Life Cycle Assessment: Comparative LCA of the Environmental Impacts of Real Christmas and Artificial Christmas trees. Study Completed: October 2017 Critical Review Completed: March 2018 WAP Sustainability Consulting, LLC. Public Release Version 2018 [email protected] Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................ 3 General Information .................................................................................................................. 6 LCA Commissioners and Practitioners ........................................................................................ 6 Reporting Date ................................................................................................................................. 7 Goal and Scope of the Study .................................................................................................. 7 Reason(s) for carrying out the study and Intended Application ................................................ 7 Target Group / Audience ................................................................................................................ 7 ISO 14040-44 and PCR Compliance ........................................................................................... 7 Product System Definition .............................................................................................................. 7 Functional unit .................................................................................................................................. 8 System Boundary ............................................................................................................................ 9 Cut-off Criteria ................................................................................................................................ 10 Data Quality Requirements .......................................................................................................... 11 Background Data ........................................................................................................................... 11 Data Collection and Calculation Procedures ............................................................................. 11 Allocation Procedures ................................................................................................................... 11 Parameters describing Environmental Impacts ........................................................................ 11 Life Cycle Inventory ................................................................................................................. 13 artificial Christmas tree Methodology ......................................................................................... 13 Manufacturing ............................................................................................................................................. 13 Finished Tree to home ................................................................................................................................ 14 Use .............................................................................................................................................................. 15 End-of-Life ................................................................................................................................................... 15 Transportation ............................................................................................................................................ 15 real Christmas tree Methodology ................................................................................................ 16 Cultivation ................................................................................................................................................... 16 Finished Tree To Home ............................................................................................................................... 19 Use .............................................................................................................................................................. 19 End-of-Life ................................................................................................................................................... 19 Transportation ............................................................................................................................................ 22 Life Cycle Impact Assessment .............................................................................................. 23 Results ............................................................................................................................................ 23 Global Warming Potential ........................................................................................................................... 25 Primary Energy Demand ............................................................................................................................. 27 Acidification Potential ................................................................................................................................. 29 Eutrophication Potential ............................................................................................................................. 31 Smog Potential ............................................................................................................................................ 33 Water Usage ................................................................................................................................................ 35 Interpretation ............................................................................................................................ 37 1 Comparative LCA of the Environmental Impacts of Real Christmas and Artificial Christmas Trees. Public Release Version 2018 Transparency in Terms of Value Choice, Rationales and Expert Judgments that May Have Affected the LCA. ..................................................................................................................................... 37 Sensitivity Analysis ................................................................................................................................... 37 Data Quality Analysis ............................................................................................................................... 37 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................... 38 Works Cited ........................................................................................................................ 45 appendix a – Compliance Statement .................................................................................. 46 appendix B – Verification Documents ................................................................................. 47 2 Comparative LCA of the Environmental Impacts of Real Christmas and Artificial Christmas Trees. Public Release Version 2018 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The American Christmas Tree Association (ACTA) commissioned this comparative LCA study in order to compare the life cycle impacts of artificial Christmas trees and real Christmas trees. According to their website, “The American Christmas Tree Association is a non-profit organization whose mission is to educate the public with factual data to help consumers make intelligent decisions about Christmas trees and the Christmas tree industry”. This LCA was conducted in order to compare the life cycle impacts of artificial Christmas trees and real Christmas trees. The results will be used to make public statements about the environmental footprint of the two products. For this study, the functional unit was considered as one Christmas tree used for one season. The artificial tree that was modeled in this study was manufactured in China and shipped to the United States to be distributed by major big box retailers. The artificial tree included in this study was 1.98 m (6.5-ft) tall and weighs 4.93 kg (10.86 lbs). This weight includes the tree itself and the tree stand shipped with the product but does not include the weight of the packaging. The material composition of the artificial Christmas trees is a mixture of plastics and metals while the packaging of the trees is comprised of cardboard, tape and paper and is included in the study. For this study, it is assumed that the artificial Christmas tree is landfilled at the end of the its useful life. The real Christmas tree modeled in this comparative LCA study used a 1.98 m (6.5-ft) Fraser fir to represent the growing, harvesting and distribution pattern of real Christmas trees sold in the United States. The real Christmas tree is assumed to be grown in Southeastern United States with a field cultivation period of 7-8 years. Packaging of baling and string were included in the study. The use phase of the real Christmas tree involves watering the tree. Transportation of raw materials to the manufacturing/cultivation site, shipping to the customer and transportation to the disposal site are also considered in this study for both trees. Additionally, the necessary tree stand is included for both products and is assumed to be reused annually. Tree lights and ornaments are excluded from this study. For the artificial Christmas