Εκτίμηση κύκλου ζωής μεταλλικού πώματος γυάλινης φιάλης (crown cork)
Keywords
Εκτίμηση Κύκλου Ζωής (ΕΚΖ) ; Μεταλλικά πώματα ; Γυάλινες φιάλες ; Crown corks 26 mm ; Μέθοδος Eco-Indicator 99Abstract
This thesis was developed in response to growing global concern over the need to transition toward sustainable production and consumption models, with a specific focus on the food packaging industry. The core objective of the study is to conduct a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of 26 mm Crown cork metal closures used in glass bottles, in order to comparatively evaluate
their environmental impacts across all stages of their life cycle. The assessment followed the internationally recognized standards ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 and was implemented using Microsoft Excel to document all relevant input and output data. The
analyzed life cycle stages included: the raw material production phase (iron ore extraction and steel manufacturing), the manufacturing phase (metal sheet printing, forming, and packaging of the closures), and the transport phase (distribution to bottling facilities).
During the Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) stage, steel production was identified as the most environmentally intensive phase, with the highest recorded emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), as well as significant levels of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), and sulfur oxides (SOₓ). Emissions of heavy metals and volatile organic compounds were deemed negligible.
Subsequently, the Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) was conducted using the Eco-Indicator 99 method. This approach evaluates environmental burdens by categorizing emissions into impact types, quantifying their effects on human health, ecosystem quality, and resource depletion, and performing a final weighting to determine an overall environmental impact index.
Upon completion of the analysis, the Life Cycle Interpretation phase confirmed that the steel production stage is the dominant contributor to the total environmental footprint, followed by the manufacturing stage, while the transportation stage exhibited the lowest environmental impact.
The findings highlight the critical role of adopting low-emission technologies, such as the Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) process incorporating high percentages of recycled steel, which could potentially reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 68%. This positions the steel production phase as a strategic point for environmental improvement.
For future research, it is recommended to develop dedicated LCA databases, refine specific emission factors, and investigate alternative recycling and waste management scenarios, in order to enable a more robust and complete environmental evaluation across all life cycle phases of metal closures.
Postgraduate Studies Programme
MBA TQM International - Ευρωπαϊκό Πρόγραμμα Μεταπτυχιακών Σπουδών στη Διοίκηση Επιχειρήσεων – Ολική Ποιότητα με διεθνή προσανατολισμό (MBA TQM Int)Department
Σχολή Οικονομικών, Επιχειρηματικών και Διεθνών Σπουδών. Τμήμα Οργάνωσης και Διοίκησης ΕπιχειρήσεωνNumber of pages
129Language
GreekDescription
Διαθέσιμο μετά τις 01/10/2028Collections
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as
Αναφορά Δημιουργού-Μη Εμπορική Χρήση-Όχι Παράγωγα Έργα 3.0 Ελλάδα
Αναφορά Δημιουργού-Μη Εμπορική Χρήση-Όχι Παράγωγα Έργα 3.0 Ελλάδα