Life Cycle Assessment and application in waste

management

PE INTERNATIONAL GmbHLeinfelden-Echterdingen, Germany

Who is speaking?PE INTERNATIONAL – Company and selected Customers

Consulting, Software SystemsGaBi / SoFi, Databases

20 years LCA experience in all mayor branches

Global player in sustainability business

Customers in more then 75 countries

Over 500 multinational companies (DJSI) trust in our solutions

PE INTERNATIONAL employs over 140 multinational people worldwide

Headquarters are in Stuttgart, Germany.

Sustainable DevelopmentWhy?

3

Mankind had become a main geological force of the planet.Vladimir Vernadski

Avoid...

...solving a problem...

Sustainable DevelopmentLife Cycle Thinking I

4

... by creating

a new problem.

5

System thinkingQuotes from the system theory:

• Systems can have emergent properties (system is more than just the

sum of its parts)

• Systems can only be optimized on a system level

→ Impossible to understand system by analyzing components

independently

→ Impossible to optimize system by optimizing components (sub-systems)

individually

Life-cycle assessment – practical standardized tool, allowing to apply the system approach in decision making in industrial activities.

Sustainable DevelopmentLife Cycle Thinking III

• In 1960s, first of the whole product’s life cycle were performed (US). They were

called REPAs (Resource and Environmental Profile Analyses);

• In1970s/80s, first LCAs were performed without common methodology

(Sundström,1973,Sweden, Boustead,1972, UK, Basler&Hofmann,1974,Switzerland,

Hunt et al.,1974 USA). Contradicting results.

• 1993, SETAC publishes Guidelines for Life-Cycle Assessment: A ‘Code of Practice’,

• 1997-2000, ISO publishes Standards 14040-43, defining the different LCA stages

• 1998-2001, ISO publishes Standards and Technical Reports 14047-49

• 2000, UNEP and SETAC create Life Cycle Initiative

• 2006 ISO publishes Standards 14040 & 14044, update and replace 14040-43

History : Life Cycle Assessment

7

Principles of Life Cycle AssessmentFramework of LCA - ISO 14044

Goal and scope definition

Inventory analysis

Impact assessment

Inte

rpre

tatio

n

LCA framework

§4.2 ISO 14044

§4.3 ISO 14044

§4.4 ISO 14044

§4.5 ISO

14044

LCA is a technique […] compiling an inventory of relevant inputs and outputs of a product system; evaluating the potential environmental impacts associated with those inputs and outputs; and interpreting the results of the inventory and impact phases in relation to the objectives of the study.

Definition of Life Cycle Assessmentfrom DIN ISO 14040:

8

Life cycle assessment approach

economicprocess

economicprocess

economicprocess

economicprocess

Functional unit

Elementary flows (e.g. water or resource) – input flows

Elementary flows (e.g. emissions to air) – output flows

Economy-environment system boundary

Intermediateflow

Intermediateflow

Intermediateflow

Product system

Life cycle assessment terminology (ISO 14040:2006)

ProduktionProduction NutzungUse End of LifeEnd of Life

ProduktionProduction

Production

10

Life Cycle InventoryInventory analysis – structure

Polypropylene scrap500 kg

Thermal energy712 MJ

Power74.5 kWh

PP scrap (washed)495 kg

Input:

Process water4,800 kg

Output:

PP (consumer waste)5 kg

Waste water4,800 kg

Process:

Washing and drying ofPP scrap

• What is the weight of one complete battery housing?

• Which material inputs are used (specification)?

• How is the cooling water treated (closed or open loop)?

• Generation of thermal energy (which kind of fuel is used)?

• Compressed air: power demand of the compressor, air pressure?

energy

materials operating mat.

losses

waste

products

by-products

emissions

process

500 g

Used battery housings made of polypropylene

No cooling water necessary

Don’t know the power demand, air pressure is 7 bar STP

Natural gas

• What is the weight of one complete battery housing?

• Which material inputs are used (specification)?

• How is the cooling water treated (closed or open loop)?

• Generation of thermal energy (which kind of fuel is used)?

