On January 12 and April 11, 2024, the SWITCH-Asia WP3 project convened experts from academia, industry, and non-governmental organizations in two meetings to delve into the life cycle cost (LCC) and life cycle assessment(LCA) of food transport packaging. The participation of the IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute provided crucial academic support and practical experience to these meetings.

January 12, 2024 Meeting Recap

The meeting on January 12 was held in a hybrid format, with both in-person and online participants, and was hosted by Gao Si. The objective of this meeting was to introduce the project and clarify the goals of the discussions. Huang Shuhan and Dr. Jiang presented detailed analyses of simplified and complex versions of the LCC of food transport packaging. Following this, Ren Pinqiao provided an in-depth explanation of the LCA of typical food items.

The discussion segment was the highlight of the meeting, with all participants engaging in intense discussions on related topics. Experts explored the environmental impacts and cost-benefit analysis of food transport packaging throughout its life cycle, offering numerous constructive suggestions.

Experts Present at the Meeting:

• Wang Junfeng: Director and Professor, Research Center for Circular Economy and Low-Carbon Development, Nankai University

• Dr. Jiang (Online): Professor, Jinhua Vocational and Technical College, specializing in agricultural product supply chain optimization

• Tang Haibin: Operations Director, SPAR China

• Zhao Junlong: Executive Director/General Manager, Ningxia Xinhua Department Store Modern Logistics Co., Ltd.

• Qin Dongdong (Online): Senior Manager of Logistics Operations, Xianfeng Fruits

• Li Wei (Online): Senior Manager, Shandong Ginza Distribution Center

• Lv Xiaowei: Senior Solutions Manager, Lukai Logistics Equipment Leasing (Beijing) Co., Ltd.

April 11-12, 2024 Meeting Recap

The April 11-12 meeting was held in Beijing, again hosted by Gao Si. This meeting continued the discussion on LCC and LCA of food transport packaging, with more experts and project team members participating. Zhao Xuchen introduced the LCA study of reusable plastic crates, and Zhu Yanjing conducted a special discussion on fruit and vegetable selection.

The agenda included multiple reports and key issue discussions. Experts proposed specific recommendations on addressing the complexities of LCC and LCA and optimizing food transport packaging to reduce environmental impact.

Additional Experts Present at the Meeting:

• Liu Gang: Tenured Professor, School of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Changjiang Scholar Chair Professor

• Gao Xiaoyi: Director, International Cooperation Department, All-China Environment Federation

• Tian Ruifeng: China Chain Store and Franchise Association

• Zhou Hui: Associate Researcher, Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences

• Chang Qian: Assistant Researcher, Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences

• Jiang Yingmei: Professor, Jinhua Vocational and Technical College

IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute's Participation

The IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute played a crucial role in these meetings, with team members providing strong support for the success of the events. The participating members included:

• Gao Si: Meeting host, responsible for overall organization and coordination.

• Zhu Yanjing: Main speaker for the fruit and vegetable selection discussion, presenting research findings.

• Yao Juanjuan, Yang Kai, Huang Si, Zhao Xuchen, Huang Shuhan, Ren Pinqiao: Project team members contributing their expertise and research findings in various reports and discussion sessions.

The involvement and contributions of these members ensured the professionalism and scientific rigor of the meeting content, offering valuable insights and practical experience for advancing LCC and LCA analysis research in food transport packaging.

The two meetings provided essential academic and practical support for the advancement of the SWITCH-Asia WP3 project. Through the in-depth discussions among experts, the project made significant progress in the LCC and LCA analysis of food transport packaging. These achievements will provide a solid foundation for future research and practical applications, driving the realization of sustainable development. The participation of the IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute not only enhanced the academic level of the meetings but also provided strong support for the successful implementation of the project.