Abstract
The application of Life Cycle Assessment in the construction sector can be a very useful tool to reduce the environmental impact generated by the sector. In order to quantify the improvement in environmental terms with the use of artificial lightweight aggregates (LWA) manufactured with waste, in this work, we conducted a comparative evaluation of the life cycle of LWAs for a total of five different scenarios: LWAs obtained in a traditional way, i.e., using exclusively clay in their manufacture (Spanish blond clay, Portuguese red clay and Portuguese blond clay), and LWAs manufactured with four different wastes, with a partial substitution of 2.5% for each of the clays per waste (almond and hazelnut shells, sludge from the purification of paper money, cork dust and coffee grounds). The functional unit was set as the production of 1 kilo of lightweight aggregates and the CML 2000 methodology and the SimaPro software were used. The results obtained in this research allow us to conclude that the addition of organic wastes showed a slightly higher environmental performance than the conventional system, the ALAs manufactured with almond and hazelnut shells being the most environmentally friendly option, with reductions of more than 30% in some cases, followed by the LWAs manufactured with coffee grounds. On the other hand, the addition of paper sewage sludge and cork dust represents minimal environmental optimization.
Highlights
The Circular Economy (CE) is profoundly changing the pillars of traditional industry.The industrial sector, as well as society in general, is increasingly aware of the importance of addressing the efficient use of resources and raw materials, as well as the impact of high emissions of harmful substances associated with human activity on the environment, public health, resource value and economic development [1]
Throughout the study, it has been possible to glimpse the environmental implications of the partial substitution of three natural clays for different wastes in the manufacture of lightweight ceramic aggregates
In order to determine the environmental impact of this product, the Life Cycle Assessment methodology was applied within the impact categories included in the framework of the CML 2000
Summary
The Circular Economy (CE) is profoundly changing the pillars of traditional industry.The industrial sector, as well as society in general, is increasingly aware of the importance of addressing the efficient use of resources and raw materials, as well as the impact of high emissions of harmful substances associated with human activity on the environment, public health, resource value and economic development [1]. The Circular Economy aims to make better use of resources/materials through reuse, recycling and recovery, and to minimize the energy and environmental impact of resource extraction and processing. The application of this approach is paramount in areas such as bioindustry, bioenergy and the construction sector [2,3,4]. Recycling waste into new products conserves the energy embedded in the initial material This energy, in the case of building materials, represents an important part of the impacts of the building’s life cycle
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