LCA Methodology Research Articles

The environmental impact of using gold nanoparticles and 3HFWC in cosmetics, as determined with LCA methodology

Abstract This review provides a detailed inventory analysis of the manufacturing process of a cosmetic cream using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and hydroxylated fullerene water complex (3HFWC) as novel nanocomponents for cream. The inventory analysis was focused on the evaluation of the two raw materials of the nanocomponents, the consumption of electricity and water, which enabled an insight into the process flows within the production process. The data obtained from this analysis of the inventory of nanocomponents provide an insight into the potential improvements that can be made in the manufacturing process of nanocomponents, in order to reduce the environmental impact of the production of new cosmetic creams. These results will serve as the basis for the second part of the analysis, where a life cycle analysis will be carried out to assess the environmental impacts of cream production from the acquisition of raw materials to the disposal of the final product.

Environmental Assessment of Pig Manure Treatment Systems through Life Cycle Assessment: A Mini-Review

The primary aim of this research was to evaluate and compare the environmental impacts, throughout the life cycle, of the main treatment systems employed by the industry, as well as to identify the processes that contribute most to these environmental impacts. To achieve this, a bibliographical search was conducted using the Web of Science Core Collection database platform, utilizing the keywords “life cycle assessment”, “pig”, “treatment”, and “manure” or “slurry”. The search was restricted to publications from the last five years (2019–2023), resulting in a total of 66 publications that were then analyzed according to the functional unit (FU) adopted. For the 10 publications whose FUs were expressed in tons or cubic meters of treated manure, a descriptive and quantitative analysis was carried out. It was found that anaerobic digestion has been the most widely used treatment technology for pig manure over the past five years, according to the LCA methodology. These systems, configured as biogas and biofertilizer production facilities, have proven to be environmentally friendly and could play a crucial role in the energy transition and decarbonization of the energy matrix.

What is the best option for surgical face mask wastes treatment? Integrated LCA and MCDM methodologies

What is the best option for surgical face mask wastes treatment? Integrated LCA and MCDM methodologies

Life cycle analysis in hazardous waste logistics in Türkiye: a case study

ABSTRACT The collection and transportation activities engaged in waste management (WM) are known to have significant environmental impacts. This study assessed the current environmental situation regarding the use of diesel fuel in hazardous waste (HW) collection and transportation using a LCA methodology. The study utilized the actual transportation data of the HW collection and transportation activities of a WM company, IZAYDAS, for the year 2021. The functional unit (FU) chosen for analysis was the “environmental impact per annual total fuel consumption.” In addition, the study aimed to understand potential changes in environmental impact if electricity were used as a fuel alternative. The findings revealed that in the current scenario with diesel fuel, the Abiotic Depletion Potential (Fossil Fuel) (ADP Fossil) effect category had a dominant effect (3.92E + 06 MJ). The total Global Warming Potential (GWP100a) effect for HW transportation was determined to be 5.28E + 05 kg CO2 eq in 2021. When electricity was considered a fuel alternative, a decrease was observed in the GWP100a and ADP impact categories. At the same time, Human Toxicity (HTP), Acidification (AP), and Eutrophication (EP) showed an increase due to fossil fuel-based energy production. Sensitivity analysis indicated that all effects are lower in countries that depend on clean energy sources for electricity production.

Evidencing the importance of the functional unit in comparative life cycle assessment of organic berry crops.

LCA methodology provides the best framework to evaluate environmental impacts in agriculture systems. However, the interpretation of LCA results, in particular when the objective was to compare different production systems, could be affected by the selection of the functional unit (FU). That is why an accurate definition of the FU, in agreement with the function considered for the systems analysed, is essential. In this work, the organic production at small scale of blueberry, raspberry, blackberry and cape gooseberry in North Spain has been analysed following LCA methodology. Although a different distribution of environmental loads was obtained for each crop, in all cases, the main contributions to most of the considered environmental categories were electric and fertiliser consumptions. The different production systems have been compared on the basis of the environmental impacts associated considering different FUs, i.e. based on fruit mass, cultivated area, farm-gate price and nutritional quality of fruits. Carbon footprints (CF) have been also calculated. It was observed that the order of the crops with respect to their environmental performances was the same for the blueberry and raspberry crops (with the lowest and the highest CF, respectively), independently of the selected FU, whereas the order of the blackberry and cape gooseberry crops was interchanged, depending on the FU used. This work supports the need of being aware of the final objective of the orchards when choosing the FU (i.e. producing fruits, cultivating an area, economic benefits or nourishing people), so that valid conclusions can be achieved from the environmental comparison, even for different agricultural products.

