Life Cycle Analysis of Cumulative Energy Demand on Sericulture in Karnataka, India

Abstract

The environmental impact of textile production is an area of increasing focus for both regulation and consumers. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a framework to determine actual and potential environmental impacts associated with products and services and identifying efficient opportunities for reducing burdens. With few exceptions, such LCA data is available on the primary production of textiles. Despite its high profile, no prior LCA studies of sericulture and silk reeling have been performed. We conducted an LCA of silk yarn production in India using data from a pilot survey performed in Karnataka state. The study focused on cumulative energy demand (CED). Our results indicate that on a mass flow basis Indian silk is a highly resource intensive product. Calculated CED values are above 1800 MJ/kg, significantly higher than for comparison fibres. Survey results further indicate that most sampled farmers diverge from guideline values in fertiliser application. The identified hotspots of energy use in irrigation and reeling energy use suggest that these would be effective areas of focus in increasing silk sustainability.