Abstract -> Italian Site
The study, in collaboration between the team SPINNER “LCA-studies”
and ENEA of Bologna, concerns the valuation of environmental impact of the
production of 1l of milk UHT, and the comparison between two types of packaging:
HDPE bottle and tetraprism aseptic. The HDPE bottle is composed by a particular
triplestratum:
1. external stratum of virgin HDPE (40%);
2. middle stratum of
carbon black and ground (45%);
3. internal stratum of virgin HDPE (15%).
Some data are offered by Granarolo s.p.a. of Bologna (Italy) The study followes the metodology of Life Cycle Assessment and uses the software SimaPro 5.0; in the study the analysis refers to three methods: Eco-Indicator 99, EPS 2000 and EDIP 96 to demostrate the analogies in the results. As functional unit has been chose 1l of UHT milk, and the analysis bounderies consider the breeding of cows, the thermic treatments of milk (homogenizing, centrifugation, pasteurizing and sterilization), and its packaging until the final disposal of the pack.
The greatest environmental impact is taken by the breeding of cows, in particular for the fertilizing used in the cultivation of lucern and corn for the fodder. In the phase of packaging the analysis follows a comparison, in fact there are differences in the environmental and energetic burdens.