Estudio de la implementación de bolsas plásticas oxo biodegradables y su impacto social y ambiental en la ciudad de Loja.

The present research study the social and environmental impact caused by the new plastic oxo-biodegradable bags implemented in Loja city through municipal ordinance. Because plastic persists in the environment, it is necessary to test whether the oxo-biodegradable bags reduce environmental damage, in comparison to conventional plastic polyethylene bags. The data collection for this research was carried out through surveys addressed to the owners of the stores and their customers, and an impact evaluation matrix corresponding to the social aspect. To determine the environmental impact caused by oxo-biodegradable bags, the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) method was applied, using the SimaPro software. For the surveys, Loja city downtown was used as a sample unit, because it is the place with the main productive activity which is commerce. As a result, despite the positive acceptance of oxo-biodegradable bags by the population (65%), these don't improve the environment because optimal conditions for its degradation (temperature, oxygen, and UV radiation) are not present in landfill, where they spend their last stage of life. Moreover, it was found that ecotoxicity and human toxicity are the greatest environmental impacts generated throughout the life cycle of oxo-biodegradable bags and that the difference between conventional plastic bags and oxo-biodegradable bags in terms of environmental impacts is minimal. Keywords: oxo-biodegradable bags, social and environmental impact, environment, Life Cycle Analysis.

• Main Author: Santos Orellana, Vivian Jamileth (author)
• Format: bachelorThesis
• Language: spa
• Published: 2019
• Subjects: PLASTICO; IMPACTO AMBIENTAL
• Online Access: http://dspace.unl.edu.ec/jspui/handle/123456789/22225