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Abstract: In assessing environmental impacts of packaging, it is necessary to use modern software tools, supported by verifiable databases based on the environmental life cycles of products. There are several software solutions that differ greatly from each other in terms of the complexity of life cycle modeling, accessibility to databases, LCIA methods used to determine environmental impacts, and the dynamics of database updating. The aim of this paper is to conduct LCA study for the case of a two-layered polymeric film made from low density polyethylene (PE-LD) and polyamide-6 (PA-6) laminated plastic packaging film using several LCIA methods to compare and comment the final LCA results in terms of the life-cycle environmental impacts. Results clearly show that the choice of LCIA method for evaluating environmental impacts within LCA study has a very large impact on the final result.
Keywords: packaging, life cycle assessment, LCIA methods, environmental impacts
Published in DKUM: 23.10.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 5
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Abstract: Consumers are increasingly exposed to environmental claims on food products. These claims often lack scientific validation and there are different methodologies that can be used for grounding these claims, which can lead to misleading results. The European Union’s (EU) Environmental Footprint methodology excludes the aggregation of environmental impacts, including damage to human health. This fact reduces transparency and limits the consumers’ ability to make information-based sustainable choices. This study aims to address this issue by calculating aggregated impacts on human health via life cycle assessment (LCA) in the agriculture and food-production sectors. In the study the IMPACT World+ method was used, including trustworthy databases and proper functional unit definition. The assessment encompassed three types of vegetables, four types of fruit, and four types of ready meals. The study also attempts to assess the impact of different farming systems (organic and conventional) on human health. Two standardised functional units, i.e., the unit based on product weight and product energy value were considered for each group of products. Our findings showed significant differences in results when different functional units were used. Additionally, no conclusion could be drawn regarding which farming system is more sustainable. Therefore, it is essential that the regulator clearly defines the criteria for selecting the appropriate functional unit in LCA within the agriculture and food-production sectors. In the absence of these criteria, results should be presented for all alternatives. Although not required by EU regulation, the authors suggest that companies should nevertheless disclose information regarding the environmental impact of agriculture and food production on human health, as this is important for consumers.
Keywords: sustainable food production, environmental concerns, life cycle assessment, human health, responsible consumption
Published in DKUM: 24.09.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 9
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Abstract: Agriculture and food production can cause a variety of adverse environmental impacts. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is the only standardised method so far that provides a comprehensive assessment of the environmental burden of products. LCA results can be expressed as environmental impacts (midpoint level) or environmental damage (endpoint level). Communication on environmental impact is mostly carried out as a part of the Carbon Footprint (CF) or Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), while reporting on environmental damage is rarely used. Due to the growing interest of consumers in ‘healthy’ food, it is important that food producers address the environmental damage. Therefore, an overview of existing Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) methods that provide insight into endpoint indicators describing damage to human health has been performed and presented in this paper. The application of the selected LCIA methods is demonstrated for the case of food products, highlighting the fact that the results obtained by different LCIA methods are not directly comparable due to a variety of methodological limitations, such as the existence of different environmental indicators and their structure. Finally, the usage of the LCA method for designing food products is presented, with the aim of enabling consumers to choose diets with lower environment and human health impacts.
Keywords: sustainable food consumption, eco-conscious choices, life cycle assessment, environmental impact, human health
Published in DKUM: 23.09.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 4
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Abstract: The quality of living environments for older adults represents a critical component of social sustainability in an ageing society. Among various housing options, nursing homes are the most institutionalised form of elderly care and demand special attention regarding architectural design. This paper explores the impact of architectural and open space features on social sustainability in living environments for older adults. A comparative analysis of three Slovenian nursing homes is presented. The first two, built in the post-war period, were based on elevated architectural criteria inspired by Swedish human-centred housing design. The third was completed in 2021 in the post-COVID-19 era, which revealed the vulnerability of such housing typologies. An integrated methodological framework was developed by applying two complementary assessment tools: the Safe and Connected, developed by the authors to evaluate the spatial, health, and social resilience of nursing home environments, and the Well-being and Integration, addressing the role of open space with a particular emphasis on the identification of older adults with their environment and the facilitation of social resilience. Both tools evaluate indicators linked to the social dimension of quality of life for older adults. The results show a gradual improvement in architectural quality from the 1960s to the 1980s, followed by a partial decline in the contemporary case. The Swedish example scored highest across both tools. In contrast, the newest Slovenian facility scored surprisingly low in social integration, highlighting critical gaps in current nursing home design. This study demonstrates the value of applying interdisciplinary, tool-based evaluations in identifying design strategies that foster resilient and inclusive LTC environments, and the proposed framework may serve as a decision-making aid for architects, planners, and policymakers. This research highlights the importance of reintroducing human-oriented design principles to support socially sustainable nursing home environments.
Keywords: assessment tools, living environment, nursing homes, older adults, social sustainability
Published in DKUM: 13.08.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 15
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Abstract: This study sheds light on prospective primary teachers’ understanding of rational numbers. This is an experimental study that aims to evaluate prospective primary teachers’ mathematical and didactic knowledge of rational numbers through online formative assessment. The participants were 38 prospective primary teachers from a primary teacher education study program at a public university in Pekanbaru, Riau, Indonesia. This study indicates that the prospective teachers have insufficient knowledge of rational numbers, and they possess better mathematical than didactic knowledge. This study also reveals a significant increase in prospective teachers’ mathematical and didactic scores from the first test to the second test.
Keywords: mathematical knowledge, didactic knowledge, online formative assessment, rational numbers, rational numbers, teacher knowledge
Published in DKUM: 28.07.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 1
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