Environmental assessment of the entire pork value chain in Catalonia – A strategy to work towards Circular Economy

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2017-07, Vol.589, p.122-129
• Main Authors: Noya, Isabel, Aldea, Xavier, González-García, Sara, M. Gasol, Carles, Moreira, María Teresa, Amores, Maria José, Marín, Desirée, Boschmonart-Rives, Jesús
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal Feed; Animal Husbandry - economics; Animals; Conservation of Natural Resources; Food Industry - economics; Life Cycle Assessment (LCA); Pork sector; Red Meat; Resources efficiency; Spain; Supply chain; Sustainability; Swine
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.02.186

Pork industry in Catalonia plays a foremost and representative role in the Spanish pork sector. Beyond the economic benefits, conventional practices in the pork industry also imply a number of environmental impacts that need to be dealt with. In this context, the environmental performance of traditional linear pork chain in Catalonia was evaluated through a LCA approach. The outcomes of the analysis showed that both fodder production and transport activities were identified as the critical stages of the system. Accordingly, alternative schemes based on circular economy principles were proposed and potential environmental credits were estimated. Within this framework, comparative results highlighted the advantages of moving towards a closing loop production system, where resource efficiency and waste valorisation were prioritised over final disposal options. [Display omitted] •Representative primary data from the Catalan pork sector was provided by collaborating stakeholders.•Environmental impacts of traditional linear pork chain in Catalonia were evaluated through a LCA approach.•Alternative schemes based on the Circular Economy philosophy were defined according to environmental hotspots.•Potential environmental benefits were evidenced with the implementation of the Circular Economy perspective.