scholarly journals Assessing the Environmental Impact of Flax Fibre Reinforced Polymer Composite from a Consequential Life Cycle Assessment Perspective

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. 11462-11483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yelin Deng ◽  
Yajun Tian
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Polymer Composite ◽  
Flax Fibre ◽  
Consequential Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Reinforced Polymer ◽  
Fibre Reinforced Polymer

scholarly journals Environmental impacts of wooden, plastic, and wood-polymer composite pallet: a life cycle assessment approach

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md.Musharof Hussain Khan ◽  
Ivan Deviatkin ◽  
Jouni Havukainen ◽  
Mika Horttanainen
Keyword(s):  
Sensitivity Analysis ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Polymer Composite ◽  
Global Warming Potential ◽  
Consequential Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Wood Polymer ◽  
Biogenic Carbon ◽  
Wood Polymer Composite

Abstract Purpose Waste recycling is one of the essential tools for the European Union’s transition towards a circular economy. One of the possibilities for recycling wood and plastic waste is to utilise it to produce composite product. This study analyses the environmental impacts of producing composite pallets made of wood and plastic waste from construction and demolition activities in Finland. It also compares these impacts with conventional wooden and plastic pallets made of virgin materials. Methods Two different life cycle assessment methods were used: attributional life cycle assessment and consequential life cycle assessment. In both of the life cycle assessment studies, 1000 trips were considered as the functional unit. Furthermore, end-of-life allocation formula such as 0:100 with a credit system had been used in this study. This study also used sensitivity analysis and normalisation calculation to determine the best performing pallet. Result and discussion In the attributional cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment, wood-polymer composite pallets had the lowest environmental impact in abiotic depletion potential (fossil), acidification potential, eutrophication potential, global warming potential (including biogenic carbon), global warming potential (including biogenic carbon) with indirect land-use change, and ozone depletion potential. In contrast, wooden pallets showed the lowest impact on global warming potential (excluding biogenic carbon). In the consequential life cycle assessment, wood-polymer composite pallets showed the best environmental impact in all impact categories. In both attributional and consequential life cycle assessments, plastic pallet had the maximum impact. The sensitivity analysis and normalisation calculation showed that wood-polymer composite pallets can be a better choice over plastic and wooden pallet. Conclusions The overall results of the pallets depends on the methodological approach of the LCA. However, it can be concluded that the wood-polymer composite pallet can be a better choice over the plastic pallet and, in most cases, over the wooden pallet. This study will be of use to the pallet industry and relevant stakeholders.

scholarly journals Attributional & Consequential Life Cycle Assessment: Definitions, Conceptual Characteristics and Modelling Restrictions

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 7386
Author(s):  
Thomas Schaubroeck ◽  
Simon Schaubroeck ◽  
Reinout Heijungs ◽  
Alessandra Zamagni ◽  
Miguel Brandão ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Product Life Cycle ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Consequential Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Modelling Framework ◽  
Potential Environmental Impact ◽  
Reference Environment ◽  
The Impact

To assess the potential environmental impact of human/industrial systems, life cycle assessment (LCA) is a very common method. There are two prominent types of LCA, namely attributional (ALCA) and consequential (CLCA). A lot of literature covers these approaches, but a general consensus on what they represent and an overview of all their differences seems lacking, nor has every prominent feature been fully explored. The two main objectives of this article are: (1) to argue for and select definitions for each concept and (2) specify all conceptual characteristics (including translation into modelling restrictions), re-evaluating and going beyond findings in the state of the art. For the first objective, mainly because the validity of interpretation of a term is also a matter of consensus, we argue the selection of definitions present in the 2011 UNEP-SETAC report. ALCA attributes a share of the potential environmental impact of the world to a product life cycle, while CLCA assesses the environmental consequences of a decision (e.g., increase of product demand). Regarding the second objective, the product system in ALCA constitutes all processes that are linked by physical, energy flows or services. Because of the requirement of additivity for ALCA, a double-counting check needs to be executed, modelling is restricted (e.g., guaranteed through linearity) and partitioning of multifunctional processes is systematically needed (for evaluation per single product). The latter matters also hold in a similar manner for the impact assessment, which is commonly overlooked. CLCA, is completely consequential and there is no limitation regarding what a modelling framework should entail, with the coverage of co-products through substitution being just one approach and not the only one (e.g., additional consumption is possible). Both ALCA and CLCA can be considered over any time span (past, present & future) and either using a reference environment or different scenarios. Furthermore, both ALCA and CLCA could be specific for average or marginal (small) products or decisions, and further datasets. These findings also hold for life cycle sustainability assessment.

