Evaluating the Energy Resources and Environmental Impacts for Blueberry Packaging Materials with a Focus on End-of-Life Scenarios

Because of their many health benefits, blueberries are highly sought after as superfoods. There are also ongoing initiatives to enhance sustainability in blueberry packaging by selecting appropriate materials. Ideal packaging should ensure the safe delivery of the fruit to consumers while maintaining product quality, addressing environmental concerns, and promoting circularity. The environmental impact of four different packaging materials was assessed using a comparative cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment. The materials evaluated included a cardboard package (CB), a cardboard package with a cellulose lid (CBC), a polypropylene (PP) as a control, and a punnet made from rice straw topped with polylactic acid (RPLA), a bio-based plastic. The evaluation considered all environmental impact categories, utilizing Sphera GaBi software and the CML 2016 method. Special attention was given to various end-of-life scenarios, determining energy resources and fossil abiotic depletions. The results indicate that RPLA is the most eco-friendly option, with the lowest carbon footprint and energy resources. CB has a larger carbon footprint but less overall impact than traditional incineration, while CBC has the highest impact during recycling, mainly due to marine ecotoxicity. PP has a relatively low impact on energy resources and fossil abiotic depletion compared to CB and CBC packaging materials.