Voluntary tools for environmental management

University of Padova
A.A. 2014-2015
Second Cycle Degree Programme (MSc Level) in Environmental Engineering
Alessandro Manzardo, PhD
Environmental Impact Assessment
Voluntary tools for environmental
management
The market is demanding for green
production and products
“The world has its best chance in decades to make serious
progress on both the climate and economic fronts” (Ban
Ki-moon-United nations 2009)
Over 100 billion euros will be invested in Italy to the
latest requirement of the 2020 European Policy (IEFEBocconi 2009)
To restart economic growth towards low-carbon ecnomy
…investements for low carbon technologies and markets will
be the 4% of the world GDP within 18 months (Leeds
University 2009)
The main bank gorpu in the owrld are working togheter to set
specific investments fund for those companies that are
working for cleaner production and consumption
(CDP,2009)
The Green Consumer profile
“Despite of ecnomic crisis, the green products
market share is growing fast to 62%. Conusmers
seems to pay even more attention when looking at
social responsibility. ” Carbon Trust 2009
85
Italia
61
Francia
84
Germania
Pagherebbero il
10% in più per un
prodotto fatto
rispettando la
società e
l'ambiente
52
Giappone
84
UK
80
Canada
78
USA
0
20
40
60
80
100
Fonte:Camera di Commercio di Milano - 2005
Risks related to resource availability
WATER
ENERGY
•Physical Risks: access to water resources and water related services.
•Compliance Risks: regulation and administrative procedures
•Market Risks: Corporate Responsability and reputation
•Financial Risks: water and energy costs rising, fall in sells and profits as a
consequence of above mentioned risks
COMPANIES NEED TOOLS TO ASSESS AND MANAGE ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACTS RELATED TO WATER
ISO standards
An International Standard consists in a set of requirements used to
accomplish a task in a consistent manner recognized at international level
ISO (International Organization for Standardization) is the world's largest
developer and publisher of International Standards
Main characteristics:
•Result from a transparent and consesus-based process
•Based on principles of transparency, openess,
impartiality and voluntariety
•Voluntary Application
CESQA
5
Voluntary tools for environmental management
TERMINOLOGY
ISO 14050
PROCESS ORIENTED
EMS
ISO/DIS 14001 - ISO 14004; ISO
14005; ISO 14006
EPE
ISO 14031; ISO/TS 14033
ISO/NP 14034
Audit
ISO 19011, ISO 14015
Communication
ISO 14063
Material flow cost accounting
ISO 14051
Green House Gas
ISO 14064 – part 1,2,3; ISO 14065;
ISO 14066; ISO/TR 14069
PRODUCT ORIENTED
Water footprint
ISO 14046
ISO/TR 14073
Organizational LCA
ISO/TS 14072
Supply chain GHG
ISO/TR 14069
Life Cycle Assessment
ISO 14040-44; ISO/TR 14047
ISO/TS 14048
ISO/TR 14049
ISO/DTS 14071
Ecolabelling
ISO 14020, ISO 14021
ISO 14024, ISO 14025
ISO /WD 14026
Product environmental aspects
ISO/TR 14062, ISO Guide 64, ISO
14045
Product carbon
ISO/TS 14067
What the Company should be aware of
(environmental impact perspective)?
HDPE Botttle
Stock of HDPE
grains in Silos
and Quality
Control
Plastic
Extrusion
Bottle Blowing
Secondary
packaging
Filling and
capping
Trimming and
sterilization
(H2O)
Final Product
Stock
What the Company should be aware of
(environmental impact perspective)?
Beverage Carton
Stock of rolls
Beverage
carton Material
Filling and
capping
Secondary
packaging
Final Product
Stock
i impatti
What process would you go for?
Bottiglia in
HDPE
…..What if the company have to produce the
beverage cartons by itself?
Beverage Carton production
PET
grains
Alumin
um Foil
Extrusion
Lamination
Final Product
Stock
Paper
Having a limited view can result in environmental
burden shift!!!
Life Cycle Approach
TO GRAVE
FROM CRADLE
Look at products, processes and services with a cradle to gate approach
in order not to shift impacts from one stage of the life cycle to another!
