This EPD is a result of a group effort of 68 Greek olive growers from Peloponnese and Crete. From our production of 2011-2012 we have selected a small part of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and bottled it in 21 390 numbered packages of 0.75 litre. This EPD is valid solely for those 21 390 packages. We intend to keep the number of packages under strict control. Every year, only the best of our Extra Virgin Olive Oil will be part of the 21 390 packages.
All packages of olive oil will bear the mark shown below, either as a sticker on the bottle or as a hanging leaflet. Alternatively, the option to have a more expanded text in a 2-3 page leaflet stuck on the bottle, will be used with the following text printed in the inside page:
Environmental performance is expressed according to the Product Category Rules for Virgin Olive Oil and its Fractions (PCR 21537 of the International EPD system). Calculations have been based on a Life Cycle Assessment with the help of SIMAPRO v 7.2.4 software. Three impact assessment methods have been used, i.e. primarily ‘EPD (2008)’ v 1.03, but also ‘CML 2 Baseline 2000’ v 2.05 for abiotic depletion & ecotoxicity and lastly ‘Ecological footprint’ v 1.01.
- RESOURCES are mainly used in the field phase, principally for fertilizers production and in packing phase for glass production. Fossil resources (non renewable) are used for transportation and for tractor operations. A large part of it is used for electricity production, i.e. lignite in mainland Greece and mazut in Crete. Fossil energy resources constitute the core of abiotic resources used, if examined by the method CML2 Baseline 2000 for the assessment of environmental impacts.
- RENEWABLE eneRgy resources are gaining ground in Greece, but for the moment only 7.5 % of total energy required for the functional unit is covered by renewable sources. WateR is used for irrigation and to a smaller extent for glass production and for olive oil process.
- ELECTRICITY use is shared between field phase for irrigation and packing for glass production. Overall, the most important of the environmental impacts caused by the functional unit relate mostly to the field phase, less to the fruit processing phase, and only two with the packing phase. Due to the type of agriculture that is implemented i.e. extensive / low input, with a part of it been organic, the overall significance of most of the impacts is relatively low.
- THE EMISSIONS OF GREENHOUSE GASES -expressed in Global Warming Potential ‘GWP’ in 100 years perspective- sum up to 2.506 kg CO2 eq per functional unit and are mainly due to fertilizers and glass production. However, this type of calculation ignores both, the biogenic CO2 emissions and the removal of CO2 from atmosphere by the olive trees and by the winter weeds which contribute to the ample biodiversity of greek olive groves. Since these two players contribute much more massively than the fossil CO2 emitted, a separate calculation is necessary.
- Two other impact categories are PHOTOCHEMICAL oxidation and HUMAN TOXICITY related emissions. Both are of local interest and -most importantly- they can be controlled. They are due to incomplete burning of about one tonne/ha of pruned wood (dry matter) in bonfires in the fields and in open fires (fireplaces and stoves) producing a number of substances. Carbon monoxide among them is responsible for about 75 % of the photochemical oxidation, while for human toxicity benzene is responsible for 78 % of the toxicologically active substances. So, reduction of wood burning in open fires is a prime objective for improvement of environmental performance.
- EUTROPHICATION is caused primarily by leaching of fertilizers in the field phase. Another important source of substances favouring eutrophication (nitrates and phosphates) are the old technology 3 phase olive oil mills, which produce Olive Mill Waste Water (OMWW). This waste is left to dry in evaporation ponds, from where leaching is possible to the surrounding area. There is a rapid shift to 2-phase olive mills who produce sludge instead. Sludge is further treated by other processing units to produce pomace oil.
- ECOTOXICITY is linked to production of electricity, so it is rather a regional than a local issue. Even so, it is gradually diminishing, as renewable sources gain ground for the production of electricity.
- Land use is almost exclusively related to the field part with only a limited area occupied by facilities for extraction, storage and packing. Due to the low input character of the crop, yields were about 760 litre/ha, so an average of 9.936 m2 are required to produce the 0.750 litres of olive oil of the functional unit.
- ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT is dominated by olive groves area. The land occupation element of ecological footprint is 21.151 sq.m. x a. However, olive tree occupied land maintains the same characteristics for more than 5 000 years. So, only the remaining 4.258 sq.m. x a are relevant for consideration.
- MATERIALS for recycling, re-use or used in another way include recyclable lubricant oils, not burnt wood and leaves separated from olive fruit in the oil mills. Leaves are either incorporated in soil, avoiding thus to some extent the production of fertilizers, or used as animal feed. Water used for washing the olives and oil mill waste-water (OMWW) constitute most of the waste. Pruned wood burnt in stoves and dry pomace are two renewable materials replacing the need for the production of fuel oil.|
