[ { "id": "heat", "title": "Heat resistance & HDT", "why": "PLA in particular softens near its glass transition unless crystallised, which limits use in warm environments and durable parts. Stereocomplex PLA and nucleation are the main levers.", "measured": "Heat deflection temperature (HDT) and Vicat softening under a stated load; DSC for Tg, Tm and crystallinity; DMA.", "evidence": "HDT or Vicat with load and specimen state (annealed or not), measured on the same grade as the claim, ideally next to the incumbent.", "refs": [ "nagarajan2016", "tsuji2005", "saeidlou2012" ], "routes": [ "pla", "pha" ] }, { "id": "toughness", "title": "Brittleness, impact & ageing", "why": "Several bio-based polyesters are stiff but brittle, and blending or copolymerisation trades stiffness for toughness. Physical ageing can change properties over time.", "measured": "Notched impact (Izod or Charpy), elongation at break, tensile tests before and after conditioning.", "evidence": "Impact and elongation with notch type and conditioning; results after ageing, not only as-moulded.", "refs": [ "jiang2006", "noda2004", "nagarajan2016", "imre2013" ], "routes": [ "pla", "pha", "natural-polymers" ] }, { "id": "moisture", "title": "Moisture & hydrolytic stability", "why": "Ester bonds hydrolyse and amide groups absorb water; both change properties in humid service and during processing.", "measured": "Water uptake, property retention after humidity or hot-water ageing, molar-mass loss.", "evidence": "Retention of a named property after a stated humidity/temperature exposure and duration.", "refs": [ "laycock2017", "winnacker2016", "lim2008" ], "routes": [ "pla", "pha", "polyamides", "natural-polymers" ] }, { "id": "processing", "title": "Processing window & crystallisation speed", "why": "Thermal and hydrolytic degradation in the melt and slow crystallisation lengthen cycle times and narrow the window between melting and degradation.", "measured": "Melt flow before and after processing, molar mass, crystallisation half-time, cycle time.", "evidence": "Processing on industrial-type equipment with drying conditions, residence time and cycle time reported.", "refs": [ "lim2008", "saeidlou2012", "noda2004" ], "routes": [ "pla", "pha", "pef" ] }, { "id": "barrier", "title": "Barrier properties", "why": "Gas and water-vapour barrier decide packaging use. PEF's barrier advantage over PET comes from suppressed furan ring motion.", "measured": "Oxygen, CO₂ and water-vapour transmission rates at stated temperature, humidity and thickness.", "evidence": "Permeability with test conditions and thickness, compared with the incumbent measured the same way.", "refs": [ "burgess2014", "auras2004" ], "routes": [ "pef", "pla" ] }, { "id": "durability", "title": "Durability in long-life products", "why": "Durable products need property retention over years; inherently dynamic or hydrolysable chemistries must show long-term stability.", "measured": "Accelerated ageing (heat, humidity, UV) with property retention; creep.", "evidence": "Retention data over stated ageing protocols; real-time data where available.", "refs": [ "nagarajan2016", "fortman2018", "laycock2017" ], "routes": [ "pla", "thermosets", "polyurethanes" ] }, { "id": "feedstock", "title": "Feedstock availability, land use & variability", "why": "The Commission notes that unsustainably harvested feedstocks can drive deforestation, biodiversity loss or land-use competition with food crops. Waste and residue feedstocks vary in composition.", "measured": "Feedstock type and origin, certification, batch-to-batch variability.", "evidence": "Named feedstock and origin; certification scheme; variability data for waste-based feedstocks.", "refs": [ "bugnicourt2014", "isikgor2015" ], "sources": [ "com2022-682" ], "routes": [ "pha", "pla", "scope-review", "polyamides" ] }, { "id": "scale", "title": "Scale-up, capacity vs real output", "why": "Announced or nameplate capacity is not output. Plants can be delayed, run below capacity or close.", "measured": "Demonstrated stage (lab, pilot, demo, industrial); capacity status (announced, under construction, commissioned, operating, actual output).", "evidence": "Capacity with its status and facility; operating evidence such as commissioning dates or reported production.", "refs": [], "routes": [ "pla", "pha", "pef", "bio-polyesters" ] }, { "id": "cost", "title": "Cost per kg resin and per finished part", "why": "A price per kg says little without date, volume, grade and basis (selling price, production cost or target); part cost also depends on processing.", "measured": "Price or cost with currency, date, region, volume, grade and basis.", "evidence": "A cost figure with all of its basis fields; otherwise recorded as ND (not disclosed).", "refs": [], "routes": [ "pla", "pha", "pef" ] }, { "id": "lca", "title": "Comparable climate footprint", "why": "Footprints are only comparable with the same functional unit, system boundary, data year, energy mix and allocation. Eerhart et al., for example, report PEF versus PET for a cradle-to-grave system.", "measured": "ISO 14040/14044 LCA; ISO 14067 carbon footprint.", "evidence": "Value with functional unit, boundary, geography, data year, comparator, allocation, biogenic-carbon treatment and review type. No reduction is computed across different boundaries.", "refs": [ "eerhart2012", "walker2020", "spierling2018", "lambert2017" ], "routes": [ "pef", "pla", "pha", "scope-review" ] }, { "id": "claims", "title": "Bio-based content & claim accounting (C14 vs mass balance)", "why": "Measured bio-based carbon (radiocarbon) and mass-balance attribution answer different questions. The Commission states that mass-balance accounting is not considered suitable for confirming the actual share of bio-based content, and that radiocarbon methods should be preferred.", "measured": "EN 16640 / ASTM D6866 / ISO 16620 (measured content); ISO 22095 and schemes such as ISCC PLUS (chain of custody).", "evidence": "Whether a claim is measured or attributed, the method, and the share.", "refs": [], "sources": [ "com2022-682#mass-balance", "com2022-682#radiocarbon" ], "routes": [ "scope-review", "polyurethanes", "bio-polyesters", "polycarbonates" ] }, { "id": "eol", "title": "End of life & recyclability streams", "why": "Biodegradability depends on the environment; industrial compostability does not imply home compostability; compostable plastics in recycling streams contaminate them.", "measured": "EN 13432, ISO 17088, ASTM D6400 (industrial composting); environment-specific biodegradation tests.", "evidence": "Which environment and standard; certification; recycling route (mechanical, chemical) with demonstrated scale.", "refs": [ "haider2019", "mckeown2020" ], "sources": [ "ppwr#home-vs-industrial", "com2022-682#home-compost" ], "routes": [ "pla", "pha", "bio-polyesters", "thermosets" ] } ]