Life cycle assessment of a road safety product made with virgin and recycled HDPE

Abstract

The present work aims at evaluating the potential environmental impact of using recycled High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) in the production of an Anti-Glare Lamella (AGL), a road safety device currently manufactured from virgin (not recycled) polymer. The impact was evaluated using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) technique and comparing two alternative systems: current AGL, manufactured from virgin HDPE, and optional AGL, made with recycled HDPE obtained from post-consumer packages. The AGL manufacturing phase was found to be responsible for most of the impacts in both systems, with the production of the raw material being the largest contributor for that phase. This work gives a contribution to the problem of developing value-added products made from post-consumer polymeric recyclates.