The planetary boundaries (PBs) represent a well-known concept, which helps identify whether production and consumption systems are environmentally sustainable in absolute terms, namely compared to the Earth's ecological limits carrying capacity. In this study, impacts of European Union 2010 were assessed by means life cycle assessment (LCA)-based indicators with PBs. Five different perspectives adopted for assessing impacts: perspective (EU Domestic Footprint) four distinct perspectives,...

Food security and biodiversity conservation are closely interconnected challenges to be addressed achieve a sustainable food system on global scale. Due the complex nature of production consumption system, quantifying impacts supply chains is challenging. Life cycle assessment (LCA) allows for systematically addressing environmental along chains, representing reference methodology that can applied assessing systems. In present study, 32 representative products in European Union (EU) were...

Characterizing environmental impacts at the global scale is crucial to define references against which compare profile of products and systems. Within this study, emissions resource uses have been collected characterized for following impact categories: climate change, ozone depletion, human toxicity (cancer non-cancer), ecotoxicity, particulate matter, ionizing radiation, photochemical formation, acidification, eutrophication (terrestrial, marine, freshwater), land use, water use. The...

Electric vehicles are gaining increasing room in the global market, since they seen amongst most promising solutions to cope with growing concerns related climate change and environmental pollution. The successful evolution of transportation sector towards electro-mobility depends on battery chemistry technology, its impacts. However, poor availability data at commercial production scale diversity modelling choices make evaluating impacts Lithium-ion batteries (LIB) difficult uncertain. We...

Agricultural pesticides are key contributors to pollinator decline worldwide. However, methods for quantifying impacts associated with exposure currently missing in comparative risk screening, chemical substitution and prioritization, life cycle impact assessment methods. To address this gap, we developed a method pesticide field ecotoxicity effects of honey bees as most economically important species We defined bee intake dermal contact fractions representing respectively oral per unit mass...

Life cycle inventory (LCI) data gathering is one of the most time-consuming and data-intensive tasks in life assessment (LCA) studies. Until now, it has mainly been described at a theoretical level associated with non-specific guidelines LCA reference documents, thus leaving practitioners limited guidance prone to inefficient, not transparent, sometimes inconsistent steps taken LCI phase. To tackle this problem, stepwise collection developed based on critical review existing case studies...

Evaporative cooling is a technology that has potential to help preserve fresh produce after harvest. This passive solution particularly interesting for marginal and smallholder farmers in remote, off-grid areas. coolers are rarely deployed these scenarios because there lack of simple, affordable, small-scale systems. A charcoal blanket been designed tested as an alternative evaporative cooler. The can be made any size from locally-sourced materials such hessian, or other biodegradable...

Human activities are threatening biodiversity at an unprecedented scale and pace, thus potentially affecting also the provision of critical ecosystem services, including insect pollination. Insect pollinators play essential functional role in terrestrial ecosystems, supporting ecological stability food security worldwide. Therefore, assessing impact on is fundamental any effort aiming enhancing environmental sustainability human production consumption, especially agri-food supply chains....

Natural resources, biotic and abiotic, are fundamental from both the ecological socio-economic point of view, being at basis life-support. However, since demand for finite resources continues to increase, sustainability current production consumption patterns is questioned in developed developing countries. A transition towards an economy based on renewable (bio-economy) considered necessary order support a steady provision representing alternative fossil abiotic resources. ensure...

Currently, there are differences in the quality loss between individual fruit upon arrival at retail. These stem from pre-harvest biological variability harvest and postharvest variations hygrothermal conditions refrigerated shipments. The impact of these on final each that reaches consumers remains largely uncharted. In this study, we addressed knowledge gap by developing physics-based digital twins orange to unveil how affect Markov chain Monte Carlo method was used generate a realistic...

Worldwide, concrete is used as the material of choice in construction sector. In Latin American countries, primarily structural elements because it a low-maintenance, versatile, and economical material. With its characteristics, made possible to cover Ecuador´shousing deficit some extent. However, this does not entirely respond needs local communities, who are especially concerned about displacement traditional techniques loss cultural heritage. Ecuador, different fiber earth-based materials...

Worldwide, concrete is used as the material of choice in construction sector. In Latin American countries, primarily structural elements, because it a low-maintenance, versatile, and economical material. With its characteristics, has made possible to cover Ecuador’ housing deficit some extent. However, this does not entirely respond needs local communities, who are especially concerned about displacement traditional techniques loss cultural heritage. Ecuador, different fiber- earth-based...

This paper aims to address research gaps surrounding the environmental impact of Hard Carbon (HC) production by conducting a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) based on data from two laboratories with differing backgrounds and scenarios. HC is commonly used as anode material for sodium-ion batteries, potentially sustainable cost-efficient alternative lithium-ion batteries. The study identifies environmentally routes synthesis comparing various biomass pathways. reveals that energy consumption...

This paper aims to address research gaps surrounding the environmental impact of Hard Carbon (HC) production by conducting a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) based on data from two laboratories with differing backgrounds and scenarios. HC is commonly used as anode material for sodium-ion batteries, potentially sustainable cost-efficient alternative lithium-ion batteries. The study identifies environmentally routes synthesis comparing various biomass pathways. reveals that energy consumption...

The last decade witnessed an increasing global adoption of electric vehicles. Moreover, the nickel-cobalt-manganese battery chemistry has gained wide acceptance among manufacturers vehicles in Europe. Nevertheless, environmental impacts associated with recycling this technology have not been fully investigated. Therefore, a comparative life cycle assessment is presented for two hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical routes highlighted technology. Both processes show positive net impact...

In light of increasing public pressure, retailers strive to remove plastic packaging as much possible from fresh fruits and vegetables reduce the environmental impacts along their supply chains. Plastic packaging, however, also has an important protective function, similar fruit's peel. For cucumbers transported Spain sold in Switzerland, our investigations form a life cycle assessment study showed that wrapping rather low impact (only about 1%) comparison total fruit grower grocer. Hence,...

Currently, there are differences in the quality loss between individual fruit upon arrival at retail. These stem from pre-harvest biological variability harvest and postharvest variations hygrothermal conditions refrigerated shipments. The impact of these on final each that reaches consumers remains largely uncharted. Here, we address this gap by developing physics-based digital twins orange to unveil how affect We use Markov chain Monte Carlo method generate a realistic 'virtual' population...

The global increase in production and consumption of food, particularly fruits vegetables, poses significant threats to the environment food security. increased has led an use resources such as land, water, fossil fuel for cultivation. Furthermore, yearly 30% post-harvest losses waste vegetables represent a water energy loss, thereby contributing greenhouse gas emissions. Amidst these concerns, environmental impact fruit value chain, transcontinental cold is gaining attention but remains...

In light of increasing public pressure, retailers strive to remove plastic packaging as much possible from fresh fruits and vegetables reduce the environmental impacts along their supply chains. Plastic packaging, however, also has an important protective function, similar fruit's peel. For cucumbers transported Spain sold in Switzerland, our investigations form a life cycle assessment study showed that wrapping rather low impact (only about 1%) comparison total fruit grower grocer. Hence,...