Beverage Container Comparison Using LCA

$($

$6$

$0$

$$

$$

$)$

$.$

Compare two types of bottles for containing beer or other beverages. One bottle is a

$1$

$6$

$$

$$

aluminum bottle and the other is a conventional

$1$

$6$

$$

$$

$$brown glass bottle. Assume that a

consumer drinks two beverages per week for

$1$

$$year

$($

$5$

$2$

$$weeks

$)$

$.$

$$Each bottle type is subject to a

deposit program which results in a

$9$

$5$

$\%$

$$recycle

$/$

reuse rate. The aluminum bottles that are

returned for recycle get reprocessed into a new bottle, while when the glass bottles are returned

for reuse, the bottles are washed in soapy water, rinsed and then sterilized, and then afterwards

are prepared for a new use in being beverage containers. This LCA attempts to provide

information to the consumer to help he

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she to make a good decision regarding beverage bottle

choice. Which bottle type, Aluminum or Brown Glass, when used in this fashion produces the

lower greenhouse gas emissions expressed in terms of

$$

$$

$2$

$$equivalents$?$

A life cycle diagram for each bottle is shown below, with all key processes shown.

Figure P

$3$

$.$

$$Life cycle diagram for aluminum and brown glass beverage bottles.

Basis:

$1$

$$year of beverage consumption by a consumer.

Data: Weight per aluminum bottle

$=$

$0$

$.$

$0$

$2$

$8$

$$

$$

$$bottle$.$ Weight per brown glass bottle

$=$

$0$

$.$

$1$

$8$

$4$

$$

$$

$$bottle$.$ Weight of water to wash

$/$

$$rinse each glass bottle

$=$

$0$

$.$

$2$

$5$

$$

$$

$$water$.$ Weight of detergent

to wash each glass bottle

$=$

$1$

$\backslash$times

$1$

$0$

$-$

$5$

$$

$$

$$detergent$.$

Assumption: A consumer drinks two beverages per week for

$1$

$$year

$($

$5$

$2$

$$weeks

$)$

$.$what is the functional unit for this lca?

what are the total annual amounts $($kgs$)$ of each bottle type to match the functional unit $?$

Determine the annual amounts of each bottle t