LCA Modelling for the Development of a Simplified Assessment Tool for Food Waste Valorisation and Disposal

Life cycle analysis (LCA) modelling for the development of a simplified assessment tool for food waste valorisation and disposal faces several challenges. Aspects such as theoretical robustness, data availability and communicative capacity from the view of the users of the tool are determining factors to agree on a modelling framework, but which are not always obvious. The contribution presents the iterative journey of finding an appropriate framework for a generic and simplified spreadsheet tool to assess greenhouse gas emissions and costs of valorisation and disposal of food side-flows such as apple pomace, animal blood, brewer spent grain and whey permeate. Different approaches of modelling frameworks (attributional, consequential small-scale, consequential large-scale) were tested in its applicability to fulfil the requirements of the spreadsheet tool.