Global Warming Potential and Waste Handling of Pearl Farming in Ago Bay, Mie Prefecture, Japan

Abstract

Pearl farming (PF) represents a significant portion of the world’s total aquaculture production and is a growing multibillion-dollar sector of mollusk aquaculture. However, PF in Mie Prefecture, Japan, has resulted in the deterioration of environmental conditions in Ago Bay, and its environmental impacts are yet to be evaluated using a life-cycle assessment (LCA). Thus, in this study, a cradle-to-gate LCA using 1 kg of pearl produced in Ago Bay was conducted. The key results showed that the global warming potential (GWP) was equivalent to 4.98 kg CO2, which is lower than the GWPs of metals, such as gold and silver, commonly used in jewelry production. Meanwhile, the waste handling of PF is progressing, with current efforts being focused on extracting calcium carbonate, exporting shell waste, and reducing plastic waste. These findings provide critical insights for achieving sustainable pearl production aquaculture.