Global warming potential associated with Irish milk powder production

Abstract

Global warming potential of milk powder production in Ireland is assessed.

The GWP of 1 kg milk powder is 9.731 kg CO₂eq.

The standard deviation for the GWP of 1 kg milk powder is 2.26 kg CO₂eq.

The most significant contributor to GWP is raw milk production at 84%.

Processing of raw milk into milk powder accounts for 14% of the total GWP.

Climate change is an ever growing issue and a major concern worldwide. Both producers and processors need to address the issue now by reducing their carbon footprint. Additionally, if Ireland is to meet their climate and energy targets, as outlined in Food Harvest 2020, which outlines a range of objectives for the Irish agricultural sector, the efficient use of resources and fuels within the industry will need to be increased. In Ireland, agriculture accounts for 29.2% of the total greenhouse gas emissions (58.5 million tonnes CO₂eq). Therefore, in this paper, a single agri-food product, milk powder, is examined in order to estimate the global warming potential (GWP) associated with its manufacture using life cycle assessment. A cradle-to-processing factory gate analysis, which includes raw milk production, raw milk transportation to the processing factory, its processing into each product and product packaging, is assessed in this study using data collected circa 2013. The factories surveyed processed approximately 24% of the total raw milk processed in the Republic of Ireland in 2013, which was 5.83 billion liters. The average total GWP associated with the manufacture of milk powder is 9.731 kg CO₂eq·kg⁻¹ milk powder, which has a standard deviation of 2.26 kg CO₂eq·kg⁻¹ milk powder, for the life cycle stages analyzed in this study. The most significant contributor to GWP is raw milk production (84%), followed by dairy processing (14%), with the remainder of the life cycle stages contributing approximately 2%.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Dairy / Global warming potential / Ireland / Life cycle assessment / Milk powder / Milk production

References

[1] O’SheaR, BougardM, BreenJ, O’DonoghueC, RyanM. Greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation and technology adoption theory: extended grazing as a case study. In: 89th Annual Conference of Agricultural Economics Society, April 13–15, 2015. Warwick University, Coventry, UK: Agricultural Economics Society, 2015

[2] CSO. Statistical Product- Milk Production. 2016. Available online at accessed February 11, 2016)

[3] CaseyJ W, HoldenN M. Analysis of greenhouse gas emissions from the average Irish milk production system. Agricultural Systems, 2005, 86(1): 97–114

[4] O’BrienD, BrennanP, HumphreysJ, RuaneE, ShallooL. An appraisal of carbon footprint of milk from commercial grass-based dairy farms in Ireland according to a certified life cycle assessment methodology. International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 2014, 19(8): 1469–1481

[5] O’BrienD, HennessyT, MoranB, ShallooL. Relating the carbon footprint of milk from Irish dairy farms to economic performance.Journal of Dairy Science, 2015, 98(10): 7394–7407

[6] O’BrienD, ShallooL, PattonJ, BuckleyF, GraingerC, WallaceM. A life cycle assessment of seasonal grass-based and confinement dairy farms. Agricultural Systems, 2012, 107(0): 33–46

[7] Irish Farm Centre. Dairy Fact SheetI F A. 2012. Available online at accessed November 17, 2014)

[8] FinneganW, GogginsJ, CliffordE, ZhanX. Global warming potential associated with dairy products in the Republic of Ireland. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2015,

[9] FlysjöA.Greenhouse gas emissions in milk and dairy product chains. Dissertation for the Doctoral Degree. AIJ Foulum: Aarhus University, 2012

[10] FlysjöA, ThraneM, HermansenJ E. Method to assess the carbon footprint at product level in the dairy industry. International Dairy Journal, 2014, 34(1): 86–92

[11] VergéX P C, MaximeD, DyerJ A, DesjardinsR L, ArcandY, VanderzaagA. Carbon footprint of Canadian dairy products: calculations and issues.Journal of Dairy Science, 2013, 96(9): 6091–6104

[12] Eurostat. Milk and milk product statistics. 2017. Available online at accessed February 24, 2017)

[13] Board Bia. Factsheet on the Irish Agriculture and Food & Drink Sector. 2016. Available online at accessed October 27, 2016)

[14] WeissF, LeipA. Greenhouse gas emissions from the EU livestock sector: a life cycle assessment carried out with the CAPRI model. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 2012, 149: 124–134 doi:10.1016/j.agee.2011.12.015

[15] FIL-IDF. A Common Carbon Footprint Approach for Dairy, a Guide to Standard Life Cycle Assessment Methodology for the Dairy Sector. Brussels, Belgium: International Dairy Federation, 2010

[16] FinneganW, GogginsJ, CliffordE, ZhanX. Environmental impacts of milk powder and butter manufactured in the Republic of Ireland.Science of the Total Environment, 2017, 579(579): 159–168

[17] FIL-IDF. A Common Carbon Footprint Approach for the Dairy Sector. The IDF Guide to Standard Life Cycle Assessment Methodology. Brussels, Belgium: International Dairy Federation, 2015

[18] ISO. ISO 14040: Environmental Management- Life Cycle Assessment- Principles and Framework. Geneva, Switzerland: International Organization for Standardization, 2006

[19] ISO. ISO 14044: Environmental Management- Life Cycle Assessment- Requirements and Guidelines. Geneva, Switzerland: International Organization for Standardization, 2006

[20] BSI. PAS 2050: Specification for the Assessment of the Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Goods and Services.London, UK: British Standards Institute, 2011

[21] SolomonS, QinD, ManningM, ChenZ, MarquisM, AverytK B, TignorM, MillerH L, eds. IPCC 2007: Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA: Cambridge University Press, 2007

[22] HagelaarG J L F, van der VorstJ G A J. Environmental supply chain management: using life cycle assessment to structure supply chains. International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, 2001, 4(4): 399–412

[23] HenrikssonP J G, GuinéeJ B, KleijnR, de SnooG R. Life cycle assessment of aquaculture systems-a review of methodologies.International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 2012, 17(3): 304–313

[24] JoshiS. Product environmental life-cycle assessment using input-output techniques. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 2000, 3(2&3): 95–120

[25] EuropeanCommission. Environmental LIFE CYCLE Information for Products Used Every Day in Households. Brussels, Belgium: Retail Forum for Sustainability, 2010

[26] WeidemaB P, BauerC, HischierR, MutelC, NemecekT, ReinhardJ, VadenboC O, WernetG. The ecoinvent database: Overview and methodology, Data quality guideline for the ecoinvent database version 3. 2013. Available online at accessed January 5, 2017)

[27] KimD, ThomaG, NutterD, MilaniF, UlrichR, NorrisG. Life cycle assessment of cheese and whey production in the USA. International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 2013, 18(5): 1019–1035

[28] HanrahanK, HennessyT, KinsellaA, MoranB. Teagasc National Farm Survey 2013. Athenry, Co. Galway, Ireland: Teagasc, Agricultural Economics & Farm Surveys Department, 2014

[29] HynesS, FarrellyN, MurphyE, O’DonoghueC. Modelling habitat conservation and participation in agri-environmental schemes: A spatial microsimulation approach. Ecological Economics, 2008, 66(2–3): 258–269

[30] ChyzheuskayaA, O’DonoghueC, O’NeillS. Using a farm micro-simulation model to evaluate the impact of the nitrogen reduction mitigation measures on farm income in Ireland. International Journal of Agricultural Management, 2014, 3(4): 232–242

[31] HennessyT, KinsellaA, MoranB, QuinlanG. Teagasc National Farm Survey 2011. Athenry, Co. Galway, Ireland: Teagasc, Agricultural Economics & Farm Surveys Department, 2012

[32] HennessyT, MoranB. Teagasc National Farm Survey 2015. Athenry, Co Galway, Ireland: Teagasc, Agricultural Economics & Farm Surveys Department, 2016

[33] LalorS, CoulterB, QuinlanG, ConnollyL. Survey of Fertilizer Use in Ireland from 2004–2008 for Grassland and Arable Crops. Dublin, Ireland: Teagasc, Agricultural and Food Development Authority, 2010

[34] MurphyE, CurranT, HumphreysJ,UptonJ. Direct water use of Irish dairy farms. In: Teagasc Agricultural Forum 2014. Dublin, Ireland: Teagasc, 2014

[35] MeliaP. Scientist backs tax on Ireland’s food processors. Dublin, Ireland: Irish Independant(12/12/2015), 2015

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg