UNDERSTANDING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH PRODUCTION AND MARKETING OF GUAVA

The objective of the present study was to examine the effect of production and marketing processes on environment, human health, ecosystem and resources. The life cycle assessment (LCA) of various processes and materials used during production phase of guava revealed that the production and application of agricultural inputs were the major contributors to global warming, fresh water aquatic ecotoxicity, terrestrial ecotoxicity, acidification and eutrophication as well as caused highest damage to the ecosystem. The application of zinc monosulphate as micronutrient had major impact on abiotic depletion, ozone layer depletion, human toxicity and photochemical oxidation as well as caused highest damage to human health and resources depletion. The LCA during marketing phase shows that production and consumption of polyvinyl chloride crates for packaging of guava was a major contributor to abiotic depletion, global warming, human toxicity and eutrophication, whereas consumption of electricity for storage and marketing was major contributor to marine aquatic ecotoxicity, terrestrial ecotoxicity, photochemical oxidation and acidification. The abiotic depletion, global warming, ozone layer depletion, human toxicity, fresh water aquatic ecotoxicity, marine aquatic ecotoxicity, terrestrial ecotoxicity, photochemical oxidation, acidification and eutrophication were highest in marketing supply chain involving the maximum number of supply chain partners / intermediaries.