Life-Cycle Assessment in the Polymeric Sector: A Comprehensive Review of Application Experiences on the Italian Scale

A review on textile solid waste management: Disposal and recycling

Due to global population growth and living standards improvements, textile production and consumption are increased. Textile solid waste has become challenging issue for waste management authority. It is reported that textile materials are discarded daily, representing approximately 1.5% of the generated waste around the world. Over the past few decades, special attention has been given to the used clothes in all regions globally, which can reduce energy costs by 80% and also represent a source of raw materials economically profitable and environmentally responsible. This review article attempted to address different topics including: source of solid textile waste, environmental impact of textile waste as a result of massive consumption of clothing, textile waste management processes such as recycling, reuse of textile waste, landfill and incineration and energy recovery from textile waste. Narrative review with collection of recent quantitative information was carried to reflect the status of textile solid waste. In this article, the possibilities of bio-ethanol production from textile waste as valuable cellulosic raw material are investigated and presented. Results show that developing countries lack of systematic waste management. On another side of the globe, some countries are trying to recover energy these days by incineration. The heat and power that recovered from this process can be used instead of other energy sources. Throughout the incineration process, flue gases (CO2, H2O, O2, N2) are generated so it should be properly designed to avoid pollution. During energy recovery, different pre-treatment methods and different enzymatic hydrolysis parameters are recommended to be implied for better results.

Findings from a streamlined life cycle assessment of PET-bottles for beverage-packaging applications, in the context of circular economy

Economic activity, especially production, is based upon the use of natural resources. This is a fact that affects the growing pressure of the need to implement a sustainable approach to the design, manufacture, and disposal of products, as waste management and disposal have a significant impact on the environment. Therefore, the EU waste management policy aims to reduce the impact of waste on the environment and health and improve the efficient use of resources in the EU. The long-term goal of this policy is to reduce the amount of waste generated and, if generation is unavoidable, to promote its use as a resource, increase recycling and ensure safe waste disposal. These and related solutions are critical, given the growing amount of plastic waste. Under this perspective, the aim of the article was to assess the relevant environmental issues in the production of PET bottles for packaging applications, which can enable a significant improvement in the life cycle environmental profile not only of the analysed material but, also, of the downstream systems in which they are used as such or processed for finished, more complex goods. Results highlighted that, due to the largest contribution (nearly 84 %) to the environmental profile of the bottles' life cycle, a substantial improvement could be achieved by replacing 50 % of the total amount of virgin PET used with recycled PET.

Characterization Techniques of Polymer Aging: From Beginning to End

Polymers have been widely applied in various fields in the daily routines and the manufacturing. Despite the awareness of the aggressive and inevitable aging for the polymers, it still remains a challenge to choose an appropriate characterization strategy for evaluating the aging behaviors. The difficulties lie in the fact that the polymer features from the different aging stages require different characterization methods. In this review, we present an overview of the characterization strategies preferable for the initial, accelerated, and late stages during polymer aging. The optimum strategies have been discussed to characterize the generation of radicals, variation of functional groups, substantial chain scission, formation of low-molecular products, and deterioration in the polymers' macro-performances. In view of the advantages and the limitations of these characterization techniques, their utilization in a strategic approach is considered. In addition, we highlight the structure-property relationship for the aged polymers and provide available guidance for lifetime prediction. This review could allow the readers to be knowledgeable of the features for the polymers in the different aging stages and provide access to choose the optimum characterization techniques. We believe that this review will attract the communities dedicated to materials science and chemistry.

Energy-Consumption-Based Life Cycle Assessment of Additive-Manufactured Product with Different Types of Materials

Additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing technology is one of the preferred methods to ensure sustainability in fabrication. In addition to providing continuity in sustainability, fabrication, and diversity, it aims to improve people’s quality of life, develop the economy, and protect the environment and resources for future generations. In this study, the life cycle assessment (LCA) method was used to determine whether a product fabricated by the AM provides tangible benefits compared to traditional fabrication methodologies. LCA is an evaluation method that provides information on resource efficiency and waste generation, where the environmental impacts of a process can be calculated, measured, and reported throughout the entire life cycle, starting from the acquisition of raw materials, processing, fabrication, use, end of life, and disposal, according to ISO 14040/44 standards. This study examines the environmental impacts of the three most preferred filaments and resin materials in the AM for a 3D-printed product from the start, which consists of three stages. These stages are raw material extraction, manufacturing, and recycling. Filament material types are Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Polylactic Acid (PLA), Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETG), and Ultraviolet (UV) Resin. The fabrication process was carried out with Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) and Stereolithography (SLA) techniques using a 3D printer. Environmental impacts for all identified steps were estimated over the life cycle using the energy consumption model. As a result of the LCA, it was seen that UV Resin was the most environmentally friendly material in the mid-point and end-point indicators. It has been determined that the ABS material also exhibits bad results on many indicators and is the least environmentally friendly. The results support those working with AM in comparing different materials’ environmental impacts and choosing an environmentally friendly material.

Factors Affecting the Nutritional, Health, and Technological Quality of Durum Wheat for Pasta-Making: A Systematic Literature Review

Durum wheat is one of the most important food sources in the world, playing a key role in human nutrition, as well as in the economy of the different countries in which its production areas are concentrated. Its grain also represents a staple and highly versatile ingredient in the development of health foods. Nonetheless, the aspects determining durum wheat's health quality and their interactions are many, complex, and not entirely known. Therefore, the present systematic literature review aims at advancing the understanding of the relationships among nutritional, health, and technological properties of durum wheat grain, semolina, and pasta, by evaluating the factors that, either positively or negatively, can affect the quality of the products. Scopus, Science Direct, and Web of Science databases were systematically searched utilising sets of keywords following the PRISMA guidelines, and the relevant results of the definitive 154 eligible studies were presented and discussed. Thus, the review identified the most promising strategies to improve durum wheat quality and highlighted the importance of adopting multidisciplinary approaches for such purposes.

Micro- and nano-plastics pollution and its potential remediation pathway by phytoremediation

This review proposed that phytoremediation could be applied for the decontamination of MPs/NPs. Micro- and nano-plastics (MPs < 5 mm; NPs < 100 nm) are emerging contaminants. Much of the recent concerns have focused on the investigation of their pollution and their potential eco-toxicity. Yet little review was available on the decontamination of MPs/NPs. Recently, the uptake of MPs/NPs by plants has been confirmed. Here, in view of the current knowledge, this review introduces MPs/NPs pollution and highlights the updated information about the interaction between MPs/NPs and plants. This review proposed that phytoremediation could be a potential possible way for the in situ remediation of MPs/NPs-contaminated environment. The possible mechanisms, influencing factors, and existing problems are summarized, and further research needs are proposed. This review herein provides new insights into the development of plant-based process for emerging pollutants decontamination, as well as the alleviation of MPs/NPs-induced toxicity to the ecosystem.

New bio-based polyester with excellent spinning performance: poly(tetrahydrofuran dimethanol-co-ethylene terephthalate)

With the excessive consumption of fossil energy, technologies that transform bio-based resources into materials have received more and more attention from researchers in recent decades. In this paper, a series of poly(ethylene 2,5-tetrahydrofuran dimethyl terephthalate; PEFTs) with different components were synthesized from 2,5-tetrahydrofuran dimethanol (THFDM), terephthalic acid (TPA), and ethylene glycol (EG). Their chemical structures and compositions were determined by FTIR, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR. With the increase in THFDM content, the crystallization, T _m, and tensile strength of PEFTs gradually decrease because the introduced THFDM breaks the order of molecular chains, while the thermal stability and T _g remain stable. PEFTs seem to present a significant shear thinning phenomenon, which was indicated by the rheological test. Electrospinning technology was used to explore the spinnability of PEFT; it was found that PEFTs have better spinning performance than PET. In addition, due to the good hydrophobicity and porosity of PEFT nanofiber films, they have potential application value in the manufacture of hydrophobic nanofiber and filter films.

Lignin as a Renewable Building Block for Sustainable Polyurethanes

Currently, the pulp and paper industry generates around 50-70 million tons of lignin annually, which is mainly burned for energy recovery. Lignin, being a natural aromatic polymer rich in functional hydroxyl groups, has been drawing the interest of academia and industry for its valorization, especially for the development of polymeric materials. Among the different types of polymers that can be derived from lignin, polyurethanes (PUs) are amid the most important ones, especially due to their wide range of applications. This review encompasses available technologies to isolate lignin from pulping processes, the main approaches to convert solid lignin into a liquid polyol to produce bio-based polyurethanes, the challenges involving its characterization, and the current technology assessment. Despite the fact that PUs derived from bio-based polyols, such as lignin, are important in contributing to the circular economy, the use of isocyanate is a major environmental hot spot. Therefore, the main strategies that have been used to replace isocyanates to produce non-isocyanate polyurethanes (NIPUs) derived from lignin are also discussed.

Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Potential of European Union's Circularity Related Targets for Plastics

Current rising concerns about environmental and climate impacts in production, consumption and end-of-life of plastics have led to efforts to switch from linear to circular economy of plastics in Europe. Greenhouse gas emissions are likely to decrease with a transition to a circular system; however, a systematic and integrated perspective on plastics and the carbon cycle is currently missing in the debate on plastics. In this study, a model to estimate greenhouse gas emissions of the current mostly linear plastics value chain of the EU in 2018 and a future scenario, 2025 model, were created. By 2025 if current policy targets are reached, the plastic packaging recycling rate should be 50%, PET-based drinking bottles should include 25% recycled content, 77% collection target for plastic bottles, 10 Mt recyclates should enter the markets, uptake of bio-based plastics is estimated by European bioplastics to increase from current 1 to 1.32% and landfilling will continue to decrease according to the current trend at 3.85%. Total greenhouse gas emissions caused by the current plastics value chain are estimated at 208 million tonnes of CO2-eq. The 2025 model estimates that total plastics value chain emissions will be 182 Mt of CO2-eq. Reduction potential is approximately 26 Mt of CO2-eq or 13%.

Synthesis of Poly(Hexamethylene Succinate-Co-Ethylene Succinate) Copolymers With Different Physical Properties and Enzymatic Hydrolyzability by Regulating the Ratio of Monomer

Poly(hexylene succinate) (PHS), poly(ethylene succinate) (PES), and their random copolyesters, poly(hexylene succinate-co-ethylene succinate) ((P(HS-co-ES)), were synthesized by melting polycondensation. Simply varying the ratios of HS/ES afforded control over the copolymer crystallinity, thermal and mechanical properties, wettability, and enzymatic hydrolyzability as shown by X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), tensile tests, and water contact angle (WCA) measurements. The enzymatic hydrolysis rates of all prepared copolyesters were higher than those of the corresponding homopolyesters. The hydrolysis rates were affected by crystallinity, melting temperature, and hydrophobicity of the copolyesters, and therefore, the degradation rates could be tuned along with the ES content. The library of copolymers prepared here with tunable degradation rates, ranging from HS-enriched to ES-enriched copolyesters, is promising for a variety of different applications. The P(HS-co-ES51) copolyester that did not fully degrade is particularly promising for use in long-term storage applications, whereas P(HS-co-ES13) and P(HS-co-ES76) that rapidly degrade are good for use in very short-term applications.

Towards Circular Economy by the Valorization of Different Waste Subproducts through Their Incorporation in Composite Materials: Ground Tire Rubber and Chicken Feathers

Incorporation of residua into polymeric composites can be a successful approach to creating materials suitable for specific applications promoting a circular economy approach. Elastomeric (Ground Tire Rubber or GTR) and biogenic (chicken feathers or CFs) wastes were used to prepare polymeric composites in order to evaluate the tensile, acoustic and structural differences between both reinforcements. High-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP) and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) polymeric matrices were used. EVA matrix defines better compatibility with both reinforcement materials (GTR and CFs) than polyolefin matrices (HDPE and PP) as it has been corroborated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), termogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In addition, composites reinforced with GTR showed better acoustic properties than composites reinforced with CFs, due to the morphology of the reinforcing particles.

Opportunities and challenges for integrating the development of sustainable polymer materials within an international circular (bio)economy concept

Highlights

The production and consumption of commodity polymers have been an indispensable part of the development of our modern society. Owing to their adjustable properties and variety of functions, polymer-based materials will continue playing important roles in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)s, defined by the United Nations, in key areas such as healthcare, transport, food preservation, construction, electronics, and water management. Considering the serious environmental crisis, generated by increasing consumption of plastics, leading-edge polymers need to incorporate two types of functions: Those that directly arise from the demands of the application (e.g. selective gas and liquid permeation, actuation or charge transport) and those that enable minimization of environmental harm, e.g., through prolongation of the functional lifetime, minimization of material usage, or through predictable disintegration into non-toxic fragments. Here, we give examples of how the incorporation of a thoughtful combination of properties/functions can enhance the sustainability of plastics ranging from material design to waste management. We focus on tools to measure and reduce the negative impacts of plastics on the environment throughout their life cycle, the use of renewable sources for their synthesis, the design of biodegradable and/or recyclable materials, and the use of biotechnological strategies for enzymatic recycling of plastics that fits into a circular bioeconomy. Finally, we discuss future applications for sustainable plastics with the aim to achieve the SDGs through international cooperation.

