Life cycle assessment for highlighting environmental hotspots in the Sicilian traditional ceramic sector: the case of ornamental ceramic plates

An environmental assessment of Sicilian traditional ceramics was developed. The study was conducted in accordance with the ISO standards ISO 14040:2006 and 14044:2006 choosing, as the functional unit, 1 kg of ornamental ceramic plates and, as the impact assessment method, Impact 2002+. The system boundaries included the phases of plates' production, all the way to disposal. All primary data needed for the assessment was collected on site in collaboration with a firm involved in the production of ceramic plates. The study showed that the highest environmental impact is due to the consumption of electricity linked to heat treatment during the production phase. Most of the environmental impact damages can be attributed to the damage category Climate Change, whilst the most significant impact categories are Global Warming; Respiratory Inorganics and Non-Renewable Energy use. All that considered efforts for reducing the environmental impacts and, consequently, for improving environmental performance should concentrate on reduction of energy consumption or on the use of renewable energy. This life cycle assessment study represents a building block for a possible future proposal of using environmental labels, for example Environmental Product Declarations, as a tool for exploiting, promoting, and differentiating Sicilian traditional ceramic products in the national and international market.