Investigating the environmental impacts of kiwifruit production in Guilan province of Iran based on life cycle assessment methodology

This study aimed to evaluate the environmental consequences of kiwifruit production in Guilan province of Iran by the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology during growing season of 2011-2012. Data were obtained from 84 kiwifruit producers using a face to face questionnaire method. For this purpose, a functional unit equal to one ton kiwifruit was assumed based on ISO 14040 method. Impacts of emissions in seven impact categories; such as global warming, acidification, terrestrial eutrophication, land use, depletion of fossil resources, the depletion of potash and the depletion of phosphate were investigated. Data analysis suggested that the amount of emission including NH3, N2O, NOx, CO2, CH4 and SO2 for one ton production of kiwifruit were calculated as 1.99, 0.30, 0.24, 25.75, 0.002 and 0.04, respectively. Final index of global warming, acidification, terrestrial eutrophication, land use, depletion of fossil resources, the depletion of phosphate and the depletion of potash were obtained 0.01, 0.12, 0.20, 0.01, 0.66, 0.40 and 0.03 kg, respectively. Environmental index (EcoX) and resource depletion index (RDI) Indicators were obtained 0.34 and 1.10, respectively. The highest potential for environmental impact of production was estimated for depletion of fossil resources and eutrophication category in RDI and EcoX indicators, respectively. Replacing source of nitrogen from urea fertilizer with the nitrogen fertilizer with less pollution potential can be considered as a strategy to reduce the environmental consequences of kiwifruit production in Guilan province.