In the Re-Membrane project, the project participants have developed and manufactured plastic film for buildings and tunnel membranes including recycled plastic raw material. RISE has performed testing the products for long-term applications. The following products and companies are included in this study. For example, a building film from three partners: Rani Plast, Draken, Trioworld. For example, a plastic membrane for tunnels from one partner: Oldroys DrainX.

The purpose this LCA study is to show the climate reduction potential for recycled plastics in building products and construction. A simplified Life Cycle Analysis has been carried out on the products to assess the climate reduction potential of replacing new raw materials with recycled ones. The data collection is built on companies own data derived from environmental products declarations EPDs and carbon footprint. The data collection builds also on the type of recycled plastics used, such as the use of spill, the use of consumer plastics and the use of ocean plastics. The results are also applied to construction of wooden and office buildings, as well as the Swedish Housing Agencies climate database and climate impact data for buildings of typical housing in Sweden and in the Nordic countries.

The results have shown that the climate reduction potential for plastic films between 20% and 80%, the reduction potential is reduced depend on recycling/transport are between 6,5% and up to 50% and that the reduction potential for plastics in buildings are between 0,5% - 19%. The climate reduction potential for plastics in buildings in the Nordic are 1,5-1,75 kg CO2/m2 heated living area.

The results have shown that there is a difference in data collection and functional unit, as well as databases that influence the climate impact. For example, the latest Ecoinvent database from 2024 has a 20-30% higher climate impacts for plastics.

In conclusion, the carbon footprint for recycled plastics in plastics film and tunnel membranes have been studied. The climate reduction potential for recycled plastics in buildings in in Sweden and the Nordic countries have also been included in this study.