wilcox, C., & Siegler, T. R. (2015). Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean. Science, 347(6223), 768-771.

  • United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). (2018). Marine Litter and Plastics: A Global Challenge. Retrieved from https://www.unep.org/resources/report/marine-litter-and-plastics-global-challenge.

  • World Economic Forum. (2020). The New Plastics Economy: Reimagining the Future of Plastics. Retrieved from https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/downloads/The-New-Plastics-Economy-Report-2016.pdf.

  • Rochman, C. M., Browne, M. A., Halpern, B. S., & Hentschel, B. T. (2013). Policy: Classify plastic waste as hazardous. Science, 339(6121), 281-281.

  • Kershaw, P. J. (2011). Plastics in the Marine Environment. Retrieved from http://www.unep.org/pdf/Plastic_in_the_Marine_Environment.pdf.

  • Baker, J. (2021). The impact of plastic shopping bags on the environment. Environmental Research Journal, 15(3), 29-45.