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4 Steps to LCIA
1. Classification 2. Characterization 3. Normalisation 4. Weighting
Life-cycle Assessment
A method to assess the environmental impacts of a product, process, or service Manufacturers, policy makers, consumers Provides a healthy degree of skepticism of environmental arguments and claims
Life-Cycle Management (LCM)
According to the UNEP and SETAC, LCM is A business management approach to improve and organization's sustainability performance. A method to ensure more sustainable value chain management: to target, organize, analyze and manage product-related information and activities towards continuous improvement along the product life cycle; to reduce footprints and minimizing environmental and socio-economic burdens while maximizing economic and social values.
LCA Report for ISO Compliance
Administrative information: date of report, name of the address of LCA practitioner, other contact information or released information Definition of Goal and Scope Life-Cycle Inventory Analysis (data collection and calculation procedures) Life Cycle Impact Assessment (methodology and results of the impact assessment that was performed) Life Cycle Interpretation: results, assumptions and limitations, data quality assessment Critical Review (internal and external): name and affiliate of reviewers, critical review reports, responses to recommendations
Examples of parameters considered in a sensitivity analysis on dairy LCA
Allocation between meat and milk Choice of functional unit Feed consumption Refrigeration times Consumer transport distances Product losses Container recycling methods Packaging composition and size
Allocation Step 1
Always try to avoid allocation Option 1: divide the unit process to be allocated into two or more sub-processes and compile data in these sub-processes Option 2: expanding the product system to include the production process of co-product
Classification
Assignment of emissions to impact categories according to their potential effects
Weighting
Assignment of weights to the different impact potentials inherently subjective
Process-based LCI challenges
Availability Completeness Representativeness: temporal, spatial, technical Hidden assumptions
Levels of Reporting
Basic reporting: focuses on compliance of check lists; minimum to establish legitimacy Strategic reporting: Focuses on performance agains specific targets concerning material CR issues; establish clear business cases for CR Integrated reporting: offