Charcoal or propane? Every summer, the debate is revived around the flames of the barbecue. Let’s add a little fuel to the fire by adding an element to the gastronomic debate: the environmental factor.
Following the publication last week of an article on the carbon footprint of our plate, a reader wonders about cooking methods. “Gas barbecue, briquette barbecue, pellet smoker or wood fire when camping: which is less polluting? », asks Léonie Drolet.
Let us first point out that, unlike many African countries where wood-fired ovens are commonly used, barbecues have a negligible impact on overall Canadian greenhouse gas emissions.
To reduce our individual carbon footprint, moderating our transport will have more impact than giving up barbecues. And what we put on the grill – red meat, poultry or tofu – also weighs more heavily than the cooking method chosen.
Generally speaking, a propane barbecue emits less carbon and releases fewer fine particles into the air than one powered by charcoal or briquettes. However, there is little reliable comparative data and the results depend on several factors, including the duration of preheating the device and the origin of the charcoal used.
In 2009, Eric Johnson, an environmental consultant based in Switzerland, compared the carbon footprint of cooking with propane with that of charcoal. The conclusion of his study, published in Environmental Impact Assessment Review: a charcoal barbecue has a footprint about three times higher when you take into account emissions during cooking, fuel production, transportation and of the manufacture of the device. The gap widens if the charcoal does not come from a renewable forest and a fossil fuel is used to light it.
Furthermore, although charcoal is a natural fuel, resulting from a carbonization process, it often contains contaminants such as metal, plastic or charcoal.
But it has the potential to be carbon neutral, unlike propane, a non-renewable fossil fuel. “If the coal comes from a perennial forest, net CO2 emissions should be lower than with propane,” says, cautiously, Normand Mousseau, professor of physics at the University of Montreal and scientific director. from the Trottier Energy Institute.
However, for coal to be considered carbon neutral, the trees that replace those that were cut down for its production must be able to capture as much CO2 as the quantity that will be released. In reality, this objective is rarely achieved.
This also applies to the campfire mentioned by Ms. Drolet. But, in both scenarios, wood combustion will nevertheless emit fine particles which, in high concentrations, can have effects on air quality and respiratory health.
For charcoal diehards, however, it is possible to choose products with reduced environmental repercussions. In Quebec, companies produce charcoal with local wood, including Maple Leaf, Basques Franc Wood Charcoal and Xylo-Carbone.
At Feuille d’érable, in the MRC of Portneuf, pieces of wood that cannot be transformed into lumber or hardwood, and therefore downgraded by the forestry industry, are used. The wood comes from certified forests (FSC) for responsible management.
With the residue, the company also makes briquettes, popular for slow cooking at lower heat. “We grind the residue, add water and a food grade starch which acts as a binder,” explains the general director of Maple Leaf, Daniel Matte. This starch costs more, but is not harmful to health. » He adds that the company’s products do not contain any chemical additives. “We see a lot in the market of briquettes that contain fuel. »
Another element that makes comparisons difficult: the efficiency of appliances has improved in recent years, notes Mike McNeice, director of public affairs for the Canadian Firepit, Patio and Barbecue Association (HPBAC).
In another study published in 2022, Eric Johnson highlights the variability in results between different propane barbecues. So the footprint of a super-efficient gas grill is half that of a conventional grill, even though it uses exactly the same fuel, the study notes.
It also looks at a recent market trend: that of wood pellet barbecues and smokers. Composed of wood residues, with a modest production footprint, they are more ecological than charcoal and propane, notes the study. But their claim of carbon neutrality is also criticized by some experts.
No offense to purists, from an environmental perspective, in Quebec, the best choice is probably the electric barbecue. Popular with condo owners, these devices are, however, far from having won the hearts of all barbecue lovers.
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