2009 Volume 5 Issue 1 Pages 47-53
Objective. The aim of this study is to evaluate the environmental load of the distribution stage which is as important as the production stage. This study constructs an LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) framework for production, which evaluates the environmental load influenced by different distribution and sales form. This framework includes the delivery, cargo work, safekeeping, sale and the shopping trip of the consumer as part of distribution stage. Vending machine, large-scale retail store and convenience store are compared as forms of sales. Details of the lifecycle environmental load of the distribution stage are analyzed, and effective measures to reduce the environmental load (CO2) are examined.
Results and Discussion. This study analyzes the lifecycle environmental load of cooling a soft drink in a can and the difference among the distribution and sales forms. Percentage in the LC-CO2 is 47% with large-scale retail store, 56% with convenience store, 57% with vending machine. It is found that the distribution stage has a great influence on LC-CO2. Vending machine exhausts most LC-CO2, mainly because of refrigeration, and for large-scale retail store, shopping trip make a large share. The analyzes suggests four major measures for reducing LC-CO2 : 1) It is effective to shorten the stock time of the vending machine; 2) LC-CO2 in buying a drink from a vending machine and consuming it immediately is less than LC-CO2 in buying it from a large-scale retail store and putting it in a refrigerator for a long time; 3) A trade-off between the stock time in refrigerators and frequent delivery of small quantities indicates the optimal delivery interval of six days; 4) CO2 emissions can be reduced by 15% if consumer make shopping trip by bus, scooter or bicycle.
Conclusions. The share of distribution and sales stages is dominant. To propose the LC-CO2 reduction measure requires an evaluation of the difference among the forms of distribution.