Dynamic LCA methodology to support post-occupancy decision-making for carbon budget compliance

In response to the climate crisis and ever diminishing global carbon budget targets, managing carbon emissions, particularly during the post-occupancy phase in the building sector, is pivotal. This study presents a novel approach that uses a parametric Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) workflow that integrates the temporal dimension to align post-occupancy decision-making with carbon budgets. Applying this method to a French residential case study, this work explores optimization, sensitivity analysis, and different visualization techniques in hopes to inform building actors not only of which carbon mitigation measures to implement, but also when to execute them. The temporal aspect of decision-making proved to be extremely useful as a renovation plan for the remaining building life cycle is proposed. Interestingly however, similar optimization solutions emerged from static and dynamic LCAs despite very distinct Global Warming Potential values, suggesting a possible overlook of dynamic parameters. Findings also illuminate the complexity of conveying multifaceted decision-making information, emphasizing the importance of tailoring solutions. Nonetheless, the specificity of results necessitates further research across varied building typologies. This study is another step towards sustainable building management, underlining the urgency of adhering to carbon budgets.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Railways: Systematic Review of Research Progress

Rail transportation plays a crucial role in reducing carbon emissions from the transportation system, making a significant contribution to environmental impact mitigation due to the efficiency of passenger and freight rail transportation. Accurate assessment of carbon emissions resulting from rail transit is essential to quantify the positive impact of this mode of transportation on overall urban transport emission reduction. Given that measuring carbon emissions throughout the lifecycle of rail transportation involves a wide array of factors, adopting a systematic framework for analyzing these aspects is crucial. This study conducts a comprehensive review of existing research related to carbon emissions in rail transportation and its mitigation. Initially, the distinct characteristics of carbon emissions associated with rail transportation are identified, along with the complexity involved in accurately measuring these emissions. Subsequently, a comparison and analysis are conducted regarding various models for measuring carbon emissions in rail transportation. Finally, the study examines some greenhouse gas emission measurement research within the railway system. Redirecting research efforts toward measuring carbon emissions in the rail transportation system is essential to help the development of robust and effective public policies. This measure will play a crucial role in emission reduction, climate change mitigation, and the promotion of more sustainable transportation. Furthermore, the identified results propose which LCA methodology offers a valuable framework improving the quality of railway transportation emissions for future generations.

Adhesive bonding of glass-fibre thermoplastic composite: process optimisation and sustainability analysis using LCA methodology

In recent years, great attention has been paid to the challenge of integrating more sustainable circular approaches to manufacturing, which involve optimising the entire product cycle, from design to fabrication, assembly and eventual reuse/recycling. In this context, the use of thermoplastic composite materials in combination with adhesive bonding is attracting increasing attention to achieve this dual objective. Therefore, the proposed research focuses on the experimental and statistical optimisation of an adhesive bonding process for glass-fibre–reinforced composite substrates with polypropylene matrix, with the aim of comparing its performance with that of joints made using more conventional configurations, i.e. utilising thermosetting substrates. A low-pressure plasma pre-bonding surface treatment is adopted, and its effectiveness in enhancing joint performance compared to more conventional preparations for plastics is discussed. By varying plasma parameters according to the design of experiments statistical approach, the joint response is studied in terms of tensile shear strength and modelled in accordance with the response surface methodology to identify the optimum condition of process parameters within the established system boundaries. The study found that with optimised pre-treatment, adhesive joints of glass-fibre–reinforced composites with thermoplastic matrices (first scenario) can achieve tensile shear strength (TSS) comparable to that of thermoset composites (second scenario), making them viable options in various applications. Two alternative scenarios—namely, joints with thermoplastic composite or thermoset composite substrates—are then analysed by the life cycle assessment methodology and compared according to their relative environmental impact, demonstrating that glass-fibre thermoplastic composite joints are competitive alternatives to thermoset joints in terms of mechanical static performance achieved, but significantly preferable with regard to environmental sustainability.

