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Cleaner Technology Projects in Denmark 1996

Environmental Evaluation of Beer and Soft-Drink Containers

This report is based on a wish to fulfil an environmental evaluation of beer and soft drink containers since these containers have, until now, not been directly comparable. The evaluation consists of a mapping of resources, energy consumption, emissions and waste and consequently a calculation of the effect these have on the surrounding world.

The project "An Environmental mapping of Beer and Soft-Drink Containers" started with a literature review and screening in the autumn of 1992.

Since then several steps have been taken: Firstly a mapping of beer containers, thereafter a quality estimate of these, followed by a mapping of soft-drink containers and a quality estimate follow-up.

The aim of this project is to expand the existing mapping of containers with an environmental estimate, which means a re-calculation of emissions to potential environmental effects and an evaluation of the resource use. This would provide a more satisfactory platform from which an evaluation of the possible environmental effects of the containers can be taken, and from that make a list of the advantages and disadvantages of different containers.

When the project started it was common practice to carry out environmental estimates through mappings – the method of recalculating emissions to environmental effects was still being developed. The results of these mappings was discussed qualitatively through the quantity of emissions and waste, but it was difficult to make any final conclusions since it was impossible to determine whether one emission was more critical than another

Since then the UMIP-method, (in English DMFIP – Development of Environmentally Friendly Industrial Products), has been developed and has reached an internationally high level of quality. The mapping of beer and soft-drink containers is therefore converted to potential environmental effects via this method.

The results have been passed on to the Environmental Agency and include:

An evaluation of the use of resources

An evaluation of potential environmental effects (including waste as an indicator of the effects waste disposal can have)

Since beer and soft-drink containers do not have the same volume, it is not possible to compare absolute values. On the other hand it is possible to compare the relative tendencies. The resume also contains an estimation of the effects when using the average European electricity production, instead of place specific electricity production values.

In general the largest contributions are found in disposable bottles made of PET, glass and steel tins, and the lowest in recyclable bottles made of glass and PET, and in aluminium tins. The replacement of the electricity scenarios means that the contribution to environmental effects is becomes larger for aluminium tins, whilst it does not significantly change for all other types of containers. The change is most important with regards to the greenhouse effect. Aluminium tins are thus found in the middle of the scale instead of the lower end.

The eco-toxicity in water – both chronic and acute - give the largest weighed values of toxicity compared to other categories. A clear difference between the different types of containers cannot be proven. This is due to, on the one hand, the large insecurity in estimating toxicity, and on the other hand that the used data on all the types of containers mainly comes from the energy production.

The lowest contributions come from the recyclable PET-bottles. Aluminium and steel tins constitute a large amount of dangerous waste, and disposable bottles constitute the largest contribution to slag and ash. Radioactive waste is largest in aluminium- and steel tins and in PET-disposable bottles. Glass containers (disposable and recyclable) and recyclable PET bottles give the lowest contributions. Swooping between electricity scenarios does not change the general picture, but the amount of radioactive waste will, in general, increase.

Author/ institution

Marianne Suhr Wesnæs, Institute for Product Development

This report is subsidised by the National Council for Recycling and Cleaner Technology

ISSN no. 0908-9195
ISBN no. 87-7810-587-0

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