abstract
- This study evaluated the environmental performance of protected blueberry (Bb) cultivation in Jalisco, Mexico using life cycle assessment (LCA). Two scenarios were compared: the current protected cultivation system with a linear waste management (LWM) and a prospective circular waste management model (CWM) integrating biochar production from pruning waste. The assessment covered cradle-to-farm-gate boundaries using ReCiPe 2016 midpoint and endpoint indicators, complemented by PestLCI to better capture pesticide emissions. The LWM scenario was modeled with primary operational data, whereas the CWM relied on literature-based proxy data to simulate circular strategies. Background processes were sourced from the ecoinvent database.The LWM system showed a global warming potential (GWP) of 1140.44¿kg CO2 eq per ton of packed blueberries, driven mainly by fossil electricity (27%), waste burning (20%), and infrastructure materials (17%). The CWM scenario reduced GWP to 672.64¿kg CO2 eq per ton (41% reduction) by valorizing organic waste via pyrolysis and partially substituting fossil energy with syngas and bio-oil. CWM also decreased resource depletion by 23% and human health impacts by 12.4%. Energy use and waste management were key hotspots, while fertilizers and pesticides remained major contributors to ecotoxicity.