Environmental implications of using different kilns for charcoal production: A case study of Mexican sector

Abstract

This paper analyzes the environmental performance of charcoal production of five kiln technologies: industrial metal kiln, Brazilian beehive kiln, modified Brazilian beehive kiln, Argentinean half-orange kiln, and modified Argentinean half-orange kiln. For this purpose, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology was used focusing on the analysis of global warming, human toxicity, both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic, marine and terrestrial ecotoxicity, and ozone formation. The pyrolysis stage is the main source of environmental impacts, in all categories assessed. Industrial metal kilns demonstrated the lowest environmental impact due to their ability to capture emissions during pyrolysis. However, their high initial cost limits their widespread use. On the other hand, masonry kilns, especially the Argentinean half-orange models and their modified version, offer good performance in terms of both environmental impact and economic viability. This highlights the need to optimize the charcoal value chain, particularly in the utilization of by-products, e.g., tar, to further reduce environmental impacts and improve the economic sustainability of more efficient kiln technologies. The adoption of more efficient and environmentally sustainable technologies is essential to mitigate the negative impacts of charcoal production on the environment and human health. The recommendations focus on the need for investment in advanced technologies and improvements in by-product management to ensure cleaner and more efficient production.