Scenario analysis of life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of Darjeeling tea

The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment

Georg Cichorowski, Bettina Joa, Heidi Hottenroth, Mario Schmidt

Corresponding Author:

Heidi Hottenroth

Institute for Industrial Ecology, Pforzheim University of Applied Sciences, TiefenbronnerStraße 65, DE-75175 Pforzheim

Phone: +49 7231 28 6403

Fax: +49 7231 28 7403

E-mail:

Primary Data andSources

Description / Value / Unit / Source / Note
Raw material acquisition (organic tea)
lengthofnurseryphase / 5 / a / localmanufacturer
lengthofharvestingphase / 95 / a / localmanufacturer
press cake (used as fertilizer) / 1.000 / kg/ha/a / localmanufacturer / by-product
transportdistancefertilizer / 1.900 / km / localmanufacturer / bytrain, averagegood
transportdistancefertilizer / 110 / km / localmanufacturer / by truck, small, average good
nitrogeninput / 40 / kg/ha/a / localmanufacturer
organic plant protectionproducts / 6 / l/ha / localmanufacturer
ratio of self-manufactured and purchased plant protection products / 1:1 / localmanufacturer / variable ratio
transport distance plant protection products / 350 / km / localmanufacturer / by truck, small, average good
power demand for the production of organic plant protection products / 5 / kWh/l / localmanufacturer
press cake (for organic plant protection products) / 10 / kg/ha/a / localmanufacturer / by-product
rice husks (for organic plant protection products) / 10 / kg/ha/a / localmanufacturer / waste
crop yield (fresh tea leaves) / 400 / kg/ha / localmanufacturer
amount of dried tea leaves / 100 / kg/ha / localmanufacturer
Raw material acquisition (conventional tea)
urea / 136 / kg/ha / localmanufacturer
transportdistanceurea / 900 / km / localmanufacturer / by truck, middle, average good
muriateofpotash / 100 / kg/ha / localmanufacturer
transport distance muriate of potash / 7.000 / km / assumption / eastern Turkey, by train, average good
rock phosphate / 100 / kg/ha / localmanufacturer
transportdistance rock phosphate / 625 / km / localmanufacturer / by truck, middle, average good
cypermethrin / 200 / ml/ha / localmanufacturer
deltamethrin / 150 / ml/ha / localmanufacturer
alphamethrin / 100 / ml/ha / localmanufacturer
thiamethoxan / 200 / g/ha / localmanufacturer
lambdacyhalothrin / 150 / g/ha / localmanufacturer
acephate / 5.000 / g/ha / localmanufacturer
quinalphos / 1.000 / ml/ha / localmanufacturer
propargite / 1.000 / ml/ha / localmanufacturer
imidacloprid / 350 / ml/ha / localmanufacturer
transportdistancefurtherpesticides / 2.400 / km / localmanufacturer / by truck, middle, average good
Tea processing
transport distance to tea factory / 2 / km / localmanufacturer / by truck, small, light good
power demand per kg tea / 2 / kWh/kg / localmanufacturer
share of hydroelectric power used in tea garden Chamong / 95 / % / localmanufacturer
paperteasacks
weight (empty) / 730 / g / measurement
size / 17.000 / cm² / measurement
thicknessofaluminiumcoating / 0,002 / cm / assumption
weightpaper / 638 / g / calculation
weightaluminium / 92 / g / calculation
transportdistance / 400 / km / localmanufacturer / by truck, middle, average good
capacity / 38 / kg / localmanufacturer
Distribution andfurtherprocessing
transportdistancetoKolkata / 700 / km / localmanufacturer / by truck, middle, light good
blendingandstorage / 12 / kWh/month / localmanufacturer
averagequantitystored / 200 / t / localmanufacturer
averagedurationofstorage / 1,5 / months / localmanufacturer
transport distance container ship to Rotterdam / 16.000 / km / Google earth / light good
transport distance belly cargo to Rotterdam / 10.000 / km / Google earth / light good
transportdistance in Rotterdam / 10 / km / localmanufacturer / by truck, middle, light good
power demandforsieving / 9,5 / kWh/t / localmanufacturer
sievingloss / 25 / g/kg / localmanufacturer
bigbags (polypropylene)
weight (empty) / 2,37 / kg / measurement
transportdistance / 3.200 / km / Google Earth / by truck, large, average good
capacity / 350 / kg / localmanufacturer
sizeoflabels / 170 / cm²/bag / localmanufacturer
power demand for printing labels / 120 / Wh/bag / localmanufacturer
transportdistanceto Hamburg / 530 / km / localmanufacturer / by truck large, light good
power demand for filling (1 kg-bag) / 35 / Wh/kg / localmanufacturer
teabags (1 kg)
weight (empty) / 34 / g / measurement
size / 1.800 / cm² / measurement
thicknessofaluminiumcoating / 0,001 / cm / assumption
weightpaper / 25 / g / calculation
weightaluminium / 4,9 / g / calculation
weightpaint / 2,5 / g / assumption
weightsize / 2,5 / g / assumption
transportdistance / 1.500 / km / assumption / by truck, large, average good
capacity / 1 / kg / localmanufacturer
shippingpackage
total weight / 6,8 / kg / measurement / tea: 6 kg; cardboard box: 560 g; bill and advertising: 240 g
weightofcardboard box / 560 / g / measurement
transportdistancetocostumer / 550 / km / assumption / 500 km by truck, large, 50 km by truck, small, light good
Useanddisposal
amount of tea leaves for 1 l tea / 8 / g/l / teadealer / recommendation
organicwaste / 3 / kg/kg tea / measurement

