Manufacturing, use phase or final disposal: where to focus the efforts to reduce the environmental impact of a food machine?

Figures & data

Figure 1. System boundaries of the LCA study.

Figure 2. The aseptic blowing filling system taken as a case study.

Table 1. End of life of the materials in the building and construction sector.

Material	Recycle %	Incineration %	Landfill %	Sources
Plastics	26%	47.5%	26.5%	(Plastic Europe, 2018; Eionet Portal, 2019)
Rubbers
Steel	90%	0%	10%	(Schindler, 2019; BCSA Group of Companies, 2022)
Copper
Aluminium
Glass	0%	0%	100%	(Schindler, 2019)
Others(Pb batteries)	100%	0%	0%	(European Commission, 2018; Eionet Portal, 2019; EUR-Lex, 2020; Gestione-Rifiuti & Sicurezza Operativa Ambientale, 2022)

Table 2. Elaboration of SimaPro software of the equipment materials.

Material	Simapro	Composition [%]
Steel	Steel, chromium steel 18/8 {GLO}| market for	100%
Rubber	Synthetic rubber {GLO}| market for	100%
Aluminium	Aluminium, cast alloy {GLO}| market for	100%
Glass	Flat glass, uncoated {RER}| market for flat glass, uncoated	100%
Copper	Copper {GLO}| market for	100%
Plastics	Nylon 6 {RER}| market for nylon 6	25%
	Polyurethane, flexible foam {RER}| market for polyurethane, flexible foam	25%
	Polyethylene, high density, granulate {GLO}| market for	25%
	Polyvinylidenchloride, granulate {RER}| market for polyvinylidenchloride, granulate	25%
Others (Pb batteries)	Lead concentrate {GLO}| market for	64%
	Sulfuric acid {GLO}| primary lead production from concentrate	29%
	Polypropylene, granulate {GLO}| market for	7%

Table 3. Environmental impacts of the machine’s constituent materials.

Impact category	Total	Steel	Plastics	Copper	Rubbers	Glass	Aluminium	Others (Lead battery)
Acidification [kg SO2 eq]	1,34E-03	9,89E-04	2,97E-05	2,44E-04	3,82E-06	1,49E-06	5,88E-05	8,94E-06
Eutrophication [kg PO4 – eq]	4,52E-04	3,16E-04	6,19E-06	1,10E-04	1,10E-06	1,89E-07	1,56E-05	2,80E-06
Global warming [kg CO2 eq]	1,96E-01	1,75E-01	7,31E-03	2,42E-03	7,59E-04	1,68E-04	1,00E-02	4,13E-04
Photochemical oxidation [kg NMVOC]	8,25E-04	7,07E-04	2,35E-05	5,37E-05	3,57E-06	8,38E-07	3,39E-05	2,26E-06
Abiotic depletion, elements [kg Sb eq]	3,43E-05	6,62E-06	4,08E-08	1,64E-06	2,94E-07	4,83E-09	5,71E-06	2,00E-05
Abiotic depletion, fossil fuels [MJ]	2,04E+00	1,79E+00	1,05E-01	2,41E-02	2,06E-02	1,78E-03	9,58E-02	7,31E-03
Water scarcity [m3 eq]	3,31E-02	2,41E-02	3,61E-03	2,04E-03	4,70E-04	3,54E-05	2,55E-03	2,64E-04
Ozone layer depletion [kg CFC-11 eq]	9,22E-09	8,41E-09	6,69E-11	1,31E-10	1,51E-10	1,65E-11	4,10E-10	3,44E-11

Table 4. Environmental impact of the materials disposal.

Impact category	Total	Steel & copper	Plastic & rubber	Aluminium	Glass
Acidification [kg SO2 eq]	7,23E-07	1,80E-07	5,07E-07	2,99E-08	6,52E-09
Eutrophication [kg PO4 – eq]	2,33E-06	3,24E-08	2,29E-06	3,96E-09	1,16E-09
Global warming [kg CO2 eq]	1,75E-03	2,08E-05	1,73E-03	2,45E-06	7,19E-07
Photochemical oxidation [kg NMVOC]	8,07E-07	2,23E-07	5,52E-07	2,42E-08	8,56E-09
Abiotic depletion, elements [kg Sb eq]	7,27E-10	1,00E-10	5,96E-10	2,76E-11	2,95E-12
Abiotic depletion, fossil fuels [MJ]	1,05E-03	5,89E-04	3,87E-04	5,07E-05	2,34E-05
Water scarcity [m3 eq]	5,19E-05	2,71E-05	2,44E-05	2,96E-07	6,75E-08
Ozone layer depletion [kg CFC-11 eq]	2,05E-11	7,03E-12	1,26E-11	5,81E-13	2,95E-13

Figure 3. Environmental impacts [%] of the machine’s consumption during production.