Determining the net present global warming potential of energy saving measures in buildings

A framework for evaluating the net present global warming potential (GWP) of an energy saving measure is presented, based on an already established LCA methodology. The framework establishes a connection between the emissions from materials, energy, and the expected time horizon of the impact on energy use. The framework is designed to be used as a decision-support tool by practitioners to evaluate the GWPNP impact of a design decision. This has broad relevance as decisions on building standards are often based upon a cost-efficiency approach, e.g. The European Energy performance of buildings directive (EPDB) requirement that building codes be based upon a cost-efficiency approach. And as the requirements are driven by cost there is no inherent balance between the GWP of the energy saved, and the GWP-investment in the measures that impact energy use. The proposed methodology is exemplified by applying it to investigate the optimum insulation thickness for typical wall construction for different locations/climates and time of installation in Norway and comparing these with current industry standards.

Achieving net-zero CO2 emissions from indirect co-combustion of biomass and natural gas with carbon capture using a novel amine blend

The application of indirect co-combustion of biomass (in the form of producer gas) and natural gas with CCS technology has been identified as an alternative approach for electricity generation while achieving net zero CO2 emissions. Using the benchmark 5 M MEA (as a basis) and LCA methodology, it was identified that to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions, 14.5 % producer gas (energy basis) is required. Different amine blends were developed and assessed against 5 M MEA. The best performing solvent was 4 M (2:2) AMP: 1-(2HE) PRLD with CO2 absorption and desorption parameter of 4.5 % and 1667 % higher than 5 M MEA at absorption and desorption temperatures of 40 °C and 90 °C, respectively. At the desorption temperature of 110 °C, the lean loading of this optimum solvent and 5 M MEA were 0.02 and 0.24 mol CO2/mol of amine, respectively implying a higher cyclic capacity. The CO2 removal efficiency of the final solvent at 110 °C was 31 % higher than that for 5 M MEA. Finally, Using this optimum solvent as the absorbent for CO2 capture and applying the increased CO2 removal efficiency to the LCA data, it was determined that 8.2 % of producer gas, on energy basis, is sufficient for achieving net-zero CO2 emissions. Thus, using a solvent with a better absorption and desorption parameter allows for a reduction in the volume of biomass required for achieving net-zero CO2 emissions. If the ratio of biomass volume requirement for 5 M MEA is maintained in the scenario where the optimum solvent is used, negative CO2 emissions will be achieved.

Life cycle assessment of electrochemical and mechanical energy storage systems

The effect of the co-location of electrochemical and kinetic energy storage on the cradle-to-gate impacts of the storage system was studied using LCA methodology. The storage system was intended for use in the frequency containment reserve (FCR) application, considering a number of daily charge–discharge cycles in the range of 50–1000. The results show that a significant environmental benefit (up to a 96% decrease in cradle-to-gate global warming potential, from 1.65 ± 0.12 to 0.059 ± 0.004 kg CO2-eq./kWh) can be obtained by the co-location of battery and flywheel storage systems, owing to the ability of the flywheel component to preserve battery lifetime by delivering the frequent charge events required in the FCR application. A moderate saving of 24% in global warming potential (from 1.65 ± 0.12 to 1.26 ± 0.11 kg CO2-eq./kWh) could already be achieved by switching from a battery to flywheel storage system with repeated charge–discharge cycling (200 or more charge events per day). This study highlights the need to consider the intensity of charge–discharge cycling when choosing an environmentally preferable storage technology as well as introducing a methodology for incorporating the number of daily cycles in the analysis.

