ENVIRONMENTAL LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT (LCA) OF SUGARCANE PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING IN AUSTRALIA

THIS paper reports the results of a detailed life cycle assessment (LCA) of sugarcane production and processing in Queensland. The work is part of an ongoing postgraduate research project examining the environmental implications of alternative sugarcane production systems for the Queensland sugar industry. The results presented in the paper show the life-cycle impact of producing a tonne of raw cane sugar in Queensland, for a range of environmental impact categories: energy input, greenhouse gas emissions, eutrophication and water use. Results are presented for three scenarios: a 'State average' farming system as well as two fairly distinct cane growing regions, the Burdekin and the Wet Tropics. These results highlight the significant aspects associated with sugar production in Australia. They also show the range in variation present in the industry due to different growing conditions. To put the environmental impact of cane sugar production into perspective, sugarcane is compared with other starchand sugar-bearing crops, sugar beet and corn. Cane sugar is shown to have distinct advantages in relation to energy input, greenhouse gas emissions, and land utilisation, but does not rate as well in relation to other the impacts assessed (eutrophication and water use). Three factors were found to have the strongest influence on the outcome: agricultural yield, nitrogen emissions, and the environmental 'credits' attributed to co-products. The paper provides further insight into the environmental impacts of cane-sugar production in Australia, and suggests opportunities for improving the environmental profile of the cane industry in this country. These include maximising the environmental ‘credits’ from co-products, optimising nitrogen inputs, mitigating nitrogen losses, and continuing with water efficiency efforts.