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Simon Fraser University *
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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)
Simon Fraser University
REM 100
LCA Assignment
Page 4 of 5
Spring 2023
3. End-of-life (recycling and disposal)
Description of end-of-life situation for grocery bag
Most paper bags are put in the landfill after their use as they are not reused often due to their weak
structure (Environment Agency, 2011). This contributes to more waste as more paper bags are being
wasted, when in fact they could be reused a few more times.
Environmental effects (adverse or beneficial)
According to a report by the Environment Agency in the U.K., the waste processing of paper bags makes
up 18 percent of photochemical oxidation (Environment Agency, 2011) which causes pollution in the air
impacting everyone’s health
, especially the respiratory system. In terms of waste disposal, paper bags
can be more harmful than their plastic counterparts, as they are made of synthetic chemicals that leak
out of the bag when decomposing (Tsamparlis, 2021). These chemicals add up and damage the
ecosystems around them impacting all living organisms.
Social effects (adverse or beneficial)
The social effects of paper bags are intriguing as there is a widespread belief that they are better for the
environment compared to other bag alternatives. Paper bags cause almost the same amount of
environmental impact as plastic bags. Plastic bags actually are slightly less harmful than paper bags due
to their ability to be reused (Environment Agency, 2011). Paper bags contribute to air pollution which in
turn, causes health problems for vulnerable people. This can affect society in many ways, for example, in
China, many wear masks to avoid inhaling toxic pollutants during air quality warnings. This can cause
people to stay indoors more, therefore affecting many factors of our social life.
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Simon Fraser University
REM 100
LCA Assignment
Page 5 of 5
Spring 2023
References
Bowen, L., Liu, J., Yu, B., & Zheng, X. (2022). The environmental impact of plastic grocery bags and their
alternatives.
IOP Conference Series.Earth and Environmental Science, 1011
(1).
https://www.proquest.com/docview/2649750352/fulltextPDF/27FB602AC9F5477CPQ/1?ac
countid=13800
This source is credible because it is an academic publication in a journal which has to be reviewed for
accuracy before being released to the public.
Environment Agency. (February, 2011).
Life cycle assessment of supermarket carrier bags: a review of
the bags available in 2006.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7bff74ed915d01ba1ca7c7/scho0711buan-e-
e.pdf
This source is credible because it is a government-written article made by an Environmental Agency in
the U.K.
How are Paper Bags Made?. (May 26
th
, 2022). Bagitan Packaging.
https://bagitanpackaging.com/how-
are-paper-bags-made-infographic/
This source is credible because it accurately shows the process of making paper bags, and I cross-
referenced this information with other sources to confirm it’s
credibility.
Muthu, S. S., Li, Y., Hu, J.-Y., Mok, P.-Y. (2009). An Exploratory Comparative Study on Eco-Impact of
Paper and Plastic Bags.
Journal of Fiber Bioengineering and Informatics, 1
(4), 307-320.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Subramanian-Senthilkannan-
Muthu/publication/234028400_An_Exploratory_Comparative_Study_on_Eco-
Impact_of_Paper_and_Plastic_Bags/links/09e4150e642d81fc7d000000/An-Exploratory-
Comparative-Study-on-Eco-Impact-of-Paper-and-Plastic-Bags.pdf
This source is credible because it is an academic publication in a journal which has to be reviewed for
accuracy before being released to the public.
Tsamparlis, O. (2021).
A Life Cycle Assessment Comparing End of Life Treatment for Paper and Plastic
Bags
[Honors thesis, Bryant University]. Bryant University.
https://digitalcommons.bryant.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1030&context=honors_scie
nce
This source is credible because it is an honors thesis, meaning that it had to undergo extensive reviewing
to be approved by the university for publication.