• Compressed air: power demand of the compressor, air pressure?

energy

materials operating mat.

losses

waste

products

by-products

emissions

process

energy

materials operating mat.

losses

waste

products

by-products

emissions

process

500 g

Used battery housings made of polypropylene

No cooling water necessary

Don’t know the power demand, air pressure is 7 bar STP

Natural gas

11

Life Cycle InventoryExample of a data collection sheet of PE International

Life Cycle Model in professional software

Life Cycle Model in professional software

Human toxicity

Photochemical oxidant formation

Ozone depletion

Climate change

Acidification

Eutrophication

Ecotoxicity

Land use impacts

Species & organism dispersal

Abiotic resources deplection

Biotic resources deplection

LCIresults

Human Health

Biotic & abioticnatural environment

Biotic & abioticnatural resources

Biotic & abioticmanmade resources

Source: Int J of LCA 9(6) 2004

Impact categories proposed by UNEP/SETACLife Cycle Initiative in 2003

GWP =

AP =

Σ GWPi kgi * i

Σ APi

kgi * i

15

Life Cycle Impact Assessment Aggregation of single factors to potentials

Global Criteria- Resource depletion- Global Warming Potential (GWP)- Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP)

Regional Criteria- Acidification Potential (AP)

- Land use

Local Criteria - Human- and Eco-Toxicity Potential (HTP, ETP)- Eutrophication Potential (EP)- Photochemical Oxidant Creation Potential (POCP)

Other Criteria - Nisance (noise, odour, landfill demand, ionising radiation)

Life Cycle Impact AssessmentImpacts - global, regional and local

16

Effect: Increased warming of the troposphere due to anthropogenic greenhouse gases e.g. from the burning of fossil fuels.

Reference Substance: Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Reference Unit: kg CO2-Equivalent

Source: IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climatic Change)

CO2 CH4

CFCs

UV - radiation

AbsorptionReflection

Infraredradiation

Trace gases in the atmosphere

17

Life Cycle Impact AssessmentGlobal Warming Potential (GWP)

Effect: Reduction in the ozone concentration of the Stratosphere due to emissions such as Chloro-fluoro-carbons (CFCs)

Reference Substance: Tri-chloro-fluoro-methane (R11)

Reference Unit: kg R11-Equivalent

Source: CML, (Heijungs, Centrum voor Milieukunde Leiden), 1992

Life Cycle Impact Assessment Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP)

CFCsNitrogen oxide

Stratosphere15 - 50 km Absorption Absorption

UV - radiation

18

Effect: Increase in the pH-value of precipitation due to the wash-out of acidifiying gases e.g. Sulphur dioxide (SO2) and Nitrogen oxides (NOx).

Reference Substance: Sulphur dioxide (SO2)

Reference Unit: kg SO2-Equivalent

Source: CML, (Heijungs, Centrum voor Milieukunde Leiden), 1992

Life Cycle Impact Assessment Acidification Potential (AP)

SO2

NOX

H2SO44HNO3

19

Effect: Excessive nutient input into water and land from substances such asphosphorus und nitrogen from agriculture, combustion processes and effluents.

Reference Substance: Phosphate (PO4-)

Reference Unit: kg PO4- Equivalent

Source: CML, (Heijungs, Centrum voor Milieukunde Leiden), 1992

Life Cycle Impact Assessment Eutrophication Potential (EP)

Waste water

Air pollutionFertilisation

PO4-3

NO3-

NH4+

NOXN2O

NH3

20

HydrocarbonsNitrogen Oxides

Dry and warmclimate

Hydrocarbons

Nitrogen Oxides

Ozone

Effect: Formation of low level ozone by sunlight instigating the photochemical reaction of nitrogen oxides with hyrocarbons and volatile organic compounds (VOC)

Reference Substance: Ethylene (C2H4)

Reference Unit: kg C2H4 -Equivalent

Source: Udo de Haes et al., 1999

21

Life Cycle Impact Assessment Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential (POCP) - Summer smog

Effect: Continuous toxicological impact on humans

(arbitrary estimation)

Reference Substance: 1,4-Di-chloro-benzene (DCB, C6H4Cl2)

Reference Unit: kg DCB - Equivalent

Source: CML (Centrum voor Milieukunde Leiden); RIVM (National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection)

Life Cycle Impact Assessment Human Toxicity Potential (HTP)

Heavy metals

Halogenorganiccompounds

PCBDCB

PAH

Air

Food

Products

22

Effect: Continuous toxicological impact on water and soils

(arbitrary estimation)

Reference Substance: 1,4-Di-chloro-benzene (DCB, C6H4Cl2)

Reference Unit: kg DCB - Equivalent

Source: CML (Centrum voor Milieukunde Leiden); RIVM (National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection)

Life Cycle Impact Assessment Aquatic (AETP) and Terrestrial (TETP) = Ecotoxicity Potential (ETP)

(Terrestrial Ecosystem) Biosphere

Heavy metals

Halogenorganiccompounds

PCBDCBPAH

Biosphere(Aquatic ecosystem)

23

Pulp and paper

Absorbent gel

LDPE film PP fabric

Tapes, elastics, adhesives

Raw cotton

Cotton fabric

Disposable diaper

Reusable diaper

Diaperuse

Diaperuse

Diaperlaundry

Diaper landfill

Diaper landfill

43%

27%

7%

23%

Other materials

Source: World Resources Institute,1994. Adapted from R.Geyer lecture slides 2008

Results: LCA Disposable and Reusable Nappies (UK)

