Evaluation of Alternative Closure Options for Stonyfield Farm Product Delivery Systems: Supplement to the April 2001 Report: Life Cycle Assessment of the Stonyfield Farm Product Delivery System
Following a review of the April 2001 report (CSS01-03), Stonyfield Farm decided to explore one of the recommended options for improving the environmental performance of their product delivery system. Stonyfield Farm asked the Center for Sustainable Systems to evaluate three alternative closure options for their six and eight ounce containers. This supplement provides a life cycle assessment of the three alternative closure options and compares the environmental life cycle burdens of each alternative with the current closure system. It also includes an estimate of the reduction in corrugated secondary packaging material that would be required to achieve comparable savings.
The Center for Sustainable Systems carried out the evaluation using the same life cycle methodology outlined in the April 2001 report. Four new data modules were added in order to model the alternative options. The current closure system was unchanged except for a revision in the recycling rate of the paperboard slip-sheet which is part of the secondary packaging for Distribution 2.
Smith, V.M. and G.A. Keoleian. 2002. Evaluation of Alternative Closure Options for Stonyfield Farm Product Delivery Systems. University of Michigan: Ann Arbor, 23.