12Paper_split
.pdf
keyboard_arrow_up
School
Simon Fraser University *
*We aren’t endorsed by this school
Course
100
Subject
Aerospace Engineering
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
Pages
4
Uploaded by ProfInternet6747
Simon Fraser University
REM 100
LCA Assignment
Page 2 of 5
Spring 2023
1. Extraction and production of raw materials
Description of the materials required for grocery bags and their extraction/production
process
The raw materials needed to produce a paper bag are mainly wood and water. Wood is put through a
pulp mill which debarks the wood. After debarking, the logs are inserted into a chipper which grinds the
logs into a power-like consistency (How are Paper Bags Made, 2022). The powdered wood is then
cooked at a specific temperature to separate the fibers from the wood. After all the impurities are taken
away, the pulp is bleached to get rid of lignin and is ready for the paper mill (How are Paper Bags Made,
2022).
Environmental effects (adverse or beneficial)
Deforestation is one of the cons of paper bags. According to (Bowen et al., 2022) trees are efficient at
absorbing greenhouse gas emissions, therefore, if more trees are cut, it can impact the surrounding
environment as there is less waste for trees to absorb. Deforestation also affects the natural habitat of
many animals, causing them to go extinct, or move to another habitat which in turn potentially ruins the
balance of that habitat. The process of making pulp from wood also produces a substantial amount of
greenhouse gases that pollute the air and water, creating a phenomenon known as acid rain (Bowen et
al., 2022). Additionally, paper bags are produced using coal or fossil fuels (Muthu et al., 2009) and they
consume five times the amount of water and require more transportation compared to plastic bags
(Bowen et al., 2022).
Social effects (adverse or beneficial)
A social effect that can result from deforestation is a loss of functionality, specifically for the ecosystem
those trees reside in. Quite often, specific areas are prohibited to the local population and are strictly
used for logging which restricts the population
’s resources as well
, forcing them to consume products
made by the same manufacturing company. This can lead to poverty as these local populations are
usually in developing countries which already puts them at a disadvantage economically. Additionally,
their local resources are being taken which contributes to their struggle.
Simon Fraser University
REM 100
LCA Assignment
Page 3 of 5
Spring 2023
2. Production of grocery bag
Description of the production process of grocery bags
Environmental effects (adverse or beneficial)
Social effects (adverse or beneficial)
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help