Disposable Home laundered reusable

Commercially laundered reusable

Abiotic resource depletion (kg Sb eq) 4.82 4.09 5.76

Acidification (kg SO2 eq) 3.78 3.13 3.05

Eutrophication (kg PO4 eq) 0.338 0.334 0.275

Global warming (GWP100) (kg CO2 eq) 626 559 762

Ozone layer depletion (ODP) (kg CFC-11 eq) 0.000261 0.00004 0.00008

Photochemical oxidation (kg C2H2) 0.174 0.048 0.049

Human toxicity (kg 1,4-DB eq) 49.4 132 123

Fresh water aquatic ecotox. (kg 1,4-DB eq) 7.01 11.4 11.6

Terrestrial. ecotoxicity (kg 1,4-DB eq) 1.92 1.53 2.7

Results: LCA Disposable and Reusable Nappies (UK)

0

5E-11

1E-10

1.5E-10

2E-10

2.5E-10

3E-10

3.5E-10

4E-10

ADP AP EP GWP ODP POCP HTP FAETP TETP

Disposable

Reusable,homelaunderingReusable,commerciallaundry

Normalization factor: Total estimated impact of Western Europe in 1995

Source: Adapted from R. Geyer lecture slides (UCSB, 2009)

Results: LCA Disposable and Reusable Nappies (UK)

Completeness check

Has Something important been left out? Look at cut-offs, data gaps & missing impact categories. Justify why missing elements are not relevant with respect to goal and scope of study;

Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis

How much can different parameters (assumptions) change the result? Look at variations in process data, boundary, allocation etc.

Consistency check

Are the assumptions, methods, models and data consistent withgoal and scope & with each other?

- data quality along a product life cycle or between different product systems- regional and temporal aspects- allocation rules and system boundaries- impact assessment

InterpretationCompleteness, sensitivity and consistency checks

LCA basics: some take home messages

Role of LCA in sustainablility assessments:best known method to cover LCmost established method to cover LConly standardized method to cover LCQuantitativetechnical/reality basedconsitent (if used properly) „The knife and the doctor“flexibleholisticexpandable

Main task: Reducing complex problems to the relevant aspects (emissions to impacts, process chain elements to sub-systems) and making them understanable.

Innovation without LCA justification is not longer accepted and wanted

LCA: some general Trends

Trends & Future improvements (ed personal opinion)

• Integration of LCA in Environmental Management Systems;

• Quality and availability of data (Growth of available databases);

• Impact assessment methodology is still in development (Toxicity indicators, plus new issues are gaining attention – biodiversity, land use, water footprint);

• Multidimensionality in decision making (management decisions with trade offs and uncertainty);

• Hybrid LCA (to address cut-off issues);

• Social LCA to address social aspects of sustainability.

29

LCA in Waste Management (WM)The LC from the viewpoint of “Recycling” (1)

• Recyclability is influenced by law e.g.:Take back RegulationsResource/Energy policiesWaste policies

• Recyclability is influenced by the product e.g.:Consumer productValue of productDurability of product

• Recyclability is influenced by production process e.g.:CompoundQualityAssembly has backflash on disassembly possibilitiesMaterial mixValue of materialIntegration possibilities of post comsumer material in production process

• Recyclability is influenced by location e.g.:Location of waste generationLocation of waste recyclingTransport costsCollection and Distribution network

• Recyclability is influenced by the demand e.g.:Demand of recycled materialValue of recycled material in comparison to virgin material

• Recyclability is influenced by possibilities of the recycling methods e.g.:Quality of recycled materialExpenses of recycling process (energy, emissions, costs) Availability of technologiesPossibilities of new technologiesTechnology integrated in closed-loop, open-loop LC, downcycling (parkbench)

LCA in Waste Management (WM)The LC from the viewpoint of “Recycling” (2)

Topics addressed by LCA in WMAnalyzing recycling methods

• Resource scarcity

• Options to use recycled material (substitute virgin material, substitute other materials,substitute energy carrier)

• Closing of material loops (keeping materials in technoshpere, e.g. steel, aluminium)

• Expenses / Impacts for different recycling methods (energy, emissions, waste)

• Reduction of dump site volume / space

• Chances of new or future technologies

• Inventories primary material / secondary material

Approach: Identifying relevant parameters of recycling options leading to a LCA

Ways to identify proper methodsSelecting of recycling methods

Boundaries: Many processes, influencing parameters and different impacts

complex decision

Goal: Reliable decision with accurate expenses

Possibility: Reducing degree of complexity before an analysis

High loss of information

Screening the systems and identifying relevant parameters

Little loss of information

Metal separation

• bigger metal parts (even stones) are best separated in a washing tank (sink effect)

• Ferrous metals separated by magnetic separators, non-ferrous e.g. by metal detectors

LCA relevant parameters: water demand, electricity

Example Mechanical RecyclingPurifying

General

The use of mixed or impure plastic waste by direct remolding leads to recycling product of low demand. Thus purification (detection, separation, cleaning and sorting) gains importance.

