A lifecycle approach GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS OF INFANT FORMULA PRODUCTION Melissa Tinling; Dr. Miriam Labbok; Dr. Jason West University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

1.Context 2.Lifecycle methodology & calculations 3.Preliminary results OUTLINE

INSPIRATION

What’s climate change got to do with infant feeding? BACKGROUND & CONTEXT

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF FOOD

 Agriculture  Methane (CH 4 )  Nitrous oxide (N 2 O)  Land-use & forestry GREENHOUSE GASES & FOOD FAO Profile for Climate Change ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/012/i1323e/i1323e00.pdf. IPCC Fourth Assessment Report; Figure

 Dairy production  2.7% of total global GHG (FAO 2010)  Sources:  Enteric fermentation: CH 4  Manure: CH 4, N 2 O  Farm activities: CO 2  Feed production: CO 2 GREENHOUSE GASES (GHG) & DAIRY

 Largest subset of the “baby food” sector: 179 million kg produced in 2007  Common even among breastfed infants  U.S. government is largest U.S. purchaser  Growing U.S. exports INFANT FORMULA IN U.S.A.

 Quantify GHG emissions of powdered cows- milk infant formula production & consumption in U.S.: 1.Identify stages responsible for the greatest %  Organize information to assist future studies  Support evidence-based advocacy RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

From “cradle to grave” LIFECYCLE ASSESSMENT METHODS & CALCULATIONS

 Raw materials  Ingredients  Packaging  Manufacturing  Home use  Disposal  *Transportation “LIFECYCLE” CONCEPT

 Quantifies holistic environmental impact  Separates subjective from objective  Step IV requires external review  No “carbon footprint” method yet INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS ORGANIZATION: LIFECYCLE ASSESSMENT (LCA)

1. MODELING A LIFECYCLE

 One “batch” of powdered formula = 4,536 kg  “Meta product” powder formulation MAJOR ASSUMPTIONS

How much GHG is produced at each stage? 1.Collect energy and/or materials used -Eg. X km driven by truck 2.Emissions factor: amount of a specific GHG emitted per unit of energy or material -Eg. Y kg CO 2 per Y km driven 3.Multiply: 2. CALCULATING (GHG) OUTPUTS

EXAMPLE: TRANSPORTATION

EXAMPLE: FACTORY

1.Sum GHG from all stages of lifecycle 2.Combine all GHG to “carbon dioxide equivalent” (CO 2 -eq): 3.Multiply GHG for batch by national production 3. CALCULATE TOTAL GHG OUTPUT

to be continued… PRELIMINARY RESULTS

1.Dairy Farm 2.Consumer use 3.Manufacturing 4.Transportation LARGEST CONTRIBUTORS

 GHG emissions of formula feeding are likely to be significant, and larger than emissions associated with breastfeeding (if any)  GHG emissions from infant formula may be a substantial portion of total emissions associated with infant care  Lifecycle assessment (LCA) method is essential to systematically accounting for emissions from all relevant processes CONCLUSIONS

 Calculate environmental LCAs or “carbon footprints”  Other environmental effects  Other regions (different dairy farming)  Illuminate manufacturing process.  How much liquid milk to make formula?  Manufacturing process?  For comparison, calculate “footprint” from extra calories & water consumed during breastfeeding.  “Eco-labeling” of carbon-neutral foods? AREAS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH

Thank you! QUESTIONS?