- Peer-reviewed LCA using industrial data shows PEF (releaf) can reduce GHG emissions up to 88% for 500 mL bottles and up to 71% at resin level versus PET.
- Study conducted by nova‑Institut and Tereos within the EU-funded PEFerence project follows ISO LCA standards and uses data representative of future industrial production.
- Avantium’s YXY process produces FDCA for PEF, with a pilot plant in Geleen and a commercial FDCA plant starting in Delfzijl; monolayer PEF and PEF/PET multilayers enable lighter packaging and improved recyclability versus PET/PA.
Study and methodology
Avantium published an updated Life Cycle Assessment of plant-based PEF (releaf) conducted with nova‑Institut and Tereos using industrial data representative of future industrial production; the study is peer‑reviewed, follows ISO LCA standards, was carried out within the EU‑funded PEFerence project and covers cradle‑to‑gate and cradle‑to‑grave stages including cultivation, conversion to intermediates, polymer production, packaging use, recycling and energy recovery.
Key results
The LCA reports up to 88% lower greenhouse‑gas emissions for 500 mL beverage bottle applications versus conventional PET under representative European conditions, and up to 71% reduction at the resin level (including biogenic carbon uptake), with further reductions expected as feedstock, process and energy inputs improve.
Drivers of impact reduction
Reductions are mainly driven by replacing fossil carbon with renewable carbon from plant feedstocks, where CO2 absorbed during plant growth offsets emissions later in the life cycle; releaf’s material properties also enable lighter packaging, reducing production and transport impacts, with monolayer PEF showing the largest gains and multilayer PEF/PET outperforming PET/PA solutions.
Systems perspective
The analysis finds renewable carbon and recycling are complementary: recycling lowers demand for virgin material while renewable carbon reduces the impact of that material, and combined they enable deeper reductions in the overall carbon footprint of plastics.
