Spatialized Life Cycle Assessment of Fluid Milk Production and Consumption in the United States

Andrew D. Henderson, Anne Asselin-Balençon, Martin C. Heller, Jasmina Burek, Daesoo Kim, Lindsay Lessard, Manuele Margni, Rosie Saad, Marty D. Matlock, Greg Thoma, Ying Wang and Olivier Jolliet ()
Additional contact information
Andrew D. Henderson: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Anne Asselin-Balençon: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Martin C. Heller: Center for Sustainable Systems, School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Jasmina Burek: Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
Daesoo Kim: Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
Lindsay Lessard: Quantis, EPFL Innovation Park—Bât. D, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
Manuele Margni: CIRAIG, Department of Mathematical and Industrial Engineering, École Polytechnique de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
Rosie Saad: CIRAIG, Department of Mathematical and Industrial Engineering, École Polytechnique de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
Marty D. Matlock: Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of Arkansas, 203 Engineering Hall, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
Greg Thoma: Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
Ying Wang: Dairy Research Institute, Chicago, IL 60018, USA
Olivier Jolliet: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 3, 1-23

Abstract: Purpose: Understanding the main factors affecting the environmental impacts of milk production and consumption along the value chain is key towards reducing these impacts. This paper aims to present detailed spatialized distributions of impacts associated with milk production and consumption across the United States (U.S.), accounting for locations of both feed and on-farm activities, as well as variations in impact intensity. Using a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) approach, focus is given to impacts related to (a) water consumption, (b) eutrophication of marine and freshwater, (c) land use, (d) human toxicity and ecotoxicity, and (e) greenhouse gases. Methods: Drawing on data representing regional agricultural practices, feed production is modelled for 50 states and 18 main watersheds and linked to regions of milk production in a spatialized matrix-based approach to yield milk produced at farm gate. Milk processing, distribution, retail, and consumption are then modelled at a national level, accounting for retail and consumer losses. Custom characterization factors are developed for freshwater and marine eutrophication in the U.S. context. Results and discussion: In the overall life cycle, up to 30% of the impact per kg milk consumed is due to milk losses that occur during the retail and consumption phases (i.e., after production), emphasizing the importance of differentiating between farm gate and consumer estimates. Water scarcity is the impact category with the highest spatial variability. Watersheds in the western part of the U.S. are the dominant contributors to the total water consumed, with 80% of water scarcity impacts driven by only 40% of the total milk production. Freshwater eutrophication also has strong spatial variation, with high persistence of emitted phosphorus in Midwest and Great Lakes area, but high freshwater eutrophication impacts associated with extant phosphorus concentration above 100 µg/L in the California, Missouri, and Upper Mississippi water basins. Overall, normalized impacts of fluid milk consumption represent 0.25% to 0.8% of the annual average impact of a person living in the U.S. As milk at farm gate is used for fluid milk and other dairy products, the production of milk at farm gate represents 0.5% to 3% of this annual impact. Dominant contributions to human health impacts are from fine particulate matter and from climate change, whereas ecosystem impacts of milk are mostly due to land use and water consumption. Conclusion: This study provides a systematic, national perspective on the environmental impacts of milk production and consumption in the United States, showing high spatial variation in inputs, farm practices, and impacts.

Keywords: dairy; life cycle assessment; farm; milk production; milk consumption; spatial analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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