Life cycle assessment applied to the cutlery sector in the case of steel-based production

The growing global awareness of environmental problems requires companies to design their production processes to reduce ecological impact and pursue sustainable development. In this rapidly changing context, the transition to a greener economy demands a complete understanding of the environmental consequences of industrial production. In this regard, life cycle assessment has emerged as a critical tool to comprehensively assess the environmental impacts associated with each stage of the product life cycle. Sustainable development addresses many issues, including resource efficiency, waste reduction, and, in general, the minimization of environmental footprints resulting from processes. The LCA approach provides valuable information in this regard, as each stage of a product's life cycle is analyzed, from extraction to final disposal of the material allowing companies to determine which improvement areas are crucial for a more sustainable production. The present study relates to the cutlery market spanning from disposable plastic, cardboard, and bamboo cutlery to stainless steel cutlery. A complete LCA of stainless-steel forks is conducted using primary data from an Italian company. All the production steps will be analyzed, from stainless steel coil to end of life, to highlight the environmental hotspots of each process, such as energy consumption, resource use, and emissions. Based on the results of the LCA, strategies for improvements will be proposed to guide more informed decision-making in industrial production, offering a path toward more sustainable production processes that balance ecological responsibility with operational efficiency.