Secondary Data andSources

Material / Value / Unit / Name / Source / Note
Raw material acquisition (organic tea)
Palm oilcake / 0,2 / kg CO2e/kg / “palm kernel meal, at oil mill [MY]” / (ecoinvent Centre 2010) / Substitute forneemcake
Electricity (China) / 1,51 / kg CO2e/kWh / “electricity, low voltage, at grid [CN]” / (ecoinvent Centre 2010) / Substitute for Indian electricity mix
Transport electrictrain / 0,032 / kWh/tkm / „Zug mit Elektrotraktion“ / (Schmied and Knörr 2011) / Average good
Transport truck (small) / 229 / g CO2e/tkm / „Lkw < 7,5 t“ / (Schmied and Knörr 2011) / Average good
Raw material acquisition (conventional tea)
Urea / 5,84 / kg CO2e/kg / „urea ammonium nitrate, as N, at regional storehouse [RER]” / (ecoinvent Centre 2010)
Muriateofpotash / 0,5 / kg CO2e/kg / “potassium chloride, as K2O, at regional storehouse [RER]” / (ecoinvent Centre 2010)
Rock phosphate / 0,23 / kg CO2e/kg / “phosphate rock, as P2O5, beneficiated, dry, at plant [MA]” / (ecoinvent Centre 2010)
Pyretroidcompounds / 17,56 / kg CO2e/kg / “pyretroid-compounds, at regional storehouse [RER]” / (ecoinvent Centre 2010)
Pesticide / 10,11 / kg CO2e/kg / „pesticide unspecified, at regional storehouse [RER]“ / (ecoinvent Centre 2010)
Transport electrictrain / 0,032 / kWh/tkm / „Zug mit Elektrotraktion“ / (Schmied and Knörr 2011) / Average good
Transport truck (middle) / 179 / g CO2e/tkm / „Lkw 7,5-12 t“ / (Schmied and Knörr 2011) / Average good
Tea processing
Transport truck (small) / 412 / g CO2e/tkm / „Lkw < 7,5 t“ / (Schmied and Knörr 2011) / Light good
Electricity (China) / 1,51 / kg CO2e/kWh / “electricity, low voltage, at grid [CN]” / (ecoinvent Centre 2010) / Substitute for Indian electricity mix
Aluminium / 12,39 / kg CO2e/kg / „aluminium, primary, at plant [RER]“ / (ecoinvent Centre 2010) / Without scrapUsed for paper tea sacks
Kraft paper / 0,85 / kg CO2e/kg / “kraft paper, unbleached, at plant [RER]” / (ecoinvent Centre 2010) / Used for paper tea sacks
Transport truck (middle) / 179 / g CO2e/tkm / „Lkw 7,5-12 t“ / (Schmied and Knörr 2011) / Average good
Distribution andfurtherprocessing
Transport truck (middle) / 318 / g CO2e/tkm / „Lkw 7,5-12 t“ / (Schmied and Knörr 2011) / Light good
Aluminium / 12,39 / kg CO2e/kg / „aluminium, primary, at plant [RER]“ / (ecoinvent Centre 2010) / Without scrap
used for paper tea sacks
Kraft paper / 0,85 / kg CO2e/kg / “kraft paper, unbleached, at plant [RER]” / (ecoinvent Centre 2010) / Used for paper tea sacks
Transport truck (middle) / 179 / g CO2e/tkm / „Lkw 7,5-12 t“ / (Schmied and Knörr 2011) / Average good
Transport containership / 30 / g CO2e/tkm / „Containerschiff“ / (Schmied and Knörr 2011) / Light good
Transport bellycargo / 926 / g CO2e/tkm / „Belly-Fracht“ / (Schmied and Knörr 2011) / Light good
