ABSTRACT                                               -> Italian Site
 

LCA analysis of 1 liter of water: comparison between aqueduct water and natural mineral water
 

This report provides a Life Cycle Assessment-based method for studying and quantifying environmental impacts due to the production and the distribution of 1 liter of water. A comparison is made between the production of aqueduct water in Reggio Emilia (Italy) and the production of natural mineral water (Acqua Verdiana) packed in 1,5 liters bottles of PET. The calculation of environmental damage is made using a Dutch software named SimaPro 5.0 based on Eco-indicator 99-method.

The study allows to individuate the main environmental problems related to the consumption of water.

This study also includes a sensitivity analysis, consisting in estimating the proceeding of the environmental damage due to mineral water bottled with glass or polycarbonate instead of PET.

The study is made by the collaboration among ENEA, University of Bologna, AGAC and Fonti di Ramiola.