Life cycle assessment interpretation and improvement of the Sicilian artichokes production

This paper presents the results obtained from the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the production of Sicilian artichokes (Cynara scolymus) with the aim of reducing impacts, interpreting the results, suggesting possible improvements and enriching the sustainability knowledge already existing in the agro food field. Artichokes represent one of the excellent Italian agricultural products even if still not well-known and not appreciated despite their nutritional and functional quality. According to FAOSTAT (2013) data, Italy is the world leader in artichokes production, grown mainly in the central and southern regions of Italy, in particular in Sicily, Apulia and Sardinia. In particular, among all the Italian regions, Sicily, which is highly suited for this type of cultivation, is ranked first in terms of quantity produced: the reason for this lies in the excellent combination of climate and geological conformation of the soils. The study was conducted in accordance with the ISO standards 14040 and 14044 (2006), with the functional unit of 1 ha of land and, as the system boundaries being the phases of: pre-implantation preparation of the field; artichoke implantation; and harvesting. The most impacting phases are those related with the consumption of fuel and fertilizers as well as with the use of the PVC pipes for irrigation. Possible improvements could be the use of methanol instead of the naphtha (reduction of the total damage of about 13%) and the possibility of recycling the PVC pipes once the field is dismantled (furthermore reduction of the damage of about 3%)

Environmental assessment of the citrus fruit production in Sicily using LCA

Citrus production is one of the most important sectors of the Sicilian agriculture. In particular, Sicilian orange production is of the best quality producing mainly pigmented or blood oranges (cvv. Tarocco, Moro and Sanguinello). No other region in the Mediterranean area or on the American Continent produces, on a large scale, blood oranges

Environmental impact assessment of the silician artichokes

Abstract: The cultivation of the artichoke (Cynara scolymus) has taken place in Italy for many centuries and it continues to assume a primary role in the Italian national economy. Artichokes are the second most produced, by economic value, horticultural crop cultivated in open fields after tomatoes. In particular, Sicily, a region highly suited for this type of cultivation because of its climate, ranks first in terms of quantity produced. The present work had the objectives of conducting an enviromental impact assessment, using life cycle assessment, of this horticultural crop..

Fly ash utilization for environmental purposes

The peculiar characteristics of fly ash from inicineration plants as adsorbent material are exploited in this work to remove simultaneously COD and suspended solids from wastewater

Product-Oriented Environmental Management System (POEMS) in the agri-food sector: main results of the EMAF Project

In this paper the main results of the Eco-Management for Food Project (co-funded by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research - PRIN No. 2008TXFBYT) are presented. Within the EMAF project, a Product-Oriented Environmental Management System (POEMS) framework that is specifically tailored for the agri-food industry, is being designed and implemented. It has a modular structure as it is made up of a set of complementary tools: an Integrated Quality and Environmental Management System; a simplified Life Cycle Assessment methodology; guidelines for product environmental communication. Finally, this paper describes the main results of the POEMS framework implementation to different pilot food companies, in order to verify the effective functioning and to highlight the strong and weak points of the POEMS model and of its individual fundamental elements

Product-Oriented Environmental Management System (POEMS) in the agri-food sector: main results of the EMAF Project

In this paper the main results of the Eco-Management for Food Project (co-funded by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research - PRIN No. 2008TXFBYT) are presented. Within the EMAF project, a Product-Oriented Environmental Management System (POEMS) framework that is specifically tailored for the agri-food industry, is being designed and implemented. It has a modular structure as it is made up of a set of complementary tools: an Integrated Quality and Environmental Management System; a simplified Life Cycle Assessment methodology; guidelines for product environmental communication. Finally, this paper describes the main results of the POEMS framework implementation to different pilot food companies, in order to verify the effective functioning and to highlight the strong and weak points of the POEMS model and of its individual fundamental elements