Assessing the climate impacts of oat straw as a raw material
Straw is an interesting renewable feedstock for various high-value products, such as textile fibers. However, straw encompass to soils maintains a good soil structure, fertility, and carbon storage. Despite the availability of previous research on this topic, uncertainties remain regarding the clima...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-09-01
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Series: | Cleaner Materials |
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Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772397622000934 |
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author | Lauri Leppäkoski Ville Uusitalo Susanna Horn Jarkko Levänen Heli Kasurinen Anna Härri |
author_facet | Lauri Leppäkoski Ville Uusitalo Susanna Horn Jarkko Levänen Heli Kasurinen Anna Härri |
author_sort | Lauri Leppäkoski |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Straw is an interesting renewable feedstock for various high-value products, such as textile fibers. However, straw encompass to soils maintains a good soil structure, fertility, and carbon storage. Despite the availability of previous research on this topic, uncertainties remain regarding the climate and soil impacts of straw collection. This study aims to show the carbon footprint (CF) of straw collection compared with that of soil encompass. The goal is to demonstrate uncertainties related to initial data and methodological assumptions on whether straw is regarded as a waste or a coproduct and illustrate where more measured data is needed. Life cycle assessment method was used to conduct this study and the data therein were gotten from literature. The results show that straw removal can lead to reduced greenhouse gas emissions in comparison to soil encompass because of reduced nitrogen fertilizing needs and subsequent N2O emissions. However, there is high uncertainty related to soil organic carbon (SOC) and N2O emission changes because of straw removal. It is also possible that greenhouse gas emissions increase due to straw removal. Straw seems to have a relatively low CF, especially when it is regarded as a waste. Coproduct interpretation significantly increases the emissions allocated for straw. Straw also stores carbon, and its total CF can be negative. The life cycle length of the straw-based end products determines how long carbon can be stored before it is released back into the atmosphere. Total greenhouse gas emission balance at a system level can be defined only when also straw refining and manufacturing of replaced final products are considered. Additional information is needed, especially on soil emissions (N2O and CH4) and impacts on SOC storage, to ensure the sustainability of straw-based products. |
first_indexed | 2024-04-12T05:16:45Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-2f96a1e6cf9d41e9977cefe8bc587b0b |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2772-3976 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-04-12T05:16:45Z |
publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
publisher | Elsevier |
record_format | Article |
series | Cleaner Materials |
spelling | doaj.art-2f96a1e6cf9d41e9977cefe8bc587b0b2022-12-22T03:46:36ZengElsevierCleaner Materials2772-39762022-09-015100133Assessing the climate impacts of oat straw as a raw materialLauri Leppäkoski0Ville Uusitalo1Susanna Horn2Jarkko Levänen3Heli Kasurinen4Anna Härri5Department of Sustainability Science, LUT University, Mukkulankatu 19, 15210 Lahti, Finland; Corresponding author.Department of Sustainability Science, LUT University, Mukkulankatu 19, 15210 Lahti, FinlandFinnish Environment Institute, SYKE, Latokartanonkaari 11, 00790 Helsinki, FinlandDepartment of Sustainability Science, LUT University, Mukkulankatu 19, 15210 Lahti, FinlandDepartment of Sustainability Science, LUT University, Mukkulankatu 19, 15210 Lahti, FinlandDepartment of Sustainability Science, LUT University, Mukkulankatu 19, 15210 Lahti, FinlandStraw is an interesting renewable feedstock for various high-value products, such as textile fibers. However, straw encompass to soils maintains a good soil structure, fertility, and carbon storage. Despite the availability of previous research on this topic, uncertainties remain regarding the climate and soil impacts of straw collection. This study aims to show the carbon footprint (CF) of straw collection compared with that of soil encompass. The goal is to demonstrate uncertainties related to initial data and methodological assumptions on whether straw is regarded as a waste or a coproduct and illustrate where more measured data is needed. Life cycle assessment method was used to conduct this study and the data therein were gotten from literature. The results show that straw removal can lead to reduced greenhouse gas emissions in comparison to soil encompass because of reduced nitrogen fertilizing needs and subsequent N2O emissions. However, there is high uncertainty related to soil organic carbon (SOC) and N2O emission changes because of straw removal. It is also possible that greenhouse gas emissions increase due to straw removal. Straw seems to have a relatively low CF, especially when it is regarded as a waste. Coproduct interpretation significantly increases the emissions allocated for straw. Straw also stores carbon, and its total CF can be negative. The life cycle length of the straw-based end products determines how long carbon can be stored before it is released back into the atmosphere. Total greenhouse gas emission balance at a system level can be defined only when also straw refining and manufacturing of replaced final products are considered. Additional information is needed, especially on soil emissions (N2O and CH4) and impacts on SOC storage, to ensure the sustainability of straw-based products.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772397622000934StrawLife cycle assessmentCarbon footprintTextilesSoil |
spellingShingle | Lauri Leppäkoski Ville Uusitalo Susanna Horn Jarkko Levänen Heli Kasurinen Anna Härri Assessing the climate impacts of oat straw as a raw material Cleaner Materials Straw Life cycle assessment Carbon footprint Textiles Soil |
title | Assessing the climate impacts of oat straw as a raw material |
title_full | Assessing the climate impacts of oat straw as a raw material |
title_fullStr | Assessing the climate impacts of oat straw as a raw material |
title_full_unstemmed | Assessing the climate impacts of oat straw as a raw material |
title_short | Assessing the climate impacts of oat straw as a raw material |
title_sort | assessing the climate impacts of oat straw as a raw material |
topic | Straw Life cycle assessment Carbon footprint Textiles Soil |
url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772397622000934 |
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