The all-composite road bridge – a proposal for rapid urbanisation

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomasz Siwowski ◽  
Aleksander Kozlowski ◽  
Leonard Ziemiański ◽  
Mateusz Rajchel ◽  
Damian Kaleta
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Fast Growing ◽  
Frp Composites ◽  
Frp Composite ◽  
Reinforced Polymer ◽  
Composite Bridge ◽  
Fibre Reinforced Polymer ◽  
Traditional Construction

<p>Technology and materials can help cities get smarter and cope with rapid urbanisation. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is one of the approaches applied in evaluation of material sustainability. Many significant LCA comparisons of innovative and traditional construction materials indicate that fibre- reinforced polymer (FRP) composites compare very favourably with other materials studied. As a proposal for rapid urbanisation, the FRP all-composite road bridge was developed and demonstrated in Poland. The paper describes the bridge system itself and presents the results of research on its development. The output of the R&amp;D project gives a very promising future for the FRP composite bridge application in Poland, especially for cleaner, resilient and more environmentally efficient infrastructure of fast-growing cities.</p>

scholarly journals Life Cycle Assessment of a Thermal Recycling Process as an Alternative to Existing CFRP and GFRP Composite Wastes Management Options

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (24) ◽  
pp. 4430
Author(s):  
Sankar Karuppannan Gopalraj ◽  
Ivan Deviatkin ◽  
Mika Horttanainen ◽  
Timo Kärki
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Cement Kiln ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Reinforced Polymer ◽  
Gfrp Composite ◽  
Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer ◽  
Fibre Reinforced Polymer

There are forecasts for the exponential increase in the generation of carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) and glass fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) composite wastes containing valuable carbon and glass fibres. The recent adoption of these composites in wind turbines and aeroplanes has increased the amount of end-of-life waste from these applications. By adequately closing the life cycle loop, these enormous volumes of waste can partly satisfy the global demand for their virgin counterparts. Therefore, there is a need to properly dispose these composite wastes, with material recovery being the final target, thanks to the strict EU regulations for promoting recycling and reusing as the highest priorities in waste disposal options. In addition, the hefty taxation has almost brought about an end to landfills. These government regulations towards properly recycling these composite wastes have changed the industries’ attitudes toward sustainable disposal approaches, and life cycle assessment (LCA) plays a vital role in this transition phase. This LCA study uses climate change results and fossil fuel consumptions to study the environmental impacts of a thermal recycling route to recycle and remanufacture CFRP and GFRP wastes into recycled rCFRP and rGFRP composites. Additionally, a comprehensive analysis was performed comparing with the traditional waste management options such as landfill, incineration with energy recovery and feedstock for cement kiln. Overall, the LCA results were favourable for CFRP wastes to be recycled using the thermal recycling route with lower environmental impacts. However, this contradicts GFRP wastes in which using them as feedstock in cement kiln production displayed more reduced environmental impacts than those thermally recycled to substitute virgin composite production.

Designing sustainable footbridges: comparing steel, concrete and FRP.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liesbeth Tromp ◽  
Kees Van Ijselmuijden ◽  
Jorrit Zuidema
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Comparison Study ◽  
Industry Association ◽  
The Public ◽  
Reinforced Polymer ◽  
Ecoinvent Database ◽  
Design Property ◽  
Fibre Reinforced Polymer

<p>More and more clients and the public are asking for sustainable and circular solutions for infrastructure. Many opinions and often prejudice exist on the sustainability of each material. However, sustainability is just as much a design property as a material property. To illustrate how choices made by the designer affect the environmental impact of the structure, this study compares solutions in steel, concrete and Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) for footbridges of 15m and 25m span as they exist today. Boundary conditions have been set in advance and the designs have been prepared to the same level of depth by senior engineers with comparable expertise in the respective materials. The concepts have been compared on CO₂-emissions over the life cycle, including maintenance. End-of-life (EoL) scenarios are described qualitatively but it is debated how to include these in the CO₂-emissions, as in a 100 years’ time technologies for recycling will be substantially different from today’s. Including the EoL in this comparison study therefore means that a uncertain parameter is made part of the equation. Use has been made of the EcoInvent database and the EuCIA Eco Impact Calculator, an environmental impact tool developed by the FRP industry association using the latest data available on FRP. This paper identifies the challenges in the assessment of sustainability of the designs, the relevance of certain design parameters and discusses how to deal with future EoL aspects in today’s assessment.</p>

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