Life Cycle Environmental Impact Assessment of Circular Agriculture: A Case Study in Fuqing, China

Weiguo Fan, Peng Zhang, Zihan Xu, Hejie Wei, Nachuan Lu, Xuechao Wang, Boqi Weng, Zhongdian Chen, Feilong Wu and Xiaobin Dong
Additional contact information
Weiguo Fan: State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Peng Zhang: State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Zihan Xu: State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Hejie Wei: State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Nachuan Lu: State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Xuechao Wang: Sustainable Process Integration Laboratory—SPIL, NETME Centre, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology—VUT Brno, Technická 2896/2, 616 69 Brno, Czech Republic
Boqi Weng: Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou 350003, China
Zhongdian Chen: Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou 350003, China
Feilong Wu: Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou 350003, China
Xiaobin Dong: State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 6, 1-19

Abstract: The process for reasonably evaluating the potential impacts of circular agriculture on the environment has become a key issue in the sustainable development of circular agriculture. Based on this consideration, by using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and focusing on the circular agriculture industry company of Xingyuan, Fuqing, this paper evaluates the potential impacts of the pig farming industry-dragon fruit planting-forage planting-fishery industry-mushroom planting-biogas generating-organic fertilizer production circular agriculture model compared to a main agriculture industrial model, the pig farming industry, from environmental and environmental-economic perspectives. Moreover, this paper determines key elements that restrict the development of circular agriculture through a sensitivity analysis. The results show that if we simply consider the potential environmental impacts, circular agriculture does not produce better results than those of the main agricultural production model. In addition, if we consider reducing the potential environmental impact as well as improving the economic benefits from the perspective of a “reduction ring”, we should consider removing mushroom planting and organic fertilizer from the circular agriculture framework. Moreover, if we want to reduce the potential environmental impact without changing the current recycling model, we should focus on the premix components, especially the three main components of corn, soybean meal, and whey protein concentrate.

Keywords: circular agriculture; environmental assessment; LCA analysis; sensitivity analysis; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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