Life-Cycle Environmental Impacts of Additive-Related Chemicals in Polyvinyl Chloride Plastics and the Mitigation Potential

Plastic additive-related chemicals, particularly in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics, have become a key issue in plastic pollution. Although addressing plastic pollution through the life-cycle approach is crucial, the environmental impacts of typical plastic additive-related chemicals in PVC plastics during the cradle-to-gate stage remain unexplored. Consequently, managing the life-cycle environmental impacts of these additives remains challenging. Herein, the environmental impacts of 23 typical plastic additive-related chemicals and six PVC plastic products were evaluated throughout the cradle-to-gate life-cycle stage using a life cycle assessment-material flow analysis (LCA-MFA) coupled model. The results indicate that plastic additives significantly contribute to the environmental impacts of PVC plastic products across various end point indicators, ranging from 8.7 to 40.6%. Additionally, scenario analysis (SA) reveals that conventional strategies for addressing plastic pollution may not be highly effective in mitigating the environmental impacts associated with plastic additives. Specifically, compared to primary polymers, these additives exhibit 4 to 13% lower mitigation potential under the same policy scenarios. However, technical adjustment strategies targeting additives show a mitigation potential of 12 to 39%, suggesting that guiding the plastic additive industry toward green transformation is a key strategy for reducing environmental impacts.