1

1 Life cycle analysis of the “Beni Maouche” dried fig,

2 according to ISO 14044, ISO 14040 and ISO 14046 with
3 the aim of achieving SDG 6 and SDG 12.
4 Hafed-Eddine Mansouri1, Saliha Larbaoui Chibane2, Nouria Idir3 Nassima mansouri1 ,
5 Sara Guemouni2, Sabiha Achat2 , Khodir Madani2,4

6 1
Qualilab Ecosafety Solutions, 06000, Bejaia, Algeria
7 2
University of Bejaia A/Mira, 06000, Bejaia, Algeria
8 3
fraud repression laboratory10000, Bouira, Algeria
9 4
national agrifood technology research center. 06000, Bejaia, Algeria
10 hafed.mansouri@gmail.com

11Abstract. The increased awareness of the importance of environmental protection and the
12possible impacts associated with both manufactured and consumed products has increased
13interest in developing methods to better understand and remedy these impacts; agriculture
14contributes to prosperity and human well-being by producing food, raw materials, employment,
15varied landscapes (biodiversity). However, it also contributes to environmental impacts such as
16climate change and loss of biodiversity. The objective of this work is to present the Life Cycle
17Analysis (LCA) method, applied for the environmental analysis of an agricultural production
18system: the dried figs of "Beni Maouche". This study allows us to answer the following
19problem: the dried fig of "Beni Maouche" is a labeled product, one of the best on a national
20scale, is it the result of its low overall impact on the environment (eco-design product) or by its
21nutritional value, or the labeling of this product is the result of a harmony between a sum of
22factors including a natural environment of men and know-how? In order to better situate the
23context in which this study takes place, the dry fig of "Beni Maouche" will be our subject
24environmental assessment on all stages of the life cycle of figs. By estimating the impacts
25linked to the different phases; to provide information and quantified data with a view to using
26them for scientific purposes and to propose the recommendations arising therefrom, this study
27is carried out in accordance with the methodological prescriptions developed by the ISO 14044,
28ISO 14040 and ISO 14046 standards.       

29 Keywords: LCA, Water footprint, Carbone footprint, ISO 14044, ISO 14046,
30 responsible company, Beni Maouche dried Figs, Fourth Keyword, cyclic
31 feeding.
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321 Introduction

33 25 years ago, at the Rio summit in 1992, scientists around the world warned
34humanity about the risks of destabilizing the planet for lack of action to preserve the
35environment and ecosystems. The latter argued that the impact of human activities on
36nature was likely to result in "great human suffering" and "irreparably mutilate the
37planet". (Lecomte, 2017). To this end The increased awareness of the importance of
38protecting the environment and of the possible impacts associated with both
39manufactured and consumed products has increased interest in the development of
40methods intended to better understand and remedy these impacts. . One of these
41techniques under development is the life cycle analysis (LCA): a structured, extended
42and standardized method that makes it possible to carry out this type of assessment.
43(ISO, 2006a). Agriculture contributes to prosperity and human well-being by
44producing food, raw materials, jobs, varied landscapes (biodiversity). However, it also
45contributes to environmental impacts such as climate change and biodiversity loss,
46and thus contributes to threatening the very foundations of prosperity and human
47well-being. (Van der Werf et al., 2011). The objective of this work is the
48environmental analysis of an agricultural production system: dried figs of "Beni
49Maouche". This study allows us to respond to the following problem: the dried fig of
50"Beni Maouche" is a labeled product, one of the best nationally, is it the result of its
51low overall impact on the environment (eco-design product) or by its nutritional
52value, or the labeling of this product is the result of a harmony between a sum of
53factors including a natural environment for humans and know-how?

542 Materials and Methods

55The life cycle analysis of the dried fig of Beni Maouche is carried out in accordance
56with the methodological prescriptions developed by the ISO 14044 standard. The
57following diagram represents the progress of our methodology: There are four phases
58in a stroke study.
59
60 Goal and scoop
61
62 Life cycle inventory
(LCI) Interpretation
63

64 Life Cycle Impact

Assessment (LCIA)
65

66 Figure 3: The stages of Life Cycle Analysis. (ISO 14044: 2006)

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672.1 Goal:

68 Putting LCA into practice for dried figs from "Béni Maouche", it will be necessary to
69carry out a simplified and qualitative assessment of the life cycle: know the major
70environmental impacts of my product; Perform a multi-criteria assessment; refer to an
71ISO 14044 standard; It is therefore essential to ask the following question: "Under
72what conditions can we use, during the year 2017, the results of the LCA to produce
73500 g of dried figs, for human consumption, healthy in the municipality of Bejaia for
74a week".
75
762.2 Scoop: The definition of the scope of the study follows from its objective; in
77particular the system studied. Thus, it must clearly describe the following elements:
782.3 System studied: Set of elementary processes comprising product flows and
79elementary flows fulfilling one or more defined function which serves as a model for
80the production life cycle of the “Beni Maouche” dried figs. The “Beni Maouche”
81dried fig production system is made up of six (06) processes (Fig.1): nursery,
82agricultural or farm, production unit, which includes drying, sorting, packaging and
83transport. . The figs obtained are stored to be marketed. They are intended for
84consumption by the population of the municipality of Bejaia (188,250 inhabitants).
85The last process is the end of this fruit's life cycle.

