Green initiatives related to corks: Assessing the environmental impact of natural cork stoppers through life cycle assessment

• Type: Article in International Conference Proceedings Book
• Date: 2011

Authors

Rui Silva (Author) FEUP; Belmira Neto (Author) FEUP

Conference proceedings International

Title: XXXIV WORLD CONGRESS OF VINE AND WINE

XXXIV WORLD CONGRESS OF VINE AND WINE (OIV 2011)

Porto, Portugal, 20 to 27 June 2011

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Environmental engineering

CORDIS: Natural sciences > Environmental science

Other information

Abstract (EN): Portugal is the largest worldwide producer of cork products such as natural cork stoppers used in bottled still wines. Cork stoppers are the dominant product of the cork industry. The current worldwide production accounts for circa 3,000 million natural corks per year. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology is applied to cork stoppers in order to evaluate the environmental impact resulting from its full life cycle. This LCA study, based on ISO14040 standard, was analysed on Portuguese corkwood production and cork manufacturing from a Portuguese unit, exporting to all world wine markets. The system analysed includes the forest management, cork preparation, manufacturing, packaging, transportation and end-of-life management options. The environmental impact for the following indicators was assessed: global warming, eutrophication, acidification, abiotic depletion, photochemical oxidant formation, the production of solid waste and water use. The scope of this study relates to assessing wine corks’ production system and subsystems in a Portuguese company context and it is an instrument for better understanding the environmental impact of natural cork use.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific