Introduction to Life-Cycle Assessment and Decision Making Applied to Forest Biomaterials 161
Problem 2 Use the USLCI data below for inputs and outputs, for Cotton, whole
plant, at field. For 8 metric tonnes of cotton product produced, determine the following
quantities:
The total amount of cotton straw coproduct.
The total amount of outputs in kilogram of air pollutants.
The total amount of outputs in kilogram of water pollutants.
The amount of total land needed.
The amount of total fertilizers needed.
The amount of total pesticides needed.
The amount of total electricity needed.
The amount of total water needed.
Inputs Unit Amount Comments
Carbon dioxide kg 1.69 Carbon fixation through plant
growth
Diesel, combusted in
industrial equipment
l 0.231 Farm tractor, energy consumption
Dummy, agrochemicals, at plant kg 0.009 Pesticides – consumption
Dummy, phosphorous fertilizer
(TSP as P 2 O 5 ), at plant
kg 0.0503 Fertilizers NPK Ca and method of
application
Dummy, potash fertilizer (K 2 O),
at plant
kg 0.0556 Fertilizers NPK Ca and method of
application
Electricity, at grid,
United States, 2000
kWh 0.247 Energy consumption
Liquefied petroleum gas,
combusted in industrial boiler
l 0.0257 Energy consumption
Natural gas, combusted in
industrial boiler
m^3 0.0000661 Energy consumption
Nitrogen fertilizer, production
mix, at plant
kg 0.124 Fertilizers NPK Ca and method of
application
Occupation, arable,
conservation tillage
m^2 *a 2.75 Planted surface, tillage practices
Occupation, arable,
conventional tillage
m^2 *a 10.4 Planted surface, tillage practices
Occupation, arable, reduced
tillage
m^2 *a 1.55 Planted surface, tillage practices
Quicklime, at plant kg 0.158 Fertilizers NPK Ca and method of
application
Transport, single unit truck,
diesel powered
t*km 0.113 Transportation of fertilizers
(200 km)
Transport, train, diesel powered t*km 0.302 Transportation of fertilizers
(400 km)
Water l 287 Water consumption – consumptive
use for
Water, well l 1020 Water consumption – consumptive
use for
