ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF FOOD WASTE: A CASE STUDY APPLE FRUITS

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the environmental impacts (EI) of the apple supply chain from the NE region, Romania and to calculate the EI from apple waste landfilling. The evaluation was performed by applying Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. In the first phase the apple supply chain was investigated and the environmental impacts were calculated and interpreted, while in the second phase the evaluation of apple waste landfilling was performed. The results showed that the apple production phase has the highest contribution to all the impact categories studied (acidification potential (AP), eutrophication potential (EP), global warming potential (GWP), human toxicity potential (HTP) and photochemical ozone creation potential (POCP) etc.). Transportation and storage stages contribute mainly to POCP and GWP, while landfilling contributes especially to AP, GWP and POCP.