Hort Innovation, in collaboration with Lifecycles, has initiated an environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) of Australian avocados. This assessment aims to address the growing need for sustainability, strategic investment guidance, consumer information provision, and compliance with environmental reporting mandates. The LCA seeks to furnish avocado growers and their associations with environmental performance metrics, including averages, benchmarks, and identification of areas for environmental improvement. This effort aligns with Hort Innovation's broader objectives to benchmark industry performance and devise a sustainability strategy.
Adhering to the International Standard for Life Cycle Assessment (ISO14044), the study aims to quantify the environmental impacts throughout the lifecycle of avocados, focusing on greenhouse gas emissions and water usage. It will encompass both individual case studies and an industry-wide analysis to provide a comprehensive overview of the Australian avocado sector's environmental footprint. John Tyas, CEO of Avocados Australia, mentioned, "This project will help to underpin our sustainability strategy which is currently under development." Funded by Hort Innovation through the Avocado research and development levy and Australian Government contributions, the project is expected to span two years.
Source: RetailWorld