Life Cycle Assessment Of Packaging Materials For Milk And Dairy Products

This paper introduces the methods and tools that will guide in the design analysis of the role of materials and processes selection in terms of embodied energy, carbon foot print, recycle fraction, and sustainability criteria. The goal of this study is to evaluate the environmental impacts of packaging systems for milk and dairy products through their entire life cycle. The energy consumption and emissions produced during the material primary production, manufacturing, transportation, and the use of the milk and dairy packaging are determined. The analysis was performed on one liter glass, plastic, and carton milk bottles and fifty liters aluminum can. The results show the phase of the life cycle of the milk packaging that makes the largest impact on the environment and the material selection strategies to minimize eco-impact. This paper can be downloaded free of charge from the link above.