LCA of EU beet sugar. Part II: Conducting a LCA of sugar production in the European Union

Abstract

With this study, CEFS provides an insider view, on what the significant environmental impacts of beet sugar production in the EU are and the method best suited for allocating specific impacts to the products of sugar beet processing. Data on sugar beet cultivation, transport and processing used were collected from 11 sugar companies and 18 countries (years 2008–2013). The obtained data were found to cover approximately 90% of EU beet sugar production (CEFS Sugar Statistics, 2013). A hotspot analysis was run over 15 environmental impacts via the testing of 4 different LCIA methodologies (ILCD, ReCiPe, Eco-scarcity and Impact 2002+). In order to derive methodological recommendations for the appropriate allocation method, the consultant performed a sensitivity analysis on the 11 products comparing 6 allocation methods and substitution according to in ISO 14040. The hotspot analysis showed that sugar beet cultivation phase had the largest share of total environmental impacts. Energy allocation was chosen as the appropriate methodology as it covered the entire product range of beet sugar production, carbonation lime being the only exception. The study was representative for the factory but it could not capture the variability of the cultivation scenarios in Europe. Moreover LCAs focus only on environmental sustainability and therefore cannot be recommended as trustworthy indicators of overall sustainability.