2.2 Sustainability Assessment of Blue Biotechnology
Processes: Addressing Environmental, Social
and Economic Dimensions
This presentation was given by Ms. Maria Teresa Moreira from the Department of
Chemical Engineering of the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain).
The authors showed the results of their research on environmental, social and
economic assessment of a marine biotechnology process for the production of the
red carotenoid astaxanthin by the green microalga Haematococcus pluvialis [2].
This is an interesting and novel case study, since only few research projects have
dealt so far with the assessment of bioactive compounds and pharmaceutical
ingredients, mainly due to the lack of information from commercial-scale facilities.
In this study, process data for the compilation of the life cycle inventory was
collected from real facilities at lab, semi-pilot and pilot scale.
Consumption of electricity during the algal cultivation was spotted as the largest
contribution to the environmental impacts. However, a significant improvement
was observed in the scale-up of the process. A socio-economic evaluation completed the environmental assessment, identifying the main strengths of the process
from a holistic perspective.
The presenter was asked how the social assessment was carried-out and also if a
comparison with the conventional chemical process was conducted. It was
explained that the social assessment was based on the reply of two SMEs to a
survey sent in the course of the study. The assessed biotechnology process was
compared with a conventional one and was found to have lower environmental
impacts.
2.3 Addressing the Sustainability of Lubricants
from an LCA Perspective
This presentation was given by Ms. Candela Vidal-Abarca Garrido from the
Circular Economy and Industrial Leadership Unit of the Joint Research Centre.
The authors described their work about the revision of the EU Ecolabel for
lubricants, a voluntary label targeting the best lubricants available on the market in
terms of their environmental performance throughout the life cycle [3].
The existing award criteria focus on renewability of raw materials, aquatic
toxicity, biodegradability and bio-accumulation of the ingredients. The label is
currently suitable only for bio-based lubricants and considered the main reference to
assess their sustainability.
A review of twelve LCA studies on lubricants was carried-out to identify
hot-spots and improvement areas. Although impacts during use and disposal stages
were found critical, most of the reviewed LCAs are cradle-to-gate studies, which
calls for a more comprehensive assessment of the full life cycle. Outcomes of the
Sustainability of Bio-based Products …
471
Processes: Addressing Environmental, Social
and Economic Dimensions
This presentation was given by Ms. Maria Teresa Moreira from the Department of
Chemical Engineering of the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain).
The authors showed the results of their research on environmental, social and
economic assessment of a marine biotechnology process for the production of the
red carotenoid astaxanthin by the green microalga Haematococcus pluvialis [2].
This is an interesting and novel case study, since only few research projects have
dealt so far with the assessment of bioactive compounds and pharmaceutical
ingredients, mainly due to the lack of information from commercial-scale facilities.
In this study, process data for the compilation of the life cycle inventory was
collected from real facilities at lab, semi-pilot and pilot scale.
Consumption of electricity during the algal cultivation was spotted as the largest
contribution to the environmental impacts. However, a significant improvement
was observed in the scale-up of the process. A socio-economic evaluation completed the environmental assessment, identifying the main strengths of the process
from a holistic perspective.
The presenter was asked how the social assessment was carried-out and also if a
comparison with the conventional chemical process was conducted. It was
explained that the social assessment was based on the reply of two SMEs to a
survey sent in the course of the study. The assessed biotechnology process was
compared with a conventional one and was found to have lower environmental
impacts.
2.3 Addressing the Sustainability of Lubricants
from an LCA Perspective
This presentation was given by Ms. Candela Vidal-Abarca Garrido from the
Circular Economy and Industrial Leadership Unit of the Joint Research Centre.
The authors described their work about the revision of the EU Ecolabel for
lubricants, a voluntary label targeting the best lubricants available on the market in
terms of their environmental performance throughout the life cycle [3].
The existing award criteria focus on renewability of raw materials, aquatic
toxicity, biodegradability and bio-accumulation of the ingredients. The label is
currently suitable only for bio-based lubricants and considered the main reference to
assess their sustainability.
A review of twelve LCA studies on lubricants was carried-out to identify
hot-spots and improvement areas. Although impacts during use and disposal stages
were found critical, most of the reviewed LCAs are cradle-to-gate studies, which
calls for a more comprehensive assessment of the full life cycle. Outcomes of the
Sustainability of Bio-based Products …
471