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LCA Food 2012 in Saint Malo, France! - Manifestations et colloques ...

LCA Food 2012 in Saint Malo, France! - Manifestations et colloques ...

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GROUP 5, SESSION B: FOOD PRODUCTS 8 th Int. Conference on <strong>LCA</strong> <strong>in</strong> the<br />

Agri-<strong>Food</strong> Sector, 1-4 Oct <strong>2012</strong><br />

858<br />

134. Value of a life cycle approach <strong>in</strong> evaluat<strong>in</strong>g the environmental<br />

impacts of packag<strong>in</strong>g for food and beverage applications<br />

Sonia Valdivia 1 , Bruce Vigon 2 , Jim Fava 3 , Laura Flanigan 3,*<br />

1 UN Environment Program, 2 Soci<strong>et</strong>y of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 3 PE INTERNA-<br />

TIONAL, Inc., Correspond<strong>in</strong>g author. E-mail: l.flanigan@fivew<strong>in</strong>ds.com<br />

The nexus b<strong>et</strong>ween security and saf<strong>et</strong>y and environmental performance of packag<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> food and beverages<br />

is a key question driv<strong>in</strong>g the mark<strong>et</strong> for susta<strong>in</strong>able packag<strong>in</strong>g today. Therefore, an articulation of the benefits<br />

of the life cycle approach to design, manufactur<strong>in</strong>g, use and end of life management of packag<strong>in</strong>g for<br />

food applications is important to further exam<strong>in</strong>ation of the role of packag<strong>in</strong>g.<br />

Key items of focus for this research and analysis <strong>in</strong>cluded:<br />

What is the value of a life cycle approach for beverage and food products and packag<strong>in</strong>g?<br />

What is the value of <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g all life cycle stages <strong>in</strong> evaluat<strong>in</strong>g the packag<strong>in</strong>g/food systems to reduce<br />

overall life cycle impacts?<br />

What is the value of <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g multiple impacts <strong>in</strong> evaluat<strong>in</strong>g the packag<strong>in</strong>g/food systems to reduce<br />

overall life cycle impacts?<br />

What is the value of <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the food and/or beverage <strong>in</strong>to an evaluation of the packag<strong>in</strong>g life cycle<br />

impacts?<br />

What characteristics of future <strong>LCA</strong> studies should be considered when evaluat<strong>in</strong>g the food/packag<strong>in</strong>g<br />

life cycle?<br />

Examples of how the waste management hierarchy and <strong>LCA</strong> results <strong>in</strong>terface/connect<br />

This presentation will present the results of study to exam<strong>in</strong>e the value of a life cycle approach <strong>in</strong> evaluat<strong>in</strong>g<br />

the environmental impacts of packag<strong>in</strong>g for food and beverage applications. The UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle<br />

Initiative brought to the project a unique comb<strong>in</strong>ation of benefits that cannot be obta<strong>in</strong>ed from other sources.<br />

These benefits <strong>in</strong>clude:<br />

Neutral, objective, authoritative, and recognised forum for advanc<strong>in</strong>g understand<strong>in</strong>g of packag<strong>in</strong>g life<br />

cycle for food applications<br />

Global dissem<strong>in</strong>ation of the report<br />

Proven 10-year history of solid project deliverables<br />

Acknowledgement: The authors thank the sponsor<strong>in</strong>g organisations for their support.<br />

References<br />

Valdivia, S., Vigon, B., Fava, J., Flanigan, L. Value of a Life Cycle Approach <strong>in</strong> Evaluat<strong>in</strong>g the Environmental<br />

Impacts of Packag<strong>in</strong>g for <strong>Food</strong> and Beverage Applications. UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative.<br />

Expected publication June <strong>2012</strong>.

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