[Integrated evaluation of circular agriculture system: a life cycle perspective]

Huan Jing Ke Xue. 2010 Nov;31(11):2795-803.
[Article in Chinese]

Abstract

For the point of view that recycling economy system is one of ways to achieve the low-carbon economy, we have made an evaluation on a typical circular agriculture duck industry in Hunan Province, China, through improving the framework of life cycle assessment (LCA). The analysis indicated that the consumption of non-renewable resources, land and water were 48.629 MJ, 2.36 m2 and 1 321.41 kg, while the potential greenhouse gas (GHGs), acidification, eutrophication, human toxicity, freshwater ecotoxicity and terrestrial ecotoxicity were 11 543.26 g (CO2 eq), 52.36g (SO2eq), 25.83g (PO4eq), 1.26, 60.74 and 24.65 g (1,4-DCBeq), respectively. The potential damage of aquatic eutrophication, freshwater ecotoxicity and terrestrial ecotoxicity was more serious than that of GHGs. Main results were following: i. the circular agricultural chain promoted the principle of "moderate circulation", which based on the traditional production methods; ii. circular agriculture could not blindly pursue low carbon development. Instead, soil and biological carbon sequestration should be considered, in addition to reducing carbon emissions; iii. circular economy and circular agriculture should take other potential environmental impacts into account such as acidification, eutrophication and ecotoxicity,with the exception to carbon emissions,to developed integrated system assessment; iv. LCA could provide a comprehensive assessment of circular agriculture, and it was worth of further study.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Agriculture*
  • Air Pollution / prevention & control*
  • Animals
  • Carbon Dioxide / analysis*
  • China
  • Conservation of Natural Resources
  • Ducks / growth & development
  • Economics*
  • Environmental Pollution / prevention & control*
  • Greenhouse Effect
  • Humans
  • Life Cycle Stages

Substances

  • Carbon Dioxide