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A software for taking into account environmental impacts
UMR STLO Unit
Research
PSF group
A software for taking into account environmental impacts

SEAMPL: A software for taking environmental impacts into account when designing packaging reuse systems

LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) is a method for evaluating the environmental impact of a product or service. It takes into account all the stages from the extraction of raw materials to the end of the product's life, including production, processing, transport, product use and waste treatment (recycling or disposal). As part of the European FAIRCHAIN project, the French case study focused on the development of a fermented beverage based on cheese whey, which had little or no value up to then. The SEAMPL simplified LCA software was developed to help the project's partners in the reuse sector to choose the best scenario for distributing this beverage in reused bottles.

SEAMPL is based on the principle of parameterised simplified LCA models designed to reduce the amount of data users need to collect. Using a global analysis of variance, the most decisive parameters are identified and retained. The number of unknowns in the environmental impact equations is thus reduced, and the user can easily and quickly test different scenarios while preserving the robustness of the results. In the case of SEAMPL's simplified models, for example, the number of unknowns is reduced from 90 to less than 10. Through a participatory science approach, the architecture of SEAMPL was co-constructed with the FAIRCHAIN partners and players in the Brittany region, so as to be able to adapt to all real reuse situations. Finally, an online interface was developed by engineers from the INRAE-CIRAD MEANS platform, enabling users to (1) find their way around the tool by answering simple questions (e.g. is washing carried out in-house or outsourced?), (2) complete the corresponding restricted data set and (3) calculate and visualise the environmental impacts of their reuse scenarios.

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The software has been tested with participants in the FAIRCHAIN project, and could soon be used to help develop a territorial reuse network in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region. Future development avenues aim to (1) extend the field of applicability (types of packaging, countries), (2) extend to economic and social aspects, and (3) assist in reading and exploiting the LCA results produced.

Collaborations

UMR SAS https://umrsas.rennes.hub.inrae.fr/l-umr-sas2
UMR SayFood https://umr-sayfood.versailles-saclay.hub.inrae.fr/

Read more

  • Le Féon, S., Gésan-Guiziou, G., Yannou-Le Bris, G., Aubin, J., Pénicaud, C., 2024. Life cycle assessment based optimization of scenarios of reusable glass bottles using context-specific key parameters. Clean. Environ. Syst. 15, 100225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100225
  • Le Féon, S., Pénicaud, C., Yannou-Le Bris, G., Aubin, J., Malnoë, C., Hilaire, J., Gésan-Guiziou, G., 2024. A user-friendly tool based on Simplified parametrized LCA to eco-design reusable bottle scenarios. Poster at the LCA Food 2024, Barcelona.
  • Le Féon, S., Pénicaud, C., Yannou-Le Bris, G., Aubin, J., Malnoë, C., Hilaire, J., Gésan-Guiziou, G., 2024. User-friendly tool based on simplified parametrized Life Cycle Assessment models to optimize returnable packaging. Presented at the 38th EFFoST conference, Bruges.

Contacts

 

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Modification date: 22 November 2024 | Publication date: 19 November 2024 | By: PSF