Plastics from recycled materials therefore are more (economical) interesting, if the prices of primary plastic materials is relatively high.

Mechanical RecyclingPurifying, GaBi

Metal

separation

Shredder > 50mm

• high volume waste (cars, refrigerator) are processed. In Germany 500.000 t/a shredder waste, 30% plastics (mainly incinerated)

• other examples: screw disintegrator, rolling cutter

LCA relevant parameters: processing of shredder light weight fraction, significant energy demand for big shredders (high weight, air blowers), dust emissions, heavy metals in air, dioxins in air, noise (cars: mainly outdoor operation)

Mechanical RecyclingPurifying

Shredder

The shredding process can be separated into different target particle sizes

a) > 50mm b) > 5mm c) < 1mm

Shredding is one of the most important process in plastic recycling.

Shredder > 50mm

Mechanical RecyclingPurifying

Shredder > 50mm

Mechanical RecyclingPurifying, GaBi

Chemical RecyclingPetrochemical processes

Pyrolysis

• decomposition at 400°-800°C (no O2 , no combustion)

• petrochemical products (40% gases, 25% oils, 30% waste)

• gases (electr./heating), oils (chem. use)

• no sorting, cleaning necessary

• possible dioxine/furane synthesis

LCA relevant parameters: energy (50% of product used internal), gaseous emissions dioxins/furans possible or treatment needed

waste

pyrolysis oilpyrolysis gas 50%

pyrolysis gas 50%

soot

Chemical RecyclingPetrochemical processes

Synthesis gas generation

• base substance for NH3 and methanol production

• partial oxidation of hydrocarbons (plastics)

• 160 bar, 1500°C, combustion of hydrocarbons prevented by O2 regulation

• Plants to process plastics at recycling center “Schwarze Pumpe (SVZ)”. Product mainly H2, CO as base substances for methanol. Methanol partly further used for plastic production

LCA relevant parameters: very high temperatures (internal use of product may high)

Thermal RecyclingCo-Combustion

Waste Incineration Plants

• only existing (economical feasible) large scale technology

Grate firing

• Principle: Drying, degassing

• gasification, combustion

• Complex off-gas treatment

• product: electricity

LCA relevant parameters: heavy metal treatment (e.g. Hg), efficiency of electricity generation, internal energy demand, allocation of emissions (who is responsible for what?)

Thermal RecyclingMono-Combustion

Different technologies

• grate firing: technological realized (e.g. in waste incineration plants)

• rotary kiln: Not suitable for low-ash plastics

• fluidized bed reactor: technological possible, but still in development (1994 Japan)

Thermal RecyclingOthers

BRAM (“Fuel from Waste”)

• Briquettes from waste (70-85% pulp/paper, 10-13% plastics)

• Goal: homogenization of waste, better storage, better process conditions

• BRAM produced in DE, NL, GB, FR

• High heavy metal concentrations in flue gases (even higher than in coal)

• Extensive flue gas cleaning

LCA relevant parameters: heavy metal contents, efficiency of process using BRAM (gas cleaning)

Altauto

Shredder

RecyclingKKB

SLF

RecyclingKKB

DeponieSLF

SLF

Used car

Dry up

Disassembly Shredder

RecyclingSLF

Spare parts

SLF

RecyclingTank

DisposalSLF

Verbrennung SLF

Szenario„Dump site“

FTP Project

Szenario„Max. Recycling“

Szenario„FTP-Project“

Metals

Szenario„Incineration“

EU-Used car regulation goal: increase recycling rate

Recycling of integrated plastics on the example of car recyclingSystem comparison

Recycling of integrated plastics (e.g. car recycling) The LC in GaBi

Recycling of integrated plastics (e.g. car recycling) The LC in GaBi

Recycling of integrated plastics (e.g. car recycling) Results and Interpretation

Primary energy [MJ]

Comparison of LC-stagesof new technology

-2,0E-10

0,0E+00

2,0E-10

4,0E-10

6,0E-10

8,0E-10

1,0E-09

1,2E-09

Impacts

Nor

m.

Impa

cts

productionuseend of Lifetotal

GWP ODP AP EP POCP

0

48

Thank you for your attention

Questions ?