Abstract

Leading-edge polymer-based materials for consumer and advanced applications are necessary to achieve sustainable development at a global scale. It is essential to understand how sustainability can be incorporated in these materials via green chemistry, the integration of bio-based building blocks from biorefineries, circular bioeconomy strategies, and combined smart and functional capabilities.

Graphic abstract

FT-IR Study, Thermal Analysis, and Evaluation of the Antibacterial Activity of a MK-Geopolymer Mortar Using Glass Waste as Fine Aggregate

Food containers made from glass are separately collected from urban solid waste at 76% in most parts of Europe. The cullet glass finds its way to re-melting, while the debris is often disposed of. With this contribution, we suggest an upcycling process where glass debris is simply ground without any washing operation and added to an alkali-activated paste. Metakaolin-based geopolymer mortar added with coarsely ground glass waste as fine aggregate has been prepared via alkali activation with NaOH and Na-silicate. After 7, 14 and 28 days of room temperature curing time, the 3D geopolymer network was investigated by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Vibrational spectra revealed the geopolymerization occurrences, results which have been supported by both FT-IR deconvoluted spectra and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Finally, the antibacterial properties were investigated against both gram-negative (E. coli) and gram-positive (E. faecalis) bacterial strains. The results suggest the ability of the 28 days cured geopolymers to inhibit the growth of the gram-negative bacterium assayed.

Strategies for mitigating plastic wastes management problem: A lifecycle assessment study in Hong Kong

Considering the volume of plastic generation and its persistence in nature, the management of plastic wastes has gained increasing attention globally. To select the most environmentally sustainable solution, insights in the environmental impacts of different management strategies are crucial. This study thus aimed to evaluate different plastic waste management strategies such as mechanical recycling, incineration, industrial incineration, construction and landfill, and exemplified with potential case demonstrations in Hong Kong. The environmental impacts of the developed strategies are comparatively evaluated by the lifecycle assessment (LCA) technique in order to identify the most environmentally preferable strategy. The LCA results indicate that industrial incineration is the most potential preferential strategy for Hong Kong, as it can potentially consume the generated waste locally and substitute the imported coal for the cement industry. Mechanical recycling is the second preferential strategy for the city, as it conserves secondary resources significantly. Grate incineration for generating electricity is the third preferable solution, while the use of recycled plastics in construction may not be a benign environmental strategy for Hong Kong. The findings of this study could help policy makers to design strategic direction for environmentally sustainable management of plastic wastes locally based on the circular economy principle.

The Life Cycle Assessment for Polylactic Acid (PLA) to Make It a Low-Carbon Material

The massive plastic production worldwide leads to a global concern for the pollution made by the plastic wastes and the environmental issues associated with them. One of the best solutions is replacing the fossil-based plastics with bioplastics. Bioplastics such as polylactic acid (PLA) are biodegradable materials with less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. PLA is a biopolymer produced from natural resources with good mechanical and chemical properties, therefore, it is used widely in packaging, agriculture, and biomedical industries. PLA products mostly end up in landfills or composting. In this review paper, the existing life cycle assessments (LCA) for PLA were comprehensively reviewed and classified. According to the LCAs, the energy and materials used in the whole life cycle of PLA were reported. Finally, the GHG emissions of PLA in each stage of its life cycle, including feedstock acquisition and conversion, manufacturing of PLA products, the PLA applications, and the end of life (EoL) options, were described. The most energy-intensive stage in the life cycle of PLA is its conversion. By optimizing the conversion process of PLA, it is possible to make it a low-carbon material with less dependence on energy sources.

