Conclusion

Both plant and animal biomass represent a virtually infinite resource that can be used to produce a wide range of bio-based products, particularly polyesters. Managing the end-of-life of bio-based products is also a crucial issue in limiting the accumulation of plastic waste, a problem that society at large (citizens, policymakers, NGOs, manufacturers and major retailers, researchers, etc.) has now widely embraced. Unlike many other polymers, polyesters possess the unique versatility to be recycled in various ways (mechanical, chemical, or enzymatic recycling; biodegradation; industrial or household composting). Nevertheless, despite all these advantages, the industrial processes developed for the production of these polymers and their end-of-life treatment are not environmentally neutral, like any industrial process (water and energy consumption, pollutant emissions, etc.). Relevant, rigorous,...