Abstract
The pulp and paper industry is one of the main contributors to greenhouse gas emission and environmental pollution. This paper therefore discusses the Life Cycle Assessment of newsprint paper in Zimbabwe with a view to contributing to decision making, taking and implementation about the sector in developing a path towards sustainability. The study identifies options for improving environmental performance of producing writing and printing paper in Zimbabwe, improving material and energy consumption and promoting environmental awareness and sustainability. The international standards ISO 14040 – 14044 (2006) guidelines were used. The product system considered covers the production of raw materials, the pre-combustion effects of coal and electricity production. The data from the production of newsprint at a Board and Paper Mills company, the largest paper mill in Zimbabwe, was used. Data were collected by reviewing company documents, observation, during study visits and industrial attachments, interviews with the company’s employees, use of questionnaires, from literature and from existing databases used by SIMAPRO. The functional unit for this study was taken as 53gsm newsprint paper produced in Zimbabwe from the pulping of pinewood. Data collected were on energy consumption, water emissions and air emissions to develop life cycle inventories. These were used for mid-point impact assessment using SIMAPRO software. Environmental impacts were assessed under the following impact categories: global warming, acidification, human toxicity, eutrophication, ozone depletion, eco-toxicity and cumulative energy demand. Main air emissions are from the burning of fossil fuel for the production of steam and from electricity production.