Electricity (Netherlands) / 0,68 / kg CO2e/kWh / „electricity mix [NL]“ / (ecoinvent Centre 2010)
Polypropylene / 1,98 / kg CO2e/kg / „polypropylene, granulate, at plant [RER]“ / (ecoinvent Centre 2010) / Usedforbigbags
Disposalpolypropylene / 2,52 / kg CO2e/kg / “disposal, polypropylene, 15.9% water, to municipal incineration [CH]” / (ecoinvent Centre 2010) / Combustion
used for big bags
Transport truck (large) / 106 / g CO2e/tkm / „Lkw 12-24 t“ / (Schmied and Knörr 2011) / Average good
bigbags
Transport truck (large) / 185 / g CO2e/tkm / „Lkw 12-24 t“ / (Schmied and Knörr 2011) / Light good
Electricity (Germany) / 0,65 / kg CO2e/kWh / „electricity mix [DE]“ / (ecoinvent Centre 2010)
Aluminium / 12,39 / kg CO2e/kg / „aluminium, primary, at plant [RER]“ / (ecoinvent Centre 2010) / Without scrap
used for tea bags
Kraft paper / 0,85 / kg CO2e/kg / “kraft paper, unbleached, at plant [RER]” / (ecoinvent Centre 2010) / Usedfor Tea bags
Size / 1,56 / kg CO2e/kg / “resin size, at plant [RER]” / (ecoinvent Centre 2010) / Usedforteabags
Paint / 2,87 / kg CO2e/kg / “alkyd paint, white, 60% in solvent, at plant [RER]” / (ecoinvent Centre 2010) / Usedforteabags
Transport truck (large) / 106 / g CO2e/tkm / „Lkw 12-24 t“ / (Schmied and Knörr 2011) / Average good
tea bags
big bags
Board / 0,99 / kg CO2e/kg / “corrugated board, recycling fibre, single wall, at plant [RER]” / (ecoinvent Centre 2010) / Usedforshippingpackage
Transport truck (large) / 185 / g CO2e/tkm / „Lkw 12-24 t“ / (Schmied and Knörr 2011) / Light good
Transport truck (small) / 412 / g CO2e/tkm / „Lkw < 7,5 t“ / (Schmied and Knörr 2011) / Light good
Useanddisposal
Electricity (Germany) / 0,65 / kg CO2e/kWh / „electricity mix [DE]“ / (ecoinvent Centre 2010)
Tapwater / 0,319 / g CO2e/kg / „tap water, at user [RER]“ / (ecoinvent Centre 2010)
Filteredwater / 7 / g CO2e/l / (Brita Gruppe 2012)
Bottledwater / 178 / g CO2e/l / „Mineralwasser, Produktion CH, still, ungekühlt, PET-EW, im Haushalt“ / (Jungbluth 2006)
Electric kettle / 0,118 / kWh/l / electricityuse / (Stiftung Warentest 2006)
Electric stove / 0,155 / kWh/l / electricity use (ceramic glass cooktop) / (Stiftung Warentest 2006)
Disposaloftea / 0,03 / kg CO2e/Kg / “disposal, biowaste, 60% H2O, to municipal incineration, allocation price [CH]” / (ecoinvent Centre 2010) / Organicwaste
Materials disregarded due to cut-off criterion
Disposalaluminium / 0,03 / kg CO2e/kg / “disposal, aluminium, 0% water, to municipal incineration [CH]” / (ecoinvent Centre 2010) / Combustion
Disposalpaper / 0,02 / kg CO2e/kg / “disposal, packaging paper, 13.7% water, to municipal incineration [CH]” / (ecoinvent Centre 2010) / Combustion
Disposalboard / 0,03 / kg CO2e/kg / “disposal, packaging cardboard, 19.6% water, to municipal incineration [CH]” / (ecoinvent Centre 2010) / Combustion