Abstract: The aim of this work is to compare the environmental impacts of two production processes of tissue paper using virgin pulp (virgin fiber) or waste paper pulp (recycled fiber). This comparison is based on the materials and energy used as well as emissions and waste resulting from the production of tissue paper. Life cycle assessment (LCA), ReCiPe method, was chosen as the analysis tool. The results of the research proved that electricity has the most considerable participation in the overall environmental impacts in both production processes, followed by either virgin pulp or heat. Consequently, these two production processes are the greatest contributors to the following midpoint environmental impact categories: human toxicity, climate change, human health and ecosystems, and fossil depletion. The analysis based on endpoint impact categories proved that the production process based on waste paper is more environmentally friendly than the one based on virgin pulp in all impact categories: human health, ecosystems, resources. This is largely because of its lower material and energy requirements in the entire life cycle. Due to the fact that the tissue paper is the final use of fiber, using recycled waste paper is strongly recommended. The obtained research results are a valuable source of management information for the decision makers at both company and national levels required to improve the environmental performance of tissue paper production.
B I B L I O G R A F I A[1] Fisher International, Poland: international presence in a locally focused T&T market: Country report, Tissue World Magazine, July/August 2013.
[2] Godlewska K., Żubrzak M., Tissue market in Poland - production, consumption, trends, Przegląd Papierniczy, 70, 3, 121-123, 2014.
[3] Michniewicz M., Janiga M., Sokoł A., Żubrzak M., Przybyszewska-Witczak E., Kiszczak B., Jarowski P., Bartosiak M., The Best Available Techniques (BAT). Guidelines for the Pulp and Paper Industry [in Polish: Najlepsze dostępne techniki (BAT). Wytyczne dla branży celulozowo-papierniczej], Ministry of the Environment, Warsaw, 2005.
[4] Fornalski Z., Godlewska K., Market analysis of availability of recycled paper in Poland [in Polish: Analiza rynkowa dostępności papieru pochodzącego z recyklingu w Polsce], Association of Polish Papermakers, Łodź 2009.
[5] Dias A., Arroja L., Capela I., Life cycle assessment of printing and writing paper produced in Portugal, Int. J. Life Cycle Assess, 12, 7, 521-528, 2007.
[6] Hong J., Li X., Environmental assessment of recycled printing and writing paper: a case study in China, Waste Manage, 32, 2, 264-270, 2012.
[7] Lopes E., Dias A., Arroja L., Capela I., Pereira F., Application of life cycle assessment to the Portuguese pulp and paper industry, J. Cleaner Prod., 11, 1, 51-59, 2003.
[8] Krishna Manda B.M., Blok K., Patel M.K., Innovations in papermaking: An LCA of printing and writing paper from conventional and high yield pulp, Science of The Total Environment, 439, 307-320, 2012.
[9] Tukker A., Handbook on Life Cycle Assessment, New York Boston Dordrecht London Moscow, Kluwer Academic Publishers, p.19, 2002.
[10] Rybaczewska-Błażejowska M., Masternak-Janus A., Monitoring the impacts of the recycling industry - the LCA analysis, Innovations in management and production engineering, Oficyna Wydawnicza Polskiego Towarzystwa Zarządzania Produkcją, pp. 178-187, 2015.
[11] Barański A., Gworek B., Bojanowicz-Bablok A., Life cycle assessment. Theory and practice [in Polish: Ocena cyklu życia. Teoria i praktyka], Warszawa, Institute of Environmental Protection - National Research Institute, p. 23, 2011.
[12] Masternak-Janus A., Rybaczewska-Błażejowska M., Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) - methodology and applicability [in Polish: Ocena cyklu życia (LCA) - metodologia i możliwości zastosowania], Contemporary conditions of development of socio-economic World-Poland-Świętokrzyskie region, Kielce University of Technology, pp. 506-517, 2014.
[13] Kowalski Z., Kulczycka J., Goralczyk M., Ecological life cycle assessment of manufacturing processes [in Polish: Ekologiczna ocena cyklu życia procesów wytworczych (LCA)], Warszawa, Scientific Publishing PWN, pp. 36-53, 2007.
[14] Straka T.J., Layton P.A., Natural Resources Management: Life Cycle Assessment and Forest Certification and Sustainability Issues, Sustainability, 2, 604-623, 2010.
[15] Gemechu E.D., Butnar I., Goma-Camps J., Pons A., Castells F., A comparison of the GHG emissions caused by manufacturing tissue paper from virgin pulp or recycled waste paper, Int. J. Life Cycle Assess, 18, 8, 1618-1628, 2013.
[16] Madsen J., Life cycle assessment of tissue products, Environmental Resources Management, pp. 46-110, 2007.
[17] Rybaczewska-Błażejowska M., Luściński S., The application of Life Cycle Assessment with GS1 system support, Innovations in Management and Production Engineering, Oficyna Wydawnicza Polskiego Towarzystwa Zarządzania Produkcją, pp. 253-262, 2014.
[18] Rybaczewska-Błażejowska M., Economic, environmental and social aspects of waste management - the LCA analysis, Pragmata tes Oikonomias, 7, 239-250, 2013.
[19] Ghinea C., Petraru M., Simion I.M., Bressers D., Gavrilescu M., Life cycle assessment of waste management and recycled paper systems, EEMJ, 13, 8, 2073-2085, 2014.
[20] Goedkoop M., Heijungs R., Huijbregts M., De Schryver A., Struijs J., van Zelm R., ReCiPe 2008. A life cycle impact assessment method which comprises harmonized category indicators at the midpoint and the endpoint level, Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment, 2009. 
Pełny tekst 
DOI 
YADDA/CEON