ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF MULTILAYER MILK PACKAGING THROUGH CRADLE-TO-GRAVE LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT

Abstract

Rapidly evolving lifestyles in developing countries have driven an increased demand for multilayer packaging used for packaged milk and beverages. This growth in consumption is driven by multiple factors. For example, demand often spikes to three to five times normal levels during festive seasons, surpassing local limited production. The need to transport surplus milk from high-production regions to other areas is supported by the packaging's superior barrier properties, which provide an extended shelf life. The manufacturing of multilayer packaging has created many environmental concerns due to its multiple layering manufacturing composition of LDPE, paperboard, and aluminum; due to its difficult recycling and disposal. This thesis utilizes material composition analysis and life cycle assessment (LCA) to assess environmental impact of manufacturing 10,000 units of 1-litre multilayer milk packs. The assessment follows a cradle-to-grave approach in line with the ISO standards, and it covers many impact categories including global warming potential, energy demand, total water consumption, and local/global resource depletion. The assessment was undertaken in the OpenLCA environment using impact assessment methods by ReCiPe 2016 v1.03, midpoint (H) sourced from the EcoInvent v3.12 database. To analyze the composition of materials used in Multi-Layer Packaging (MLP), experimental characterization was conducted on standard 1-litre capacity, brick-shaped cartons. Parameters such as moisture content, total surface area and precise material composition ratio were determined through empirical laboratory testing to establish the physical baseline for the LCA study. These physical properties are critical for defining the system boundaries of data collection and calculating the exact quantity of raw materials required. Which are paperboard, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and aluminum foil required for the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The quantification of these specific inputs and outputs of resources, helps the study to provide a precise model of the environmental burdens associated with the production of 10,000 units of packaged milk. This broad analysis encircles the entire product lifecycle, extending from the initial extraction of raw materials to final waste disposal.