Life Cycle Assessment Method Research Articles

The Product Environmental Footprint – A Critical Review

The product environmental footprint (PEF) is one of two life cycle assessment methods from the European Commission. With their published recommendation on environmental footprint methods, the European Commission provides a framework to assess the PEF for every product in a company. Since there is a high probability that the PEF will be mandatory for companies shortly, it is crucial that this recommendation guides companies and mainly technical employees through all phases of the PEF and enables them to execute a PEF study correctly. Therefore, this paper aims to analyze the process of calculating a PEF for a product critically. A PEF study is conducted on a smart luminaire with the software program OpenLCA. The use case concludes that many aspects of the PEF still need to be clarified. Especially the calculation methods behind every impact category need to be more transparent. Further, a comparison of the use case with a provided tutorial from OpenLCA is made. The comparison shows that no information is available on how to model the end-of-life and the use stages, which are mandatory in a PEF study.

Assessment of Sustainable Packaging Supply Chain Management Using the Life Cycle Assessment Method (Case Study: FMCG Company in Indonesia)

Based on a Greenpeace International survey, Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies are the dominant force behind the single-use economic model that drives the plastic waste crisis originating from consumption and production by producing industrial waste that must be handled appropriately with the concept of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM). This study discusses SSCM practices in one of the FMCG companies, namely PT XYZ, and focuses on sustainable packaging supply chains, intending to know the application of SSCM in the supply chain and improvements that can be made to reduce waste and its negative impacts. The exploratory research was done with a case study type and used a mixed-method approach to formulate the development that can be done to reduce the waste and negative impact of the packaging supply chain. The assessment resulted from calculating the Life Cycle Assessment software, Simapro, with the CML-IA baseline V3.06/EU25 method. This method represents the environmental impact using 11 indicators. The most significant adverse environmental impacts are global warming, human toxicity, and marine aquatic ecotoxicity. The most significant contribution to the cause of the negative environmental impact is the consumption of electricity and water, which produce excess CO2 and boiler engines which produce excess NO2. Improvements can be made by reducing CO2 gas and using alternative fuels for environmentally friendly boilers.

Optimal Scheduling of Regional Integrated Energy System Considering the Integration of Electric Vehicles and the Life Cycle Assessment Method

With the increasing scale of renewable energy and electric vehicles (EVs), the optimization scheduling of the regional integrated energy system (RIES) is facing new challenges due to the integration of EVs and new energy into the system. To realize the low-carbon economic operation of the RIES, a bi-level optimization scheduling strategy for low-carbon economic operation of the RIES is proposed, which considers EVs' participation and lifecycle carbon emissions, and integrates the electricity market and carbon trading market. Firstly, there are many factors affecting the carbon emissions of EVs and the difficulties in prediction. From the indirect carbon emissions during the use of EVs, the relationship between the carbon emissions of EVs and the charging mode and carbon emission sources is comprehensively analyzed. A carbon emission model of EVs based on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is established in this paper. Secondly, the charging model of EVs based on demand response is combined with the electricity market; The carbon emission model of EVs based on the LCA is combined with the carbon trading market, and a bi-level scheduling strategy based on the flexible interaction between carbon and electricity is proposed. Then the strategy is solved to minimize system economic costs and carbon transaction costs. Finally, simulation example analysis is conducted to demonstrate that the proposed strategy can effectively reduce the total charging costs of electric vehicle users, improve the utilization rate of renewable energy, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions, with good economic and environmental benefits.

Towards a Greener Radiology: A Comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment Framework for Diagnostic Imaging

Abstract The increasing focus on environmental sustainability is becoming essential in the radiology sector, which is accredited for about 10 % of the healthcare industry’s carbon footprint. A multitude of research initiatives investigated the environmental impacts of diagnostic imaging. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) stands as a prominent method for structural assessment of environmental impacts, offering a tool for examining the environmental consequences of specific processes. The aim of this study includes analysing existing LCA approaches in the literature to identify their limitations and to suggest a comprehensive LCA framework for diagnostic imaging. Of the original articles on environmental sustainability in radiology published since 2014, five have described an LCA approach. About the boundaries of their systems, all studies considered the electricity consumption of imaging equipment. Usage of consumables was included in 80 % (4/5) of the studies, as well as energy consumption of auxiliary equipment and Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems. Only 40 % (2/5) of articles considered waste generation, cleaning and disposal of products used during imaging activities. The articles also varied in their LCA approach, with different life cycle assessment methods. Insights from this analysis led to the identification of differences in LCA methodological approaches in imaging found in the literature. In addition, a new LCA framework designed to overcome the limitations observed in existing research was proposed, offering a more comprehensive analysis. The objective may be the development of more targeted strategies to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions associated with diagnostic procedures.

Decarbonisation of Kidney Care in the United Arab Emirates: A Roadmap to an Environmentally Sustainable Care.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains a major public health burden and a leading cause of mortality worldwide and in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Alongside its clinical and humanistic burden, CKD care is associated with a significant carbon footprint. In this narrative review, we present an overview of the carbon footprint of current CKD treatments and the results of an analysis estimating the carbon footprint of CKD treatments in the UAE. Using the life cycle assessment (LCA) method and local data from the published national reports and inventory sources, we estimated that haemodialysis leads to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of ~12.8 tons of CO2 equivalents (CO2eq) per person in the UAE annually. Thus, the decarbonisation of CKD care is crucial in establishing an environmentally sustainable healthcare system. We propose a framework to decarbonise CKD care in the UAE that tackles the carbon footprint of CKD care in the UAE by focusing on three main pillars: Delaying early CKD and slowing its progression; reducing anthropogenic emissions from CKD and dialysis care by promoting best practices and eco-friendly technologies; and enhancing access to kidney transplantation. Such approaches are relevant not only for the UAE but also for global healthcare systems aiming towards net-zero emissions.

ASPECTS OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY MANAGEMENT FOR RATIONAL ENERGY RESOURCE UTILIZATION

This study delves into the multifaceted landscape of energy efficiency management with the objective of rationalizing the utilization of energy resources. The article considers a methodical approach to the study of the level of energy intensity of economic activity, covering levels of management, from the macro level to the level of an individual enterprise. In general, it is advisable to supplement the proposed approach with existing methods that extend the content to the results of energy efficiency research. Using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method and other methodologies, we explore various dimensions of energy resource utilization and the scale of energy efficiency management across different stages of the lifecycle. Additionally, the study introduces levels of energy efficiency management developed by the authors, providing a structured framework for optimizing energy use. Through rigorous analysis, we evaluate the environmental impacts, energy consumption patterns, and efficiency levels associated with diverse energy management strategies. Our findings illuminate key areas for improvement and optimization in energy utilization practices, offering insight beneficial for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and environmental advocates alike. By leveraging the comprehensive framework of LCA alongside the developed levels of energy efficiency management, this research contributes to a nuanced understanding of energy efficiency management, thereby facilitating informed decision-making towards sustainable energy utilization pathways. Examining the example of building the life cycle of gas production and highlighting the main stages of its transformation from a raw resource to a finished product for consumption allows for the consideration of the entire chain of creation of the added value of this energy resource and enables control of the level of its influence on the results of the activities of economic units involved in this chain, as well as the consequences of their impact on the environment. This allows us to conclude that the approach discussed in the article can be used both for researching the energy efficiency of individual enterprises, as well as their associations, industries, and the economy in general.

Analysis of Eco-Efficiency Level in Tofu Processing Using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Method

A tofu industrial center in Sukoharjo Regency, Central Java requires approximately 700 kg of soybeans per day. There is some waste in tofu processing, including energy consumption, water consumption, and has a negative impact on the environment in the form of liquid waste and solid waste. This study aims to analyze and provide suggestions for improvements regarding the level of eco-efficiency in tofu processing. The method used is Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) using SimaPro software with the scope of "gate to gate". This research resulted in an eco-cost value of IDR 2,005,000 and an EEI value of 0.13 which means that it is affordable but not sustainable. Then obtained an EVR value of 7.5 and an EER rate of -6.5%, which means that the eco-efficiency of tofu products is quite poor. So that the proposed improvements that can be used are minimizing the use of raw materials, water and energy and treating waste from tofu processing according to the predetermined booklet.

Prospects of Digital Twin for Dynamic Life Cycle Assessment of Smart Manufacturing Systems

Smart manufacturing systems are poised to revolutionize industrial processes by leveraging advanced technologies for increased efficiency and productivity. However, alongside these advancements, there is a growing imperative to address environmental sustainability concerns. Conventional static life cycle assessment (LCA) methods often provide valuable insights into the environmental impacts of such manufacturing systems but often fall short in capturing real-time data and dynamic system interactions. Further, using the digital twin technology, physical assets can be virtually replicated in order to monitor, evaluate, and improve the particular manufacturing system. The dynamic properties can be effectively brought to LCA investigations by utilizing this technique. This paper explores the prospects of integrating digital twin technology for facilitating the dynamic LCA to enable comprehensive and timely environmental performance evaluation of smart manufacturing systems. We discuss the concepts, technological components, and potential applications of digital twin-enabled dynamic LCA, along with challenges and future research directions.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analysis on the dyeing process to increase sustainable production in batik SMEs

Satrio Utomo SME is a batik small and medium enterprise located in Kedunggudel, Sukoharjo, which was established in 2010. This business specializes in producing two types of batik, written batik and stamped batik. Both production processes utilize Remazol as the raw material for synthetic dyes. Notably, while written batik exclusively employs 100% Remazol dye, stamped batik incorporates recycled Remazol dye. This study aims to calculate, analyze, and offer recommendations for enhancing eco-efficiency in the utilization of Remazole dye by employing the Life Cycle Assessment method with SimaPro 9.3 software to evaluate the environmental impact of both batik production methods. The results indicate that the eco- efficiency index for written batik stands at 1.03, whereas stamped batik boasts an index of 1.07, signifying superior eco-efficiency. This underscores the greater environmental impact of written batik, while stamped batik demonstrates a more favorable balance between economic and ecological considerations. The study proposes an enhancement strategy: increasing the production of stamped batik employing recycled Remazol dye due to its higher net value. For written batik, the recommendation involves transitioning from synthetic dyes to natural dyes, known for their environmental friendliness and ability to yield classic batik results.

Assessment of grid electricity systems using the life-cycle carbon-emission model

The previous study developed a life-cycle carbon emissions (LCCE) algorithm in MS Excel. Despite improvements, a comprehensive approach is needed to conduct life-cycle carbon emissions inventory (LCCEI) analysis using current methods. This study diverges from existing research by assessing LCCEI data of power generation and transmission systems on studied grids, considering component lifespans, recycling pollutants, and retirement rates. The life-cycle carbon emissions inventory analysis results improve understanding of power system environmental performance, aligning with stakeholders’ objectives. This study aims to enhance the environmental performance of electric power systems in Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania by evaluating the LCCE of power generation and transmission within their national grids. The selected grids are the right participants for the study, of non-renewable and renewable grid electricity generation mixes, due to their different environmental features, potential power trade, upcoming grid interconnection, and power transmission practices at various scales. The study applied a life cycle assessment method and simulated the learning patterns using RStudio. The data (emission factors and activity) has been collected from the reports (scientific and technical) and national utility actors. The presented results show that only Kenyan generation and transmission systems have a lifetime decarbonization performance relationship between renewable energy sources dominated power systems and non-renewable energy sources dominated power systems. A major challenge of this study has been the scarcity of primary data, leading to reliance on some secondary and external sources. Therefore, future research should consider the use of more internal and primary data sources, and the use of the most current data, including new technologies adopted from cradle-to-grave of the systems. This study’s findings inform better system designs, policies, and plans for improved environmental performance in electrical power systems.

Life cycle assessment methods for investigating novel food packaging systems

High volume of plastic waste generated and potential harm to wildlife and ecosystems, are negative consequences from poor end-of-life food packaging management. An essential part of designing a food packaging...

The relevance of life cycle assessment to decision-making in companies and public authorities

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is increasingly used, but studies about the influence on decision making and the actual impact of LCA are so far lacking. The goal of this study is therefore to present a first assessment of the influence of LCAs within decision-making and the real-world impact of LCAs. For this purpose, a semi-quantitative questionnaire and several qualitative interviews were performed with decision makers from industry and governmental agencies. The results show that half of the surveyed organizations use LCA frequently in decision-making, while the other half only implement LCA in a few decision situations. In companies, LCA is applied for product development and optimization as well as strategic decisions. The level of integration of LCA in decision-making processes showed a positive correlation with the consideration of LCA results and the impact of LCA results on decision outcomes. In public authorities (analysis restricted to Swiss authorities), environmental aspects are always considered during the development of new regulations, but the LCA results are not the only aspects influencing the decision outcome. Other aspects are the costs and the environmental awareness of the decision-maker. Three quarters of all organizations use climate change as one environmental indicator, mostly (in 68% of the responding organizations) in combination with other environmental indicators. Four main reasons limit the influence of LCA within decision-making: lower priority of environmental aspects compared to other decision criteria, complex LCA methods, complex results, and a lack of data to perform a reliable LCA. Future research could be conducted with a specific focus on an industrial sector, a country, or a specific application area to allow in-depth insights of decision-making practices.

Life cycle and damage assessment of the third generation fractal texturing solar panels

The photovoltaic (PV) sector has undergone both major expansion and evolution over the last decades, and currently, the technologies already marketed or still in the laboratory/research phase are numerous and very different. Likewise, in order to assess the energy and environmental impacts of these devices, life cycle assessment (LCA) studies related to these systems are always increasing. In this paper, utilizing the LCA method and SimaPro software, a comparative analysis has been done between conventional solar panels and fractal glass texture panels. In addition, a sensitivity analysis has been performed on the fractal feature of the panel and its role in environmental impacts and damages. The results show that for the three main environmental impacts, this new technology has 1 % less negative impacts in all three aspects of human health, ecosystems and resources compared to the conventional PV panels.

Life cycle environmental impact assessment of titanium dioxide production in China

Titanium dioxide (TiO2), a widely used superior and versatile material, has imposed considerable energy and environmental impacts with its increasing demand and production. To guarantee the sustainable development of TiO2, this study assesses and forecasts the multiple environmental impacts of two mainstream TiO2 production technologies using the life cycle assessment (LCA) method. Results show that toxicity is the dominant environmental impact caused by TiO2 production. The chloride route has better environmental performance than the sulphate route except for global warming. Sulfuric acid, electricity, and steam are the key factors contributing to environmental burdens. Production of TiO2 pigment is the key stage to cause environmental impact for the sulphate route, whereas, the production of high‑titanium slag and TiO2 pigment are dominant stages for the chloride route. Nonrenewable-fossil is the largest source of cumulative energy demand (CED) consumption in both routes. Therefore, scenarios on renewable electricity transition under carbon neutral target and enhancing chloride route are simulated, revealing a 43% reduction of environmental impact mitigation potential. Finally, policy implications on the transition to renewable energy, chloride technology, and circular economy for TiO2 production are proposed.

Life cycle assessment of a common effluent treatment plant: Case study of Mahad, India

Common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) offer extensive benefits for wastewater treatment in developing countries in terms of cost-effectiveness, industrial synergy, and resource conservation. Evaluating the performance of CETPs is essential to ensure sustainable practices in wastewater management. The present study aims to assess the environmental impacts of a CETP situated in Maharashtra, India, using the life cycle assessment method (LCA) as per ISO 14040:14044. The plant comprises a primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment unit along with a sludge handling unit. The inventory analysis was performed using the averaged data collected from the plant for a year. The secondary inputs were taken from the GaBi 10.6 database suited to the Indian context. The study employed a gate-to-grave LCA approach and the functional unit was assumed to be 1000 m3 of treated water. The impact analysis was conducted with the help of the CML 2001: Aug 2016 method. It was found that the primary and secondary treatment units offered the highest environmental burden. Both the treatment units contribute about 70–80 % to all the categories except for ADP-elemental, where the contribution is about 98 %. Electricity was identified as a predominant factor contributing to the impacts under most midpoint categories except for ADP-elemental. A scenario analysis was undertaken to estimate the possibility of adapting to renewable energy to reduce environmental footprints. The impacts generated under such a scenario were lower than the original observations, except for the ADP–elemental category. The study emphasizes how LCA helps optimize areas under investigation and fosters sustainable treatment practices in wastewater treatment.

Life Cycle Assessment of the Sugarcane Supply Chain in the Brazilian Midwest Region

The sugarcane supply chain is one of the main contributors to economic development in many countries. However, it is necessary to consider the relationship of this supply chain with the environment in order to reduce/mitigate adverse environmental impacts. Life cycle assessment (LCA) supports improving the relationship between production systems and the environment, increasing process efficiency, and reducing costs. The main objective of this research was to identify the extent to which the sugarcane supply chain impacts environmental and human health aspects as well as the use of resources through LCA. This analysis focused on a supply chain in Brazil’s Midwest region, considering the stages of cultivation, transportation, and production. The results indicated that using fertilizers and pesticides and burning crops during harvest severely threaten the sustainability of this supply chain. Also, using crude oil, natural gas, coal, and other chemical products in ethanol production is a critical threat to the sustainability of the sugarcane supply chain. The obtained results cooperate with the decarbonization goals assumed by Brazil at the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2015 (COP 21). A multidimensional approach is necessary to assess the sugarcane production chain results, and the LCA method is appropriate for performing this analysis.

Research on the improvement of carbon neutrality by utilizing agricultural waste: Based on a life cycle assessment of biomass briquette fuel heating system

Various environmental issues caused by global warming demand urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Implementing a carbon neutrality strategy emerges as an effective solution to alleviate environmental pollution. The use of biomass briquette fuel significantly contributes to promoting carbon neutrality. In this study, the life cycle assessment (LCA) method was employed to create a model for assessing carbon reduction in biomass briquette fuel heating systems. The findings suggested that the use of agricultural waste briquette fuel for heating has great potential for carbon neutrality. The utilization of 100,000 tons of biomass briquette fuel by a heating enterprise resulted in a remarkable reduction of 335,679 tons of CO2-eq, equivalent to 91,305 tons of carbon. This substitution also displaced 63,558 tons of coal, leading to a reduction of 5460 tons of SO2 and 1012 tons of PM10. The sensitivity analysis identified that transportation distance, energy consumption, and pollutant removal technologies were the primary drivers influencing carbon reduction. Subsequently, some recommendations were proposed to enhance the carbon neutrality of biomass briquette fuel heating systems. These findings have significant implications for achieving carbon neutrality.

