PAREDES

CIMA Research Foundation engaged a research activity aimed at a private paper producing company, PAREDES. The environmental impact and high energy consumption of the paper industry has moved PAREDES Italia, with a power pant in Botticino, Lucca to desire to offset carbon dioxide emissions.

CIMA Research Foundation has developed a methodology for estimating the environmental impact of products life cycle based on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and the carbon footprint. Product life cycle assessment considers environmental impacts arising from all the activities and processes ranging from raw material extraction to its transformation, distribution and disposal.

The project aimed at assessing impacts in terms of greenhouse gas emissions by estimating the amount of equivalent carbon dioxide emitted by each segment of the production chain.

The purpose of the study was also to identify what actions to take to offset carbon dioxide emissions, providing an estimate of the extent of new forests to be planted in areas to be retrained.