Giuseppe Saija

Life Cycle Assessment in the Olive Oil Sector

The olive oil industry is a significant productive sector in the European Union and the related production process is characterised by a variety of different practices and techniques for the agricultural production of olives and for their processing into olive oil. Depending on these different procedures, olive oil production is associated with several adverse effects on the environment, both in the agricultural and in the olive oil production phase. As a consequence, tools such as LCA are becoming increasingly important for this type of industry. Following an overview of the characteristics of the olive oil supply chain and its main environmental problems, the authors of this chapter provide a description of the international state of the art of LCA implementation in this specific sector, as well as briefly describing other life cycle thinking methodologies and tools (such as simplified LCA, footprint labels and Environmental Product Declarations). Then, the methodological problems connected with the application of LCA in the olive oil production sector are analysed in depth, starting from a critical comparative analysis of the applicative LCA case studies in the olive oil production supply chain. Finally, guidelines for the application of LCA in the olive oil production sector are proposed.

The Implementation of Product-Oriented Environmental Management Systems in Agri-Food SMEs

The application potentiality of the POEMS model proposed in the previous chapter has been tested in pilot companies, operating in two different agri-food supply chains (olive oil production and roasted coffee production); the main aim of the pilot experiences was to test the model and to plan possible corrective and/or improvement actions. The implementation potentiality of the defined POEMS model was evaluated following five main procedural analysis phases: (1) supply chain analysis; (2) analysis of the level of integration of the pilot firm’s management systems; (3) preliminary analysis of the environmental impacts of the product/products identified by the companies themselves using the Life Cycle Assessment methodology; (4) identification of the most suitable product environmental communication; and (5) identification of main future improvement options.

Innovative Environmental Management Tools for the Agri-Food Chain

Agri-food firms, as enterprises in any other sector, have a series of tools at their disposition, based on international standards, which may be useful for the purposes of environmental management. System standards (such as ISO 14001 for Environmental Management Systems) are the most widely used, but a more suitable approach to environmental quality management in the agricultural and agri-food sectors is probably one based on using direct means of ensuring the environmental performance of products. In this chapter, new approaches centred on the product-orientation of environmental management systems are presented, also investigating their role in the improvement of economic and competitive performance. Finally, the path towards the definition of a Product-Orientation of Environmental Management Systems (POEMS) framework, specifically tailored to companies operating in the agribusiness sector, is described.

Prospects for the Use of Mini and Micro Wind Power Plants in Residential Settings

The use of mini and micro wind turbines in residential settings is one element of the ever widening use of small-scale, sustainable and eco-compatible electricity generation systems. This type of machine has been greatly improved in recent times, taking on very interesting technical characteristics which mean this sector is expected to experience rapid growth over the next few years. This chapter gives a brief overview of the use of wind power for the production of electricity and discusses the main technical and economic aspects linked to the use of small scale wind turbines in residential settings, with particular reference to the situation in Italy.

Product-Oriented Environmental Management Systems: Methodologies and Experiences

In this chapter, a literature review of previous methodological and applicative studies on Product-Orientation of Environmental Management Systems (POEMS) was performed, in order to bring order and clarity to the main issues concerning this new tool of environmental management. The review method employed, consisted of classifying and separately analysing the collected material on three different levels of document content: projects and programmes concerning POEMS application; technical standards suitable for the POEMS structure; methodological research on POEMS framework. The state-of-the-art and literature review allowed the authors to identify models and case studies on POEMS from which to extrapolate key topics for designing a complete theoretical framework of the tool. These key topics are useful starting points to drive future research and developments and successful implementation of POEMS.

A Model of Product-Oriented Environmental Management System for Agri-Food SMEs

In this chapter, a POEMS model specifically tailored to companies operating in the agri-food sector is described. The framework was developed from a traditional Environmental Management System (ISO 14001 standard), integrated with a Quality Management System (ISO 9001 and ISO 9004 standards) in order to allow the satisfaction of external customer and other stakeholder expectations concerning product requirements. Considering that the main obstacle firms face in performing POEMS is organising cooperation and close interaction between the different actors involved in the product chain, organisational capabilities are necessary, so that the proposed model integrates the “Deming cycle” (Plan-Do-Check-Act—PDCA Cycle) and the “Capability cycle” in which capability is intended as “the ability to coordinate, deploy and legitimate resources to perform tasks”. Furthermore, the product-orientation of the Integrated Management System is guaranteed by the inclusion of a simplified-LCA and by the identification of the most appropriate environmental product label or declaration.