Engineering Design Process of Face Masks Based on Circularity and Life Cycle Assessment in the Constraint of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Face masks are currently considered key equipment to protect people against the COVID-19 pandemic. The demand for such devices is considerable, as is the amount of plastic waste generated after their use (approximately 1.6 million tons/day since the outbreak). Even if the sanitary emergency must have the maximum priority, environmental concerns require investigation to find possible mitigation solutions. The aim of this work is to develop an eco-design actions guide that supports the design of dedicated masks, in a manner to reduce the negative impacts of these devices on the environment during the pandemic period. Toward this aim, an environmental assessment based on life cycle assessment and circularity assessment (material circularity indicator) of different types of masks have been carried out on (i) a 3D-printed mask with changeable filters, (ii) a surgical mask, (iii) an FFP2 mask with valve, (iv) an FFP2 mask without valve, and (v) a washable mask. Results highlight how reusable masks (i.e., 3D-printed masks and washable masks) are the most sustainable from a life cycle perspective, drastically reducing the environmental impacts in all categories. The outcomes of the analysis provide a framework to derive a set of eco-design guidelines which have been used to design a new device that couples protection requirements against the virus and environmental sustainability.

Influence of a Natural Plant Antioxidant on the Ageing Process of Ethylene-norbornene Copolymer (Topas)

In the field of polymer technology, a variety of mainly synthetic additives are used to stabilize the materials during processing. However, natural compounds of plant origin can be a green alternative to chemicals such as synthetic polyphenols. An analysis of the effect of hesperidin on the aging behavior of ethylene-norbornene copolymer was performed. The evaluation of changes in the tested samples was possible by applying the following tests: determination of the surface energy and OIT values, mechanical properties analysis, colour change measurements, FT-IR and TGA analyses. The obtained results proved that hesperidin can be effectively used as natural stabilizer for polymers. Furthermore, as a result of this compound addition to Topas-silica composites, their surface and physico-mechanical properties have been improved and the resistance to aging significantly increased. Additionally, hesperidin can act as a dye or colour indicator and only few scientific reports describe a possibility of using flavonoids to detect changes in products during their service life, e.g., in food packaging. In the available literature, there is no information about the potential use of hesperidin as a stabilizer for cycloolefin copolymers. Therefore, this approach may contribute not only to the current state of knowledge, but also presents an eco-friendly solution that can be a good alternative to synthetic stabilizers.

The Use of Thermal Techniques in the Characterization of Bio-Sourced Polymers

The public pressure about the problems derived from the environmental issues increasingly pushes the research areas, of both industrial and academic sectors, to design material architectures with more and more foundations and reinforcements derived from renewable sources. In these efforts, researchers make extensive and profound use of thermal analysis. Among the different techniques available, thermal analysis offers, in addition to high accuracy in the measurement, smartness of execution, allowing to obtain with a very limited quantity of material precious information regarding the property–structure correlation, essential not only in the production process, but overall, in the design one. Thus, techniques such as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), differential thermal analysis (DTA), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were, are, and will be used in this transition from fossil feedstock to renewable ones, and in the development on new manufacturing processes such as those of additive manufacturing (AM). In this review, we report the state of the art of the last two years, as regards the use of thermal techniques in biopolymer design, polymer recycling, and the preparation of recyclable polymers as well as potential tools for biopolymer design in AM. For each study, we highlight how the most known thermal parameters, namely glass transition temperature (T_g), melting temperature (T_f), crystallization temperature (T_c) and percentage (%c), initial decomposition temperature (T_i), temperature at maximum mass loss rate (T_m), and tan δ, helped the researchers in understanding the characteristics of the investigated materials and the right way to the best design and preparation.

The Management of Polymer and Biodegradable Composite Waste in Relation to Petroleum-Based Thermoplastic Polymer Waste—In Terms of Energy Consumption and Processability

The article presents a comparative analysis of the flow and utilisation of biodegradable polymer waste in relation to the waste of petroleum-based thermoplastic polymers. It compares energy expenditures and the costs of the reutilisation of both types of plastics in industrial applications. The performed studies and an analysis of the yielded results enabled the acquisition of real data involving the subject of managing petroleum-based plastic waste after the end of its life cycle, as well as biodegradable plastic waste, over the recent years, which is the main purpose of the study. So far, this subject has not been analysed very frequently, and, considering climate change, the predatory economy and the growing population of our planet, it is becoming an important topic, within the scope of which it is necessary to develop a new approach and new solutions regarding legal regulations and social awareness, as well as the technological possibilities of their implementation. The authors’ own research will indicate factual results related to managing various types of waste, based on the example of data acquired from a company involved in the retreatment of plastics and give answers to bothering questions such as: Is there an impact of retreatment on technological indicators defined by means of the mass flow rate? Is the retreatment of biodegradable plastics justified in terms of economy, energy and ecology? Is the retreatment of biodegradable plastics efficient?

