Use of the life-cycle assessment (LCA) toolbox for an environmental evaluation of production processes

2000 ◽  
Vol 72 (7) ◽  
pp. 1247-1252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monika Herrchen ◽  
Werner Klein
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Conceptual Approach ◽  
Environmental Evaluation ◽  
Central Production ◽  
Pros And Cons ◽  
Chemical Products ◽  
By Products

Green chemistry not only emphasizes the central production process of the "green" chemical, but it ultimately requires a life-cycle conceptual approach for each chemical product. A life-cycle conceptual approach comprises the consideration of all stages along the life cycle of a chemical (i.e., raw material extraction, pre-production, production, use, recycling, and disposal) as well as the consideration of environmental impacts caused by by-products and auxiliaries (such as solvents and additives, but also technical facilities which have to be provided to produce the green chemical). A significant improvement in the evaluation of green chemical products can be approached by the complementary use of the methodologies of life-cycle assessment (LCA) and risk assessment. The use and combination of both methodologies can be performed by a separate use of the instruments (depending on the scope, definition, and application of LCA), an iterative use of LCA and risk assessment, or a complete integration of both instruments. Pros and cons of these approaches are discussed.

scholarly journals Review and expert survey of allocation methods used in life cycle assessment of milk and beef

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Venla Kyttä ◽  
Marja Roitto ◽  
Aleksi Astaptsev ◽  
Merja Saarinen ◽  
Hanna L. Tuomisto
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Body Parts ◽  
Economic Allocation ◽  
Allocation Method ◽  
Lca Practitioners ◽  
By Products ◽  
Allocation Methods

Abstract Purpose Beef and dairy production systems produce several by-products, such as fertilizers, bioenergy, hides, and pet foods, among which the environmental impacts arising from production should be allocated. The choice of allocation method therefore inevitably affects the results of life cycle assessment (LCA) for milk and beef. The aims of this study were to map out the different allocation methods used in dairy and beef LCA studies and to clarify the rationale for selecting a certain method. Methods A literature review was conducted to identify the different allocation methods used in LCA studies of milk and beef production and the products using beef by-products as a raw material. The justifications for the use of different methods in the studies were also collected. To map out the perspectives of LCA practitioners and further clarify the reasoning behind the use of certain allocation methods, a mixed method survey with quantitative questions and qualitative explanatory fields was sent to the authors included in the literature review. Results and discussion The literature review showed that the most commonly used allocation method between milk and meat was biophysical allocation, which is also the recommended method in LCA guidelines of milk production. Economic allocation was the second most common method, although the rationale for using economic allocation was weak. By-products, such as inedible body parts, were not considered in milk studies and were taken into account in only a small number of beef studies. This might be because most of the studies have cradle-to-farm gate system boundaries. According to the survey, a significantly higher share of LCA practitioners would allocate impacts also to these by-products. Conclusions The allocation is usually done between milk and meat, and other by-products are not taken into account. Since these materials are an unavoidable part of production and there are numerous uses for them, these outputs should be recognized as products and also taken into consideration in LCA studies.

scholarly journals An Environmental Evaluation of the Cut-Flower Supply Chain (Dendranthema grandiflora) Through a Life Cycle Assessment

Revista EIA ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (31) ◽  
pp. 27-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Alicia Parrado Moreno ◽  
Ricardo Esteba Ricardo Hernández ◽  
Héctor Iván Velásquez Arredondo ◽  
Sergio Hernando Lopera Castro ◽  
Christian Hasenstab --
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Cut Flowers ◽  
Environmental Evaluation ◽  
Fertilizer Use ◽  
Transport Phase

Colombia is a major flower exporter of a wide variety of species, among which the chrysanthemum plays a major role due to its exporting volume and profitability on the international market. This study examines the major environmental impacts of the chrysanthemum supply chain through a life cycle assessment (LCA). One kg of stems export quality was used as the functional unit (FU). The study examines cut-flowers systems from raw material extraction to final product commercialization for two markets (London and Miami) and analyzes two agroecosystems: one certified system and one uncertified system. The transport phase to London resulted in more significant environmental impacts than the transport phase to Miami, and climate change (GWP100) category was significant in both cities, generating values of 9.10E+00 and 2.51E+00 kg CO2-eq*FU for London and Miami, respectively. Furthermore, when exclusively considering pre-export phases, the uncertified system was found to have a greater impact than the certified system with respect to fertilizer use (certified 1,448E-02 kg*FU, uncertified 2.23E-01 kg*FU) and pesticide use (certified 1.24 E-04 kg*FU, uncertified 2.24E-03 kg*FU). With respect to the crop management, eutrophication (EP) and acidification (AP) processes imposed the greatest level of environmental impact. Strategies that would significantly reduce the environmental impact of this supply chain are considered, including the use of shipping and a 50% reduction in fertilizer use.