86
872.3.1. Functional unit
88The functional unit (UF) represents the function of the system studied and it is to this
89unit that the environmental impacts will be reported (ISO, 2006a). The UF chosen in
90our study is a 500g cardboard tray of dried figs.
912.3.2. System boundary and organizational perimeter: The system boundary
92determines the elementary processes that must be included in the LCA study of "Beni
93Maouche" dried figs (ISO, 2006a).
942.3.3. Cut-off criteria: In LCA studies, cut-off criteria are used to decide which
95inputs to omit in the analysis. In our case, we made a cut in the nursery phase, since
96figs plant suckers to reduce production time and avoid the use of fertilizers. Another
97cut in the weight of rejects which is difficult to determine. Other inputs also gave rise
98to the omission such as: the manufacture of contact cardboard, Duo saica cardboard,
99vinyl glue which are imported from abroad, even the distance and the fuel used during
100importation.
1012.4. Life cycle inventory (LCI)
 44

102The aim of the LCI is to quantify the environmental interventions, ie the emissions of
103pollutants and the use of resources, for each stage of the product's life cycle. Once
104quantified, these data (emissions and resources) are aggregated throughout the life
105cycle and reported to the functional unit. (Van der Werf et al., 2011)
1062.4.a. Agricultural phase

107
1082.4.b. Production packaging
109

110
1112.4.c. Production figs (sorting and packing)
112
113
114
115

116
117
118
119
 5 5

120
121
1222.4.d. Transport.

123
124
1252.4.e. Use
126

127
1282.4.f. End of live.
129

130
131
1322.5. Life cycle assessment:
133The purpose of impact assessment is to understand and assess the magnitude and
134significance of potential impacts associated with emissions of pollutants and resource
135uses identified in the inventory. (Van der Werf et al., 2011)
136- Calculation methods The data collected was converted according to 500g of
137healthy dried fig, intended for human consumption for one week by inhabitants of the
138municipality of Bejaia (2017). The results are expressed as follows:
139Water footprint = Characterization factor (Aware). X
140Carbon footprint = Characterization factor (ReCiPE). X
141Ecotoxicity = Characterization factor (USEtox). X
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142X: Quantity of the product depending on the functional unit (500 g / week). For the
143characterization factor of the scarcity water footprint, we used the Aware database
144relating to Algeria.

1453 Results

146 After the surveys carried out and the analysis of the data collected, we obtained
147that the impact on the environment of the dried figs of “Beni Maouche” differs over
148its seven phases of life (Agricultural, packaging, production, transport, use and end
149life cycle of the fig Beni Maouche), which are represented by the following diagram

1.0000E+02
Agricutural General packaging
Mili printing prduction
Transport Use phase
End of cycle

5.0000E+01

0.0000E+00
Water scarcity Ecotoxicity carbon footprint
150
151
152
153 Fig. 1. Environmental impacts during the life cycle of the dried fig of "Beni Maouche”.
154
155 Discussion: The purpose of the life cycle interpretation is to draw conclusions
156and recommendations to decision makers, consistent with the objective and scope of
157the study. This is the phase in which the value and robustness of all the results,
158choices and assumptions are assessed. The initial objectives of the study are used to
159assess the results and propose conclusions or even recommendations adapted. From
160all the results of the environmental impacts related to the life cycle of the dried fig,
161cited above, it emerges that: • In the agricultural phase: The carbon footprint is
162insignificant, moreover the scarcity water footprint impact is very high followed by
163the appearance of the impact of ecotoxicity. This is due to the significant irrigation
164during the first year, when planting the cuttings, and to the degradation of organic
165matter (profichis) respectively;
166• In the packaging production phase: The ecotoxicity impact is present at a significant
167rate in the corrugated board (GE) production step. This can be explained by the
168chemical composition of the starch glue (NaOH and BORAX). For the finished
 7 7

169packaging "Imprimerie Mili" it is the impact of water scarcity that is more remarkable
170(ink, glue); • In the production phase: It is the ecotoxicity which manifests itself in
171high value, which can be linked to the degradation of organic materials (figs and
172packaging). However, the scarcity water footprint impact is due to the large amount
173of water evaporated during drying; • In the transport phase: Carbon footprint is the
174highest impact of the entire life cycle of the product: the greenhouse effect that
175appears is linked to the journeys made during purchases and distributions. The
176emission of CO2 gases makes a real contribution to global warming on a planetary
177scale; • In the use phase: The impact of water scarcity wins out, which can be
178explained by the water used for cleaning and the amount of water in the disinfectant; •
179In the end-of-cycle phase: it is the impact of ecotoxicity due to wastewater and
180degradation of organic matter (peduncle and 20% of packaging intended for landfill).

1814 Conclusions

182The objective of this work is to assess the potential environmental impacts during the
183life cycle of the dried fig of "Beni Maouche", with a view to their control or even their
184reduction. Following the analysis of the data collected, it emerges the presence of
185potential and variable environmental impacts during its life cycle of the dried fig, in
186particular: carbon footprint, water scarcity footprint and ecotoxicity. Compared to
187other phases, transport is considered the most impacting step on the environment,
188with a high rate of greenhouse gases (carbon footprint)
189All of the results obtained in this study only constitute a rough outline in the field of
190LCA, nevertheless this environmental assessment makes it possible to establish an
191observation of the real or potential effects on the environment of the agricultural
192system studied. It is therefore not intended to immediately resolve the problems
193identified, but to serve as a basis for determining avenues for improvement and action
194programs, to this end, we propose for the dried fig: • The use of traditional and
195reusable packaging.
196 • The establishment of a packaging unit near the fig production site in "Beni
197Maouche"; • The installation of a treatment plant unit. We can conclude that the
198labeled “Beni Maouche” dried fig can be considered a responsible consumer product,
199respecting the recommendations mentioned above.

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