The development of Bio-based Polymers for Notebook PC

We assessed the life cycle of personal computer (PC) housings made from plant resin and analyzed their environmental burden by considering carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and various inputs such as energy and resources during the life cycle. We compared the levels of CO2 emission from PC housings made from bio- and fossil-fuel-based polymers throughout their life cycles. There were differences in C02 emissions from the two materials during the production and incineration. The overall results showed that using the bio-based polymer provided an environmental advantage equal to a 14.8% decrease in CO2 emissions over the entire life cycle. In the future, PC housings discarded after use will be recycled into raw materials for new PC housing. Although some electrical power is required to recycle used housing into raw material, the CO2 emissions from the bio-based polymer's life cycle are 28.8% lower than those made from the fossil-fuel-based polymer because less virgin material is consumed.