scholarly journals Raw material criticality assessment as a complement to environmental life cycle assessment: Examining methods for product‐level supply risk assessment

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 1226-1236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Cimprich ◽  
Vanessa Bach ◽  
Christoph Helbig ◽  
Andrea Thorenz ◽  
Dieuwertje Schrijvers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Supply Risk ◽  
Product Level ◽  
Environmental Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Criticality Assessment

Environmental Evaluation of Papercrete Based on Life Cycle Assessment

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiang Wang ◽  
Derrick Tate ◽  
Chee Chin
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Influence ◽  
Environmental Indicators ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Waste Paper ◽  
Recycled Paper ◽  
Environmental Evaluation ◽  
Concrete Production

Papercrete, which uses waste paper as an alternative ingredient in concrete, is regarded as one type of mix design for green concrete that provide a new opportunity for waste paper disposal. However, the specific environmental influence of introducing waste paper has not been not clarified. Therefore, to evaluate the environmental contribution and feasibility of papercrete, based on the papercrete unit, the comparison of concrete production coupled with waste paper disposal is conducted according to a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analysis. The system of papercrete production discussed here covers raw material extraction to finished product. Three different treatments for waste paper combined with concrete production are considered in this study. With respect to most environmental indicators, the results indicate that papercrete by introducing waste paper achieves some environmental benefits. The major reasons that environmental indicators of papercrete improve are due to the reduction of natural resource utilization and emissions to air. In detail the environmental impacts of papercrete production acquire a remarkable improvement compared with impact of normal concrete production and the adoption of incineration disposal of waste paper. Nevertheless, the environmental benefits of papercrete production are not significant increased compared with the associated system when waste paper is collected for the manufacture of recycled paper, where most environmental indicators of papercrete production are only slightly increased.

scholarly journals Life-Cycle Assessment of Carbon Footprint of Bike-Share and Bus Systems in Campus Transit

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 158
Author(s):  
Sishen Wang ◽  
Hao Wang ◽  
Pengyu Xie ◽  
Xiaodan Chen
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Co2 Emission ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Transit System ◽  
Two Systems ◽  
Bus System ◽  
Bike Share

Low-carbon transport system is desired for sustainable cities. The study aims to compare carbon footprint of two transportation modes in campus transit, bus and bike-share systems, using life-cycle assessment (LCA). A case study was conducted for the four-campus (College Ave, Cook/Douglass, Busch, Livingston) transit system at Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ). The life-cycle of two systems were disaggregated into four stages, namely, raw material acquisition and manufacture, transportation, operation and maintenance, and end-of-life. Three uncertain factors—fossil fuel type, number of bikes provided, and bus ridership—were set as variables for sensitivity analysis. Normalization method was used in two impact categories to analyze and compare environmental impacts. The results show that the majority of CO2 emission and energy consumption comes from the raw material stage (extraction and upstream production) of the bike-share system and the operation stage of the campus bus system. The CO2 emission and energy consumption of the current campus bus system are 46 and 13 times of that of the proposed bike-share system, respectively. Three uncertain factors can influence the results: (1) biodiesel can significantly reduce CO2 emission and energy consumption of the current campus bus system; (2) the increased number of bikes increases CO2 emission of the bike-share system; (3) the increase of bus ridership may result in similar impact between two systems. Finally, an alternative hybrid transit system is proposed that uses campus buses to connect four campuses and creates a bike-share system to satisfy travel demands within each campus. The hybrid system reaches the most environmentally friendly state when 70% passenger-miles provided by campus bus and 30% by bike-share system. Further research is needed to consider the uncertainty of biking behavior and travel choice in LCA. Applicable recommendations include increasing ridership of campus buses and building a bike-share in campus to support the current campus bus system. Other strategies such as increasing parking fees and improving biking environment can also be implemented to reduce automobile usage and encourage biking behavior.

Techno-economic evaluation and life-cycle assessment of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) production within a biorefinery concept using sunflower-based biodiesel industry by-products

2021 ◽  
Vol 326 ◽  
pp. 124711
Author(s):  
Vasiliki Kachrimanidou ◽  
Sofia Maria Ioannidou ◽  
Dimitrios Ladakis ◽  
Harris Papapostolou ◽  
Nikolaos Kopsahelis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Economic Evaluation ◽  
By Products ◽  
Biodiesel Industry

scholarly journals Methodology for the quantification of concrete sustainability

2018 ◽  
Vol 174 ◽  
pp. 01006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Břetislav Teplý ◽  
Tomáš Vymazal ◽  
Pavla Rovnaníková
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Service Life ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Load Bearing Capacity ◽  
Sustainability Management

Efficient sustainability management requires the use of tools which allow material, technological and construction variants to be quantified, measured or compared. These tools can be used as a powerful marketing aid and as support for the transition to “circular economy”. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) procedures are also used, aside from other approaches. LCA is a method that evaluates the life cycle of a structure from the point of view of its impact on the environment. Consideration is given also to energy and raw material costs, as well as to environmental impact throughout the life cycle - e.g. due to emissions. The paper focuses on the quantification of sustainability connected with the use of various types of concrete with regard to their resistance to degradation. Sustainability coefficients are determined using information regarding service life and "eco-costs". The aim is to propose a suitable methodology which can simplify decision-making in the design and choice of concrete mixes from a wider perspective, i.e. not only with regard to load-bearing capacity or durability.