Regulation Mechanism for Designing Decarbonization Pathways in the Copper Industry Toward Carbon Neutrality.

The transformation of the global power structure caused by the carbon neutrality goal will promote copper consumption. It is crucial to explore the decarbonization pathways of the copper industry to help fulfill greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets. This study utilized material flow analysis and life cycle assessment methods to investigate 12 different subscenarios based on international trade, circular economy, technology evolution, and environmental market factors. Policy combination scenario is employed to reveal the mechanism of decarbonization. The results show that refined copper consumption in China is expected to increase by 62.3% in 2060 compared to 2020. The GHG emissions of China's copper industry will reach 9.1 million tonnes (Mt) CO2e in 2060, technology evolution and environmental market are crucial for realizing carbon neutrality goal of this industry, accounting for 26.4 and 47.2% of emissions reductions, respectively, between 2020 and 2060. International trade and circular economy play important roles in the high-quality carbon peaking stage; however, imported copper and domestic secondary copper will constitute the basic supply of copper resources in China in the long run, and the comparative advantages of them will gradually weaken. Policy combination scenario can achieve the incentive synergy effect, with GHG reduced to 0.5 Mt CO2e in 2060. The enhanced application of policies such as material substitution and carbon emission trading will further promote industry to achieve net-zero GHG emission. We suggest regulating the industry's structure based on the international systemic circulation pattern and accelerating the construction of a green circular chain in the short term to achieve sustainable copper supply and high-quality carbon peaking. Promoting a high-quality technology development strategy and enhancing the environmental markets are recommended in the long term to achieve carbon neutrality.

Co‐generation and GHG emission from agricultural waste based on pyrolysis/gasification: Experimental and LCA approaches

AbstractIn this study, co‐generation from rice straw based on pyrolysis and gasification was studied by experimental and modeling approaches. Pyrolysis experiment results show that improving pyrolysis temperature will benefit the yield of gas and bio‐oil, while reducing the yield of bio‐char. The BET (Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller) surface area of bio‐char reached a maximum of 143.26 m2/g when the temperature was increased to 550°C. For co‐generation in this study, an optimized pyrolysis temperature of 500°C was selected. With respect to gasification, air equivalence ratio (ER) largely influenced the syngas yield and composition. At ER = 0.25, the concentration of H2 and CO reached a maximum of 17.8 wt% and 16.2 wt%. Based on the experimental results, an Aspen Plus model was built to evaluate the mass and energy balance during co‐generation. Furthermore, a life cycle assessment method was used to evaluate the greenhouse gas emission during co‐generation process initialed from rice straw planting. Results show that the greenhouse gas emission intensities of the two co‐generation systems were 2.92 and 3.51 g CO2/MJ respectively, which were much lower than traditional fossil fuels.

An endpoint model for life cycle impact assessment in China and preliminary normalization values: A case study of vehicles

Life cycle assessment (LCA) has become a vital tool for selecting and developing green products to support decision-making. While there are various regional evaluation models for conducting life cycle impact assessment (LCIA), which is one of the key steps in LCA, a systematic LCIA model is still lacking in China. In this study, we propose an endpoint damage model for LCIA. We focus on three endpoint damage categories and eleven environmental impact categories based on local characteristics in China. By using the emission factor method, extrapolation method and other methods, the total emission of each pollutant is quantified. Localized per capita normalization values were calculated. Then, the potential value for environmental impact (PVEI) is acquired, which could be used to represent the impact of pollutant emissions and resource and energy consumption on the environment. With a base year of 2017, the regional per capita normalization values of human health, ecosystem quality and resources in China are 1.94 × 10−2 DALY, 6.08 × 10−5 species, and 2.47 × 103 MJ, respectively. The developed methodology is validated by applying it to the LCIA of vehicles, and the PVEI of three vehicles is ranked as follows: methanol vehicle (MV) > battery electric vehicle (BEV) > compressed natural gas vehicle (CNGV). The findings support the development of an LCIA method for China. The localization parameters supplement and improve the method of life cycle assessment in China, improve the scientificity of life cycle assessment results, and make the evaluation results more in line with China's actual conditions.