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Insights into different marine aquaculture infrastructures from a life cycle perspective
Summary
This life cycle assessment compared copper alloy net cages and polyethylene nets in Mediterranean marine aquaculture, finding that copper alloy nets have lower environmental impact — but only when fully recycled at end of life — while copper-based antifouling paints used on polyethylene nets represent a major environmental burden.
Aquaculture facilities represent an often-neglected process in environmental impact studies. This study focus on the environmental impact assessment of alternative net materials in Mediterranean marine aquaculture. A Life Cycle Assessment was conducted using primary and secondary data from specific databases and literature. Three baseline scenarios were compared: copper alloy net cages with 100 % of recycled material (CAN100), 75 % of recycled material (CAN75), and polyethylene net (PEN) System boundaries include manufacturing and disposal of cages, nets, and mooring system. The use and emissions of antifouling paints and CAN were considered. Sensitivity analysis of the most impacting sub-processes and Uncertainty analysis were also conducted. The use of CAN is advantageous in terms of environmental impact, but only considering a complete recyclability of the net at the end of its service life. Moreover, when considering a reduced service life of the PEN due to the detrimental effect of biofouling, the advantage of the CAN is even more evident. To counteract the negative effect of biofouling, copper-based antifouling paints are generally used in marine aquaculture. These products are a main environmental hotspot in PEN systems. Therefore, a higher consumption of such products could determine an environmental burden shifting from CAN to PEN ones. So far, CAN are not widespread in the aquaculture industry, mainly due to the high cost of initial investment compared to traditional PEN. Considering operational and environmental advantages, CAN cages could represent an affordable and resilient solution for aquaculture enhancing environmental, economic, and social performances of this industry. • Aquaculture facilities represent a neglected process in environmental impact studies. • Cages with copper alloy and polyethylene mesh net were evaluated in terms of environmental impact. • Copper-alloy mesh net presents better results, but only with a complete recyclability of the net. • Copper alloy net cages could represent an affordable and resilient solution for aquaculture.