The use of the risk assessment in the life cycle assessment framework

2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 389-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Francesca Milazzo ◽  
Francesco Spina
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Biodiesel Production ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
Complete Analysis ◽  
Transfer Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Human Health Impacts

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to quantify the human health impacts of soy-biodiesel production with the aim to discuss about its environmental sustainability. Design/methodology/approach – The integrated use of two current approaches, risk assessment (RA) and life cycle assessment (LCA), has allowed improvement of the potentialities of both in obtaining a more complete analysis. The implementation of a life cycle indicator for the assessment of the impacts on the human health, integrating the features of both approaches, is the main focus of this paper. Findings – It has been found that, although the biodiesel is a green fuel, it has some criticalities in its life cycle, which cannot be disregarded. In fact, even if biodiesel is essentially a clean fuel there are some phases, prior to the industrial phase, that can cause negative effects on human health and ecosystems. Practical implications – Results suggest some measures which can be adopted to substantially reduce human health impacts. Further alternative could be analysed in future to gain more insight about the use of biodiesel fuels. Originality/value – The estimation of the impacts of a process producing biodiesel has been made by using a novel approach. The novelty is associated with the calculation of the impacts on human health by using the transfer factors applied in RA. The use of such factors, properly modified in order to estimate the impacts on a wider scale than a site-dimension, allows defining a holistic approach, as LCA and RA are used as complete units but at the same time can be related to each other.

Research on Life Cycle Assessment of Plastic Pipeline System

2016 ◽  
Vol 847 ◽  
pp. 366-373
Author(s):  
Chun Zhi Zhao ◽  
Meng Chi Huang ◽  
Yi Liu ◽  
Li Ping Ma
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Water Supply ◽  
Greenhouse Effect ◽  
Environmental Influence ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Renewable Resource ◽  
Resource Consumption ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Pipeline System

Plastic pipe is a kind of new pipeline material and its output has been increasing in recent years. It is still mainly used for water supply and drainage of buildings and municipal utility industry as well as for safe drinking in rural areas, about half of all plastic pipelines are used for buildings, and the proportion of these pipelines used in other fields is also increasing. Plastic pipeline system's influence on the environment within its life cycle is the focus of researches in recent years. Based on life cycle assessment (LCA), this paper assesses the common water supply and drainage pipelines (PPR, PE and PVC-U) for buildings for resource and energy consumption, non-renewable resource consumption (ADP) of pollution gas emission, greenhouse effect (GWP), acidification effect (AP) and eutrophication (EP) and inhalable inorganics (RI) generated in the process of life cycle from raw material exploitation to produce production and other environmental influence closely related to the national energy conservation and emission reduction policy. The result shows that the influence indexes of non-renewable resource consumption for functional unit of PPR pipe, PE pipe and PVC-U pipe are 2.22×10-5 Kg antimony eq./ kg, 1.51×10-5 Kg antimony eq./ kg, 6.82×10-6 Kg antimony eq./ kg; those of acidification effect are 1.92×10-2kg SO2 eq./ kg, 1.96×10-2g SO2 eq./ kg, 3.90×10-2kg SO2 eq./ kg; those of eutrophication are 2.39×10-3kg PO43-eq./ kg, 2.36×10-3kg PO43-eq./ kg, 3.40×10-3kg PO43-eq./ kg; those of inhalable inorganics are 6.46×10-3 kg PM2.5 eq./ kg, 6.30×10-3 kg PM2.5 eq./ kg, 1.91×10-2 kg PM2.5 eq./ kg; those of greenhouse effect are 3.72kg CO2 eq./ kg, 3.60kg CO2 eq./ kg, 7.93kg CO2 eq./ kg. This result shows that the environmental influence of PPR, PE and PVC-U pipes mainly depends on the raw materials required for producing pipes, so the key of plastic pipeline greening is to reduce the consumption of virgin resin. This investigation creates a database about plastic pipeline's influence on environment within its full life cycle for the purpose of laying a foundation for calculating intrinsic energy in a building, promoting selection of green building material, facilitating the realization of green building objective, and improving the knowledge of developer, constructor and user to potential influence of the pipeline system within its life cycle.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document