Acoustic Comfort as a Salutogenic Resource in Learning Environments—A Proposal for the Design of a System to Improve the Acoustic Quality of Classrooms

This article addresses the topic of environmental comfort from a salutogenic and pedagogical point of view. It begins by presenting a wide framework aimed at describing the complexity and specificity of the acoustic issue and the need to integrate decibel-based metrics with knowledge and reflections which are inherent to non-measurable factors. The article then focuses its attention on educational spaces and presents the results of an investigation carried out in 52 classrooms of 19 primary schools in Florence. From this research and keeping in mind the current Italian legislation, the following results are deduced: (1) the layout of a typical classroom, (2) the average reverberation time and (3) the sound-absorbing surface required to improve the acoustic quality of the typical classroom with polystyrene fibre panels. Subsequently, after having briefly described the more appropriate typology of sound-absorbing solutions, a system for the acoustic correction of classrooms is presented. This system is composed of two parts. The first part is fixed and its realisation is entrusted to specialised personnel; the second, based on the concept of personalisation and transformation of the educational space, is modifiable through time and designed and applied by the students themselves.

Bio-Polyethylene (Bio-PE), Bio-Polypropylene (Bio-PP) and Bio-Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (Bio-PET): Recent Developments in Bio-Based Polymers Analogous to Petroleum-Derived Ones for Packaging and Engineering Applications

In recent year, there has been increasing concern about the growing amount of plastic waste coming from daily life. Different kinds of synthetic plastics are currently used for an extensive range of needs, but in order to reduce the impact of petroleum-based plastics and material waste, considerable attention has been focused on "green" plastics. In this paper, we present a broad review on the advances in the research and development of bio-based polymers analogous to petroleum-derived ones. The main interest for the development of bio-based materials is the strong public concern about waste, pollution and carbon footprint. The sustainability of those polymers, for general and specific applications, is driven by the great progress in the processing technologies that refine biomass feedstocks in order to obtain bio-based monomers that are used as building blocks. At the same time, thanks to the industrial progress, it is possible to obtain more versatile and specific chemical structures in order to synthetize polymers with ad-hoc tailored properties and functionalities, with engineering applications that include packaging but also durable and electronic goods. In particular, three types of polymers were described in this review: Bio-polyethylene (Bio-PE), bio-polypropylene (Bio-PP) and Bio-poly(ethylene terephthalate) (Bio-PET). The recent advances in their development in terms of processing technologies, product development and applications, as well as their advantages and disadvantages, are reported.

Bio-Polyethylene (Bio-PE), Bio-Polypropylene (Bio-PP) and Bio-Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (Bio-PET): Recent Developments in Bio-Based Polymers Analogous to Petroleum-Derived Ones for Packaging and Engineering Applications

In recent year, there has been increasing concern about the growing amount of plastic waste coming from daily life. Different kinds of synthetic plastics are currently used for an extensive range of needs, but in order to reduce the impact of petroleum-based plastics and material waste, considerable attention has been focused on "green" plastics. In this paper, we present a broad review on the advances in the research and development of bio-based polymers analogous to petroleum-derived ones. The main interest for the development of bio-based materials is the strong public concern about waste, pollution and carbon footprint. The sustainability of those polymers, for general and specific applications, is driven by the great progress in the processing technologies that refine biomass feedstocks in order to obtain bio-based monomers that are used as building blocks. At the same time, thanks to the industrial progress, it is possible to obtain more versatile and specific chemical structures in order to synthetize polymers with ad-hoc tailored properties and functionalities, with engineering applications that include packaging but also durable and electronic goods. In particular, three types of polymers were described in this review: Bio-polyethylene (Bio-PE), bio-polypropylene (Bio-PP) and Bio-poly(ethylene terephthalate) (Bio-PET). The recent advances in their development in terms of processing technologies, product development and applications, as well as their advantages and disadvantages, are reported.