Lignin valorisation: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) considerations for enabling Circular Bioeconomy

ABSTRACT Lignin constitutes the sole renewable aromatic resource found in abundance on Earth and does not call into question the ethics of diverting land from food to energy production. In view of that, the potential of lignocellulosic biomass in promoting the Circular Economy and Bioeconomy concepts in future biorefinery operations is widely acknowledged. Biorefineries can convert lignocellulosic biomass into high-value products, lessen their environmental effect, and hasten the advent of a sustainable and renewable future by incorporating cutting-edge technologies and doing thorough Life Cycle Assessment analysis. However, converting lignin into added-value products is a challenging field from technological, environmental, and economic perspectives. This work set out to determine the most critical environmental aspects expected to provide reliable evidence in support of lignin valorisation routes that enable the production of value-added products and bioenergy. Findings provide the necessary knowledge for decision-making in biorefineries aligned with the Circular Bioeconomy concept, like how decision-making relating to future biorefineries is facilitated. Highlights Environmental burdens of lignin-derived products valorisation due to complex lignin structure A limited number of LCA studies on the valorisation of lignin to added-value products Future lignin-based biorefineries development should be assessed using holistic, sustainable approaches LCA methodologies on environmental performance of promising lignin valorisation routes Controversial aspects of lignin valorisation under the Circular Bioeconomy concept Raised concerns as a result of the lignin fraction expected high demand Identified controversial environmental aspects linking lignin valorisation to adverse impacts

Evaluation of the Economic and Environmental Sustainability of Livestock Farms in Inland Areas

The present research aimed to evaluate the economic and environmental sustainability of livestock farms in inland areas of the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park (Southern Italy) and the convenience and possibility of activating forms of local economies. The study involved three types of grazing husbandries: one with only sheep and goats; one with only cattle; and one mixed, namely with cattle, sheep and goats. The profitability of the analyzed farms was compared through their gross profit and the net income of the farmer. To evaluate the convenience of the farms under study to activate forms of a short supply chain, the transformation value of the milk was used as the reference parameter. The environmental impact per farm and per adult bovine unit was assessed through the LCA methodology. The economic analysis showed that the survival of the analyzed farms is essentially linked to public subsidies, which in some cases represent more than 75% of the total output. Family enterprise plays a fundamental role in management decisions, in the size of animal breeding, and in investment decisions. Referring to environmental impacts, the analysis showed a lower sustainability of cattle farming, mainly due to the higher methane emissions during enteric fermentation. Despite all this, the ecosystem services provided by these semi-extensive farms in inland areas are significant, and therefore economic and environmental analyses should take them into account to enhance them and encourage farmers to remain in these often marginal areas.

Development of an LCA-based tool to assess the environmental sustainability level of cosmetics products

PurposeThe depletion of natural resources and the downgrading of the environment, driven by globalization and consumerism phenomena, are worldwide pushing the interest in sustainable manufacturing paradigm and environment preservation. It is moreover clear to academia and practitioners that the cosmetics industry needs to update its current operations to face new sustainable requirements and norms due to its ever-growing size and massive consumption of natural resources. Different methodologies, metrics, and indicators have been and are being proposed for solving the complex issues of environmental sustainability evaluation of cosmetics processes and products.MethodsAmong these approaches and methods, product-related assessment tools (e.g., life cycle assessment) are usually more focused on the environmental dimension of sustainability, and they are always based on the life cycle of the product. The core of this paper is on the development of a novel tool to classify cosmetics products based on the results of LCA: the eco-friendliness assessment tool (EFAT). The methodology of the work is structured into 5 main phases: definition of the scientific background of the work, definition of the tool requirements, tool development, testing of the tool, analysis of the results. The eco-friendliness assessment tool proposed is structured into two main parts: (i) process flow 1: environmental impact score and (ii) process flow 2: supplier environmental sustainability assessment.ResultsThe tool has been tested on a cosmetics product manufactured in a cosmetics company located in Italy. The acquisition of raw material process and primary packaging process are the two most critical processes resulting from the impact analysis of LCA methodology. The application of the EFAT tool shows the two possible most sustainable improved scenarios are as follows: (i) exploiting transportation of the primary packaging by sea and (ii) adopting the European location of the primary packaging supplier. The results coming from the tool application allowed the definition of the company product eco-friendliness. The eco-friendliness is symbolized by an alphabetical letter and a color.ConclusionsThe paper proposes a practical tool to assess the environmental sustainability level of cosmetics products, with the intention to overcome two of the main literature gaps found in the state of the art: (i) absence of LCA methodology implementation in the cosmetics industry on makeup products, (ii) absence of tools that rely on the results of the LCA analysis of a cosmetic product for understanding its sustainability level of sustainability.

Integrating Absolute Sustainability and Social Sustainability in the Digital Product Passport to Promote Industry 5.0

The establishment of the digital product passport is regarded to be a prominent tool to promote environmental and social sustainability, thus enabling the transition towards Industry 5.0. In this way, it represents a holistic tool for the decision-making process of several actors of a product’s value chain. However, its development is still ongoing and the absolute perspective of environmental sustainability and the social sustainability have been overlooked. The present work aims to fill these gaps and complement the literature currently available on the digital product passport with a threefold purpose. Firstly, by referring to social life cycle assessment methodologies, useful social indicators to include in the digital product passport are discussed and proposed. Secondly, the need for an absolute perspective of environmental sustainability that respects the natural limits of our planet is presented; based on the LCA methodology and the Planetary Boundaries framework, environmental attributes and environmental impact indicators with the corresponding threshold are proposed to be included in the passport and enable the so-called absolute environmental sustainability assessment of products. Finally, a framework based on a cyber-physical system for filling in the digital product passport throughout a product lifecycle is conceived. This work represents an example of how the hallmark technologies of Industry 4.0 can be used towards Industry 5.0.

Using the LCA Method to Develop the Production of Pigment for Processing Plastics.

In recent years, the chemical industry has been developing more and more dynamically, which results in the introduction of many new chemical substances to the market. However, some of them do not meet the accepted standards and may be toxic to humans and the environment. This problem largely concerns polymer materials, which are currently widely used in many areas of the economy. This is indirectly related to the coloring of these materials during processing. Therefore, it became necessary to introduce modern research procedures that enable the quantitative and qualitative determination of the impact of coloring agents in the processing of plastics, in order to include their negative impact on humans and the natural environment. The LCA methodology was used in this work, with ReCiPe 2016 used as the test method. Among the analyzed technological operations, the highest negative impact on the environment was characterized by the process related to heating the tested material (2.08 × 10-1 Pt). Among the materials, polyethylene terephthalate was distinguished by the greatest harmful effect on human health (2.91 × 10-1 Pt) and the quality (2.35 × 10-2 Pt) of the environment. The use of recycling processes would reduce the negative impact on human health (about -3.71 Pt), the ecosystem (about -0.14 Pt), and resources (about -0.27 Pt).

Substitution of Fossil Coal with Hydrochar from Agricultural Waste in the Electric Arc Furnace Steel Industry: A Comprehensive Life Cycle Analysis

The iron and steel industry remains one of the most energy-intensive activities with high CO2 emissions. Generally, the use of fossil coal as chemical energy in an electric arc furnace (EAF) makes up 40–70% of the total direct emissions in this steelmaking process. Therefore, substituting conventional fossil fuels with alternatives is an attractive option for reducing CO2 emissions. In this study, the environmental impacts of EAF-produced steel were comprehensively assessed using pulverized hydrochar as the charged and injected material as a replacement for fossil coal. An environmental analysis was performed based on the LCA methodology according to the framework of ISO 14044. This study evaluated two different outlines: the use of fossil coal and its replacement with hydrochar from the winemaking industry as a carbon source in the EAF steelmaking process. The environmental impacts from the manufacturing of the hydrochar were calculated using different scenarios, including novel industrial ways to use vinasse as a moisture source for the co-hydrothermal carbonization of vine pruning and exhausted grape marc (EGM). The environmental impacts per unit of steel were reported as a function of the ratio between the fixed carbon of the injected material and the material amount itself. The results highlight the sustainability of the hydrothermal carbonization process and the use of the hydrochar in EAF steelmaking. Moreover, the electricity mix used for the EAF process has significant relevance. The main outline of the results might assist decision-makers to determine which technological route is most likely to be effective in reducing future CO2 emissions from the iron and steel industry.

