Life cycle assessment of black tea production and consumption in Türkiye: Insights from waste management scenarios

This study conducts a life cycle assessment (LCA) of tea production and consumption in Türkiye, the world leader in per capita tea consumption. Aiming to identify environmental hotspots and propose sustainable solutions, a cradle-to-grave LCA was performed using CCaLC2 software, CML methodology, and the Ecoinvent 3.0 database. It covers cultivation, processing, transportation, and consumption stages, focusing on key environmental indicators like carbon footprint and acidification potential.

The results reveal that consumption dominates the environmental footprint (91%) due to energy-intensive brewing methods. Cultivation and transportation contribute minimally (4% each). This highlights the need for promoting energy-efficient brewing practices and consumer adoption of renewable energy sources. The study also explores the environmental implications of different waste management strategies. Composting emerged as the most beneficial approach for reducing the carbon footprint and photochemical oxidants creation, while incineration might be preferable for other impact categories.

This study underscores the importance of addressing energy consumption during tea brewing and encouraging renewable energy use among consumers. Additionally, it promotes composting as a crucial waste management strategy for a more sustainable tea value chain in Türkiye. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers, industry players, and tea drinkers to make informed decisions that minimize environmental impact.