Analysis of Greenhouse Gas Emissions of a Mill According to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol

Magdalena Wróbel-Jędrzejewska (), Ewelina Włodarczyk and Łukasz Przybysz
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Magdalena Wróbel-Jędrzejewska: Department of Technology and Refrigeration Techniques, Prof. Wacław Dąbrowski Institute of Agriculture and Food Biotechnology—State Research Institute, Al. Marszałka J. Piłsudskiego 84, 92-202 Łódź, Poland
Ewelina Włodarczyk: Department of Technology and Refrigeration Techniques, Prof. Wacław Dąbrowski Institute of Agriculture and Food Biotechnology—State Research Institute, Al. Marszałka J. Piłsudskiego 84, 92-202 Łódź, Poland
Łukasz Przybysz: Department of Technology and Refrigeration Techniques, Prof. Wacław Dąbrowski Institute of Agriculture and Food Biotechnology—State Research Institute, Al. Marszałka J. Piłsudskiego 84, 92-202 Łódź, Poland

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 24, 1-15

Abstract: This article discusses the challenges of adapting to and mitigating climate change through sustainable resource management in the agri-food sector. These aspects are mandatory obligations for businesses under new EU directives and regulations. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions must be controlled at every stage of the value chain, from the acquisition of raw materials to transportation and cooperation with suppliers. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the areas generating GHG emissions in the agri-food enterprise toward the development of guidelines for the sustainable development of domestic food production. This paper presents a GHG study in three scopes at one of the mills in Poland based on the GHG protocol methodology. The analysis of consumption of energy carriers was used to determine GHG emissions (Scopes 1 and 2), and the total amounted to about 2.1 million kg CO 2eq (the share of Scope 1 was about 16% and Scope 2 as high as 83%), and the average carbon footprint of flour production in terms of unit weight was 0.040 kg CO 2eq /kg. Extending the analysis to Scope 3, the emissions associated with this scope accounted for the largest share (92%), while Scopes 1 and 2 accounted for only 8%. The determined carbon footprint (considering the three GHG emission scopes) was 0.52 kg CO 2eq /kg. In Scope 3, the largest contribution was from category 1 emissions (92%) related to grain cultivation, and category 5 (6%) were emissions related to the transportation of sold products. The smallest impact is from category 3 emissions related to the management of generated waste. Regular calculation and reporting of emissions in each area enables the company to more fully understand its environmental impact, identify risks and implement changes that bring financial and environmental benefits.

Keywords: carbon footprint; flour production; GHG emission; life cycle assessment; sustainable production; Scopes 1, 2 and 3 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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