Life Cycle Analysis of an On-the-Road Modular Vehicle Concept

In order to reduce the environmental impacts caused by the transport sector, autonomous and electrified on-the-road modular vehicles (otrm) could be a solution. By separating the drive unit from the transport unit, they enable use cases for various transport tasks and reduce individual and motorized transport and its generated emissions. Therefore, the goal of this study is to assess the environmental impacts from cradle to grave by applying the LCA methodology for a defined otrm—the U-Shift—vehicle fleet considering a specific use case relative to a reference vehicle fleet. The results indicate that the U-Shift fleet reduces the life cycle environmental impacts in a range of 3–28% for all of the seven impact categories, which are analyzed in detail. While emissions from the use phase are similar, U-Shift has an environmental benefit in the production phase due to a low amount of resource-intensive driveboards. Considering the early development stage of U-Shift, several measures are discussed, addressing the material and configuration aspects of the vehicles as well as optimized use case applications, which promise further impact-reduction potential.

20 An Approach Towards in Vitro-Based Human Toxicity Effect Factors for the Life Cycle Impact Assessment of Inhaled Low-Solubility Particles.

Abstract Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) calculations of products containing nanomaterials are limited in their comprehensiveness by the lack of characterization factors linking nanomaterial emissions to their impacts on human health. This is mainly due to the scarcity of animal toxicological data compared to the number of existing nanomaterials, a constraint that could be lifted if in vivo data could be substituted by in vitro data to calculate nanomaterials' effect factors (EF). To support a future animal-independent LCA methodology, we present a step-by-step procedure to calculate in vitro-to-in vivo extrapolation factors to estimate human Benchmark Doses and subsequently in vitro-based EFs for inhaled non-soluble nanomaterials. Titanium dioxide, amorphous silica, cerium oxide and crystalline silica are presented as case studies. Based on mouse data, the in vitro-based EF of TiO2 is between 2.76*10-4 and 1.10*10-3 cases/(m2/g *kg intake), depending on the aerodynamic size of the particle, which is in good agreement with in vivo-based EFs (1.51*10-4 - 5.6*10-2 cases/(m2/g *kg intake)). The EF for amorphous silica is in a similar range as for TiO2, but the result is less robust due to only few in vivo data available. The discrepancy between in vivo and animal in vitro data in terms of availability and quality limits the coverage of further nanomaterials. While the work focused on LCA, the procedure can be easily adapted for risk assessment as well, thus increasing the relevance of our findings.

Multi-Criteria Assessment of Taxi Transport Services for Public Procurement: Case Study for Bacau City

LCA methodology is often used in public procurement decision making. The European Commission introduced Life Cycle Costing (LCC) in 2014 to support this methodology. LCCs take into account costs incurred during a service, work or product’s lifetime. Application management techniques of LCC offer a better awareness of the factors that influence the resources and costs in the case of procurements. The identification of the factors that influence the costs is the main key of the LCC tool. In such a way, the life cycle management is focused on efficient purchasing. The awareness levels of the LCC criteria influence the cost and will also highlight other aspects of existing products that could benefit from the involvement of life cycle management. Taxi transport services (as an alternative to public transportation) are a sector of the economy with a good income when acquisitions are properly carried out. When the acquisitions are analyzed, governmental and local regularizations should be taken into account. Today, cities, as well as small towns, look forward to improving the quality of life of the citizens and reducing pollution. The acquisitions of buses/cars for public use must be carried out with respect to the required performance of the cars. On the one hand, the municipality should be in line with the European Commission’s policy; on the other hand, it should be in line with the state’s public procurement requirements. An acquisition must also be reasonable in terms of price, lifetime, environmental impact, circular economy and meeting citizens’ needs. The goal of this paper was to analyze the acquisition of cars for taxi services from the perspective of public procurements. The study was performed with the help of the Taxi LAL company from Bacau County. The LCC techniques were applied to identify the most “acceptable” as well as the most “profitable” choices for taxi services. For a better understanding of the problem, within the present paper the mechanism of cost assessment for a product modernization was exemplified.