Table 5. Numerical impacts of the consumption during the equipment use phase.

Impact category	Total	City water	Filtered culinary steam	Process steam (recovery)	Gas nitrogen	H2O2 35%	Treated water	PAA 15%	Electrical power (Bloc + blower + compressor)	Compressed Air	Chilled water	Pump energy for steam recovery
Acidification [kg SO2 eq]	4.11E-02	2.19E-05	1.80E-04	7.18E-03	9.62E-04	1.85E-03	5.96E-05	1.63E-04	2.41E-02	5.70E-03	9.05E-04	2.64E-05
Eutrophication [kg PO4 – eq]	2.52E-02	1.24E-05	3.19E-05	1.27E-03	7.02E-04	8.81E-04	3.37E-05	5.74E-05	1.76E-02	3.98E-03	6.61E-04	1.92E-05
Global warming [kg CO2 eq]	9.92E+00	4.01E-03	6.45E-02	2.58E+00	2.06E-01	5.34E-01	1.09E-02	3.63E-02	5.15E+00	1.13E+00	1.94E-01	5.64E-03
Photochemical oxidation [kg NMVOC]	2.12E-02	1.08E-05	1.06E-04	4.26E-03	4.67E-04	1.38E-03	2.92E-05	1.40E-04	1.17E-02	2.71E-03	4.39E-04	1.28E-05
Abiotic depletion, elements [kg Sb eq]	3.95E-05	4.25E-08	3.25E-08	1.30E-06	7.32E-07	1.01E-05	1.15E-07	6.74E-07	1.61E-05	9.80E-06	6.04E-07	1.76E-08
Abiotic depletion, fossil fuels [MJ]	1.21E+02	4.55E-02	9.16E-01	3.66E+01	2.30E+00	8.05E+00	1.24E-01	8.39E-01	5.77E+01	1.26E+01	2.17E+00	6.31E-02
Water scarcity [m3 eq]	4.29E+00	3.08E-01	5.31E-04	2.12E-02	3.14E-01	1.27E+00	8.36E-01	5.44E-02	1.17E+00	2.68E-01	4.38E-02	1.28E-03
Ozone layer depletion [kg CFC-11 eq]	1.15E-06	4.60E-10	7.88E-09	3.15E-07	2.32E-08	6.36E-08	1.25E-09	6.94E-09	5.81E-07	1.27E-07	2.18E-08	6.36E-10

Figure 4. Environmental impacts [%] of the machine’s cleaning and sterilization cycles (CIP SIP COP SOP).

Table 6. Overall impact of the machine divided in the four phases.

Impact category	Unit	Total impact	Raw materials extraction and production	Production consumption	CIP SIP COP SOP	Materials end of life
Acidification	kg SO2 eq	4.32E-02	1,34E-03	4.11E-02	7,55E-04	7,23E-07
Eutrophication	kg PO4 – eq	2.60E-02	4,52E-04	2.52E-02	3,25E-04	2,33E-06
Global warming	kg CO2 eq	1.03E+01	1,96E-01	9.92E+00	2,15E-01	1,75E-03
Photochemical oxidation	kg NMVOC	2.24E-02	8,25E-04	2.12E-02	4,15E-04	8,07E-07
Abiotic depletion, elements	kg Sb eq	7.45E-05	3,43E-05	3.95E-05	7,13E-07	7,27E-10
Abiotic depletion, fossil fuels	MJ	1.26E+02	2,04E+00	1.21E+02	2,85E+00	1,05E-03
Water scarcity	m^3 eq	4.45E+00	3,31E-02	4.29E+00	1,25E-01	5,19E-05
Ozone layer depletion	kg CFC-11 eq	1.19E-06	9,22E-09	1.15E-06	3,38E-08	2,05E-11

Figure 5. Environmental impact [%] of the machine during the life cycle.

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