CESQA
12
HISTORY OF PRODUCT BASED LCA
The very firts analysis are from the 1969 when
Coca Cola wanted to understand which was
the best packaging for its drink
Glass? Plastic? or Alluminium can?
which of this material is the best for reuse at the
end of life?
Which is the best management strategy at the
end of life of the product?
Reuse? Disposal?
HISTORY OF PRODUCT BASED LCA
First studies (early ’70)
Energy Efficiency
Raw material conusmption
Waste management
Development (’80, ’90)
Corporate responsibility
Boom (1992)
UN Earth Summit
Resouces analysis, focus on
specific issues
Petrol crisis
“LCA is among the most promising new tools for a wide
range of environmental management tasks”
Europe(2005)
Key role in the Europena Policy on Envrionment
Ecolabel, EPD, transports, recycling, plastic material..
Life cycle approach: potential applications
Management:
< environmental Impacts
> Material and energy efficiency
< input
2. Design:
< waste
< costs
Focus on environmental issues form the
very beginning of the design processes
leads to lower environmental impacts and
costs
3. Marketing
LCA ed ecodesign
Il ciclo di vita del prodotto/servizio
€,
En. Impact
Environmental
Impacts
Cost definition
Life cycle cost paid
by stakeholders
Product cost
CESQA©
x
Concept
Design
x
Pilot
Production
x
Market
Product market life
End of life
16
Potential Integrated approach
PRODUCTS
A
B
ANALYTIC
TOOLS
N
X
Y
Org. A
Raw material
Org. B
Components
Org C
Product
O
R
G
A
N
I
Z
A
T
I
O
N
Customer
Use
Org Y
End of Life
Treatment
MANAGEMENT
SYSTEMS
Environmental Management Systems
(ISO 14001)
• part of an organization's (3.16) management system
used to develop and implement its environmental policy
(3.11) and manage its environmental aspects (3.6)
• Note 1: A management system is a set of interrelated
elements used to establish policy and objectives and to
achieve those objectives.
• Note 2: A management system includes organizational
structure, planning activities, responsibilities, practices,
procedures (3.19), processes and resources.
ISO 14001 The plan-do-chek-act approach
Act: consolidate and
implement actions to
improve continuously the
EMS performance
Management
review
Checking
Do: implement the
processes
Continuous
improvement
INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL
REVIEW
Environmental
Policy
Check: monitor and
measure processes
respecting
environmental
policy, objectives,
target and legal
requirements and
to report the results
Implementation
and operation
Planning
Plan: establish
objectives and
processes needed
to provide results
according to
environmental policy
Initial environmental Review
INITIAL
REVIEW
Determine the ineteractions between the organizationa nd the environmentad
and identify potential significant impacts:
• Aspects identification
• Identification of impacts and their significance
Initial environmental Review
INITIAL
REVIEW
Assessing the significance
The organization shall establish, implement, maintain procedure(s) for:
b) To determine those aspects that have or can have significant impact/s
on the environment (i.e. significant environmental aspects).
The organization shall document this information and keep it up to date.
The organization shall ensure that the significant environmental aspects
are taken into account in establishing, implementing, and maintaining
its environmental management system.
Environmental Policy
ENVIRONMENTAL
POLICY
Top management shall define the organization’s environmental policy and ensure
that
CONTENTS
• Include a commitment to continual improvement and prevention of pollution
• Includes a commitment to comply with applicable legal requirements and the other
requirements it subscribes
OTHER CONDITIONS FOR THE CONTENTS
• is appropriated to the nature, scale and environental impacts of its activities,
products and services
• Provides the framework for setting and reviewing environmental objectives and
targets
APPLICATION AND COMMUNICATION
• is documented, implemented, maintained and communicated to all persons
working for or on behalf of the organization
• is available to the public
Objectives, targets and programme/s
Legal
requirements
Financial
requirements
PLAN
Operational
requirements
Objective and
targets
Policy
Interested
parties
Technology
oiptions
Significant
environmental
aspects
Objective, targets and programme (s)
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
PLAN
PLANNING
Reduce impacts related
to climate change
Objective 1
Targets 1
Actions
Minimize the emissions
of GHG along teh supply chain
Reduce the 15% of the energy
used in the primary packaging line
within 2020
1) Identify packaging alternatives
2) verify potential climate change
impacts
3 implement the best solution
i impatti
What process would you go for?
Bottiglia in
HDPE
DO
LCA tool according to ISO 14040-44
DO
Let’s go back to Awesome Beverage Case
study..
Goal and scope definition
DO
Objective of the study
• Determine which packaging system is better to contain the innovative
free range milk with the lowest potential environmental impacts.
• The results will be used by the management to take decision on how to
equip the new production site.
• The results are not intended to be disclosed to the public
Function and functional unit (….the reporting unit)
Contain one litre of milk
Product Systems
All the processes involved in the production, distribution and disposal of HDPE
bottle and Beverage Cartons in Italy
Goal and scope definition
emissions
emissions
DO
emissions
emissions
BOTTLE
RAW MATERIALS EXTRACTION
AND MANUFACTURING:
TRANSPORT
Virgin HDPE
Titanium dioxide
Black carbon
steam
water
electric power
methane
other fuels
BOTTLE
PRODUCTION
water
electric power
methane
other fuels
steam
emissions
BOTTLE FILLING PACKAGED
AND
PRODUCT
PACKAGING
*TRANSPORT TO LARGE RETAIL
CENTERS
HDPE waste
AUXILIARY MATERIALS
EXTRACTION AND
MANUFACTURING:
air emissions
Bottle top
Labels
Seals
*LARGE RETAIL CENTERS AND
TRANSPORT TO RETAILERS
TRASPORT
caps, labels, seals
*RETAILERS AND TRANSPORT TO
CONSUMERS
HDPE waste
emissions
TRANSPORT
*USE
HDPE waste matters
WASTE MATTERS
TREATMENT
*TRANSPORT
heat treatment 100%
END OF LIFE
* outside the system boundaries
material
recovery
24%
heat
treatment
24%
garbage
dump
disposal
52%
Goal and scope definition
emissions
emissions
RAW MATERIALS
EXTRACTION AND
MANUFACTURING:
Paper
Aluminium foil
Polyethylene
Ink
Photopolymer
Cardboard cores
Cardboard
Pallet
Shrink film
hydrogen peroxide
electric power
compressed air
steam
cooling water
strip
lubricating oil
TRANSPORT
electric power
methane
gas oil
refrigerants
emissions
AUXILIARY
MATERIALS
EXTRACTION AND
MANUFACTURING :
emissions
emissions
emissions
PRODUCTION
FOIL-LINED PACKAGE
emissions
FILLING
TRANSPORT
PACKAGED
PACKAGING PRODUCT
*TRANSPORT TO LARGE RETAIL
CENTERS
emissions
*LARGE RETAIL CENTERS AND
TRANSPORT TO RETAILERS
TRANSPORT
Waste:
Refuse:
aluminium, paper, polyethylene
cleaning clothes with ink
part of machineries, ferrous and
non-ferrous wreckages
emissions
*RETAILERS AND TRANSPORT TO
CONSUMERS
TRANSPORT
*USE
waste (aluminium, paper,
polyethylene)
*TRANSPORT
* outside the system boundaries
WASTE MATTERS TREATMENT
paper: recycle
aluminium + polyethylene:
energy recovery
END OF LIFE
material
recovery
37,6%
heat
treatment
12,7%
garbage
dump
disposal
49,7%
Potential approaches:
-Gate to gate  Only production processes are considered
-Cradle to gate  from raw materials to the output of a specific
stage of the life cycle such as production…
- Cradle to grave  encompasses all the life cycle of the products
Life Cycle Inventory Analysis
DO
Inventory analysis consists of the gatahering of all relevant data
(material and energy flows ) of the products systems Input-output
approach).
Input-output includes:
 Use of resources
 Release to air, soil, warter
Referred to
the product system
 These data are collected in reference withe the objective of the study
(e.g. focusing on climate change we would collect data on GHG
emissions).
 Impact assessment are based on these data.
PRIMARY DATA: directly measured and collected on the field
SECONDARI DATA: from data base!
TERTIARY DATA: from estimation
Life Cycle Impact Assessment
IMPACT CATEGORIES
ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS
Renewable sources deplation
Use of resources
Non Renewable sources deplation
Use of resources
Climate Change (Carbon Footprint)
Emissions to air
Ozone layer deplation
Emissions to air
Human Toxicity
Emissions to air, water, soil
Eco Toxicity
Emissions to wateer and soils
Photochemical effect
Emissions to air
Acidification
Emissions to air
Eutrophication
Emissions to air, water, soil
Noise
Noise production
Climate change impacts of HDPE Bottle
DO
Raw materials
Ancillary Mterials
Transportation of raw
materials
Transportation of
ancillary materials
Beverage Carton
production
Filling and Packaging
(primary+ secondary)
Transportation of scraps
g CO2e
Scraps end of life
management
End of Life
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
Climate change impacts of Beverage Carton
DO
Raw materials
Ancillary Mterials
Transportation of raw
materials
Transportation of
ancillary materials
Beverage Carton
production
Filling and Packaging
(primary+ secondary)
Transportation of scraps
g CO2e
Scraps end of life
management
End of Life
0,00
10,00
20,00
30,00
40,00
50,00
60,00
70,00
80,00
90,00
1.
2.
Eco-profile (Eco-indicator 99)
Metodi e tecniche per comprendere, valutare,
ridurre gli impatti di prodotti (sia quelli realizzati,
sia quelli che, una volta utilizzati, devono essere
smaltiti)
•
•
Tema centrale all’interno del dibattito mondiale
Studio di problematiche legate all’acqua è
divenuto oggi molto importante
Metodi e tecniche per comprendere, valutare,
ridurre gli impatti di prodotti (sia quelli realizzati,
sia quelli che, una volta utilizzati, devono essere
smaltiti)
Attenzione
problematiche
ambientali
Confrontare e applicare due metodi di analisi
ambientale (life cycle assessment e water
• Tema centrale all’interno del dibattito mondiale
Acqua risorsa
footprint)
a due tipologie di imballaggio
per il latte
• Studio di problematiche
legate all’acqua è
scarsa
divenuto oggi molto importante
Confrontare i risultati di uno studio di analisi del ciclo
1. Confrontare
e applicare
due metodi
di analisi
di vita comparativo utilizzando
due diversi
metodi
di
ambientale (life cycle assessment e water
OBIETTIVI
valutazione
degli
impatti
footprint) a due tipologie di imballaggio per il latte
LAVORO
2.
Tetra Brik Aseptic
1000 base
(TBA 1000 base)
Confrontare i risultati di uno studio di analisi del ciclo
di vita comparativo utilizzando due diversi metodi di
valutazione degli impatti
Bottiglia in
HDPE
Bottiglia in
HDPE
DO
Check and Act - continuos
improvement
INPUT
OUTPUT
results of internal audits and evaluations of
compliance with legal requirements;
R
b) communication(s) from external interested
parties, including complaints;
E
a)
c)
the environmental performance of the
organisation;
d) the extent to which objectives and targets
have been met;
e)
status of corrective and preventive actions;
f)
• environmental policy,
V
h) recommendations for improvement
• objectives,
• targets and
I
• ther elements of the environmental
management system,
E
consistent with the commitment to
continual improvement.
follow-up actions from previous
management reviews;
g) changing circumstances, including
developments in legal and other
requirements related to its environmental
aspects; and
Any decisions and actions related to
possible changes to
W
WHAT CAN WE DO NEXT TO
IMPROVE THE PRODUCTION
SYSTEM?
Product Carbon Footprint
Carbon footprint: a measure expressed in CO2
equivalent to represent the impacts of a product,
a process on climate change
1) It is not a comprehensive assessment but focused only on climate change
2) Results of an LCA related to climate change category and of a Carbon Footprint
are the same but are reported differently
Environmental Impacts Assessment of Renewable
Energy sources: litterature review
To support the understanding of renewable Energy sources impacts, several scientific papers
have been published in the past years:
•
Over 20 scientifc papers were considered in this study
•
In general they are focused on the assessment of only two Environmental Indicators:
1. Climate Change (IPCC 2007)
1. Energy Use/Energy Pay Back Time (CED)
Impacts on Climate Change of different RES technologies
(Average Values)
Energy payback Time of different RES technologies
(Average Values)
9
25
25
9
8
20
6,5
7
N. of Years
gCO2/kWh
6
15
11
10
4
5
4
3
4
2
5
1
0
Biomass
Wind
Photovoltaic
0
Biomass
Wind
Photovoltaic
1. Are there other relevant impact categories to be considered?
2. Is it enough to look at just one indicator when setting energy intervention plans and
policies?
Single issue assessment versus full life cycle
assessment
•Life Cycle Assessment, thanks to its holistic approach, is the tool to assess
environmental impacts of product, processes and services in several impact
categories
•IPCC 2007 and Cumulative Energy Demand (CED) focus only on one specific
environmental issue
LCA
Carcinogens
X
Respiratory Organics
X
Respiratory Inorganics
X
Climate Change
X
radiation
X
Ozone Layer
X
Ecotoxicity
X
Acidification/Eutrophication
X
Lan Use
X
Minerals/Fossil Fuels
X
IPCC 2007
CUMULATIVE ENERGY DEMAND
X
X
Case Study: Goal and Scope
Goal of the Study: conduct a Life Cycle Assessment study, according to ISO
14040-14044, on 1 kWp Monocrystalline PV panel in order to:
1. verify which impacts are most relevant;
2. identify which processes should be improved in order to reduce
environmental impacts
The product system consists of the processes necessary to produce a solar
panel.
The function is the production of a PV panel.
The functional unit is the kilo Watt peak (kWp)
Data: primary data from a company in the North East of Italy; secondary data from
Ecoinvent data Base; data refers to the production of 2010
LCIA: Three different methods were used:
Eco-indicator 99
IPCC 2007
Cumulative Energy Demand
Case Study: Goal and Scope, characteristics of the
PV Panel
Main carachteristics of the PV module
Unit
Technology
Monocrystalline silicon
N° of Modules
5,56
p
Nominal power
180
W
Module surface
1,292
m2
Module weight
15
kg
N° of cells per module
72
p
Total number of cell
400
p
Cell dimension
0,125 x 0,125
m2
Cell thickness
250
μm
Case Study: Goal and Scope, processes
considered
The following processes were
excluded because of lack of
information:
PMG-Si
Production
EG-Si poly
production
–
Siemens
Process
Silicon Ingot
formation
–
Czochralsky
Process
89%
Other
industries
elettronic
2. Transport to Installation Site
3. Installation processes
4. Maintanance and operations
11%
PV
production
Waste
Washing
Second
Crystallization
–
Czochralsky
process
1. Balance of System
5. End of Life
CRADLE TO GATE APPROACH WAS
ADOPTED
Ingott
Squaring
Assembling
and testing
Ingott
cutting
into wafer
Cell
production
5
Results and interpretation: IPCC 2007
0100
9_Assembling and
Testing
090
8_Cell Production
080
7_Ingott Cutting
%
070
060
6_Ingott Squaring
050
5_Second
Crystallization
040
4_Waste Washing
030
3_Silicon Ingot
Formation
020
2_ EG-Si Poly
Production
010
1_MG-Si Production
0
IPCC GWP 100a
1 kWpk 'Pannello FV'; IPCC 2007 GWP 100a V1.02
Results and interpretation:
Cumulative Energy Demand
100,00
9_Assembling and
Testing
90,00
8_Cell Production
%
80,00
70,00
7_Ingott Cutting
60,00
6_Ingott Squaring
50,00
5_Second
Crystallization
40,00
4_Waste Washing
30,00
20,00
3_Silicon Ingot
Formation
10,00
2_ EG-Si Poly
Production
0,00
1_MG-Si Production
Non renewable, Non-renewable, Non-renewable,
fossil
nuclear
biomass
Renewable,
biomass
Renewable,
wind, solar,
geothe
1 kWpk 'Pannello FV'; Metodo: Cumulative Energy Demand V1.06
Renewable,
water
Results and interpretation: Ecoindicator 99
Characterization
0100
9_Assembling and
Testing
090
8_Cell Production
%
080
070
7_Ingott Cutting
060
6_Ingott Squaring
050
5_Second Crystallization
040
4_Waste Washing
030
3_Silicon Ingot Formation
020
2_ EG-Si Poly Production
010
0
1_MG-Si Production
r
s
s
s
y
n
n
nge
nic
nic
tio
tio
icit
aye
gen
a
l
a
a
a
x
a
i
o
h
g
g
c
o
e
i
r
r
d
c
t
h
o
cin
Ra
ino
zon
op
ate
Eco
.
r
sp.
O
Car
t
p
m
e
i
s
R
Eu
Cl
Re
n/
o
i
t
fica
i
d
Aci
se
du
n
La
1 kWpk 'Pannello FV'; Eco-indicator 99 (I) V2.05 / Europe EI 99 I/A
s
ral
ne
Mi
Results and interpretation: Ecoindicator
99
Weighting
9_Assembling and
Testing
050
8_Cell Production
045
040
7_Ingott Cutting
035
6_Ingott Squaring
Pt
030
025
5_Second
Crystallization
020
4_Waste Washing
015
010
3_Silicon Ingot
Formation
05
2_ EG-Si Poly
Production
0
r
s
s
y
e
n
ye
ion
ng
nic
nic
t
icit
tio
a
a
l
a
a
a
x
a
i
h
g
g
c
o
e
i
r
r
d
c
t
.o
ph
Ra
co
te
ino
zon
p
o
E
a
.
r
s
O
t
p
m
s
u
Re
Cli
Re
/E
n
o
ati
c
i
f
idi
Ac
n
rci
Ca
s
en
g
o
se
du
n
La
1 kWpk 'Pannello FV'; Eco-indicator 99 (I) V2.05 / Europe EI 99 I/A
ra
ne
i
M
ls
1_MG-Si Production
Discussions
Through LCIA using Eco-Indicator emerged that also Respiratory Inorganics is a
significant Impact category
When using IPCC 2007 and CED we can measure environmental impacts in a
specific category, but we miss the relation with other categories
The three methods partially identify the same processes as significant and
suggest to intervene to reduce environmental impacts with a different
priority
IPCC 2007
Cumulative Energy Demand
Eco-Indicator
Second Crystallization
EG-Si Poly Production
Assembling and Testing
Ingott Cutting
Second Crystallization
Ingott Cutting
EG-Si Poly Production
Ingott Cutting
Second Crystallization
Silcion Ingott Formation
Assembling and Testing
EG-Si Poly Production
Conclusions
In order to assess Environmental impacts of RES, CED and IPCC methods are
generally used.
• Are there other relevant impact categories to be considered?
• Is it enough to look at just one indicator when setting energy intervention plans
and policies?
In this Study LCA methodology (Eco-indicator) was used to assess the
different environmental impacts of 1kWp PV panel.
1. There are other significant categories to be considered when studying
RES technologies such as RESPIRATORY INORAGNICS
1. Only using an holistyc approach, like the LCA one, is possible to have a
clear view of environmental impacts and set intervention strategies that
really come to a reduction of environmental impacts
2. Other recently published papers support these results (e.g. Ruben Laleman,
Johan Albrecht, Jo Dewulf. Life Cycle Analysis to estimate the environmental impact of residential
photovoltaic systems in regions with low solar irradiation. Renewable and Sustainable Energy
Reviews; 2010)
Product Water Footprint
Water footprint: Metric(s) that quantify(ies) the
potential environmental impacts related to
water (ISO 14046). Products, Processes,
Organization.
1) It is not a comprehensive assessment but focused only on water
Product Water Footprint
The concept of Virtual Water was firstly introduced by
Allan in the 90’s…
Water needed for the production of a product…global trade of
embedded water into products.
…integrated by Hoekstra in 2002…
Comprehensive indicator of freshwater resources
appropriation. Products, Nation, Population (Hoekstra et al.,
2011)
Evolved with the support of the Life Cycle Assessment
community.
Metric(s) that quantify(ies) the potential environmental
impacts related to water (ISO 14046). Products, Processes,
Organization.
The ISO 14046 model
WATER FOOTPRINT
INVENTORY
WATER FOOTPRINT
What can we measure?
Scarsity – quantity
Availability – quantity and quality
Aquatic ecotoxicity – Emissions of chemicals to
water
Aquatic acidification – emissions of SOx Nox
Aquatic eutrophication – emissions of P/N to
water
WATER FOOTPRINT
Potential indicator profile
Qualificatori del
tipo di
Water Footprint
WATER FOOTPRINT
Weighting
e.g. Ecopoint
54
Goal of the study
GOAL OF THE STUDY.
Compare Water Accounting for organic and non-organic
cultivation in a specific location; (WFN)
Quantification of the Water Footprint for a jar of 330 grams of
Organic strawberry Jam (LCA Approach_WSI)
Manzardo A.*, Mazzi A., Niero M., Toniolo S., Scipioni A. : “Water footprint accounting of organic and non-organic
strawberries including ancillary materials: a case study”. Proceeding LCA FOOD 2012.
1) Boundaries of analysis
WATER ACCOUNTING (organic and non-organic)
Blue, green and grey water of processes
are assessed (Hoekstra et al., 2011)
CROPWAT
model
is
employed Water Accounting
(http://www.fao.org/nr/water/infores_datab
ases_cropwat.html) to determine Blue and
Green Water.
The results are expressed as l/kg of
strawberries
1) Water Inventory
Non Organic
Organic
Yield of cultivation [20 t/ha]
Yield of cultivation [26 t/ha]
Natural fertilizers used and leaching
rate
Chemical fertilizers used and leaching
rate
Climate data (climate station located in the field)
Primary data of irrigation water volume
Micro-irrigation is used on both cases
Data refer to a 15 months period between 2009 and 2010
The two fields are located in the same location and data
collected using the same tools
1) Water Accounting
The organic farming method in this case study resulted to be more
water intensive than the non-organic one. This result strongly depends on
the yield of the two farming methods in the specific production site.
NON ORGANIC
FARMING
ORGANIC
FARMING
Green Water [l/kg]
90.7
117.9
Blue Water [l/kg]
98.1
127.5
Grey Water [l/kg]
40.0
2.5
Total [l/kg]
228.8
247.9
These are site-specific data!! The results can vary
signicantly in other location and using other
cultivation methods. Uncertainty need to be
addressed!
2) Boundaries of the analysis
PRODUCT WATER FOOTPRINT
(organic)
A life cycle approach is adopted
Water Stress Index (WSI) is
employed (Pfister et al., 2009)
•Functional Unit: 330g of organic
strawberry jam sold in Italy
The results are expressed as
l/Functional Unit (FU)
SYSTEM
BOUNDARIES
2) Water Inventory
Yield of cultivation [20 t/ha]
Natural fertilizers used
Transport of material (from suppliers and from Site 1 to Site 2)
Ancillary materials involved in the process
Data refer to a 15 months period between 2009 and 2010
Impacts related to water limited to
stress
Water Stress
Index (WSI)
Metodo: Pfister et al, 2009
2) Inventory assesment
The farming processes resulted to be responsible for
the majority of the product water footprint. Other processes
account for over the 10% of the product overall water footprint
Metodo: Pfister et al, 2009
Accounting: 237,7 l/FU
Footprinting: 88,4 l/FU
2) Impact Assessment: water footprint progile
Identification of
hot-spot
Conclusions
Water Accounting
I.
In the specific case study the Organic strawberry farming resulted in higher
water use than non-organic strawberry farming per kg of strawberry. The
main reason is the different yields of the two farming methods.
Product Water Footprint
I.
The Product Water Footprint of the 330g organic strawberry jam is 88.4 l.
II. Overheads water footprint contribution resulted to be over 10%.
III. Ancillary materials and processes should be considered when looking at
strategies to reduce a product water footprint.
Future challanges
IV.
V.
Other studies in other location will be performed to test the validity of the
results;
Assessemnet methodology need to be improved to be comprehensive