Environmental impacts associated with the life cycle of natural rubbers: A review and scientometric analysis

Natural rubber (NR) is an essential raw material for the automotive, textile, footwear, pharmaceutical, and medical industries, among others. However, the production of this product through various processes generates a high environmental impact, particularly due to the intensive use of thermal and electrical energy, fuels, water, and chemicals, requiring the implementation of strategies to evaluate and reduce these effects. In this context, a scientometric analysis was conducted to investigate the use of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as a tool for evaluating the environmental impacts throughout the NR production chain. The software VosViewer was used to perform cluster analysis, and the review was conducted to characterize the main processes involved in the production of NR products, highlighting findings in the production chains of Hevea brasiliensis and Parthenium argentatum. The study concluded that NR production phases are particularly intensive in energy, water and chemical use, contributing significantly to environmental impacts such as global warming and ecotoxicity. Studies on NR goods mainly focus on emissions from the production, use and end-of-life stages of automotive tires, especially due to the large amount of waste generated (17 million tons annually worldwide). Despite advancements in tire treatment and recycling, further studies are still needed, including their application to other rubber goods. Addressing data gaps, improving database quality and adopting standardized guidelines like Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) are fundamental for more reliable and representative LCA studies, paving the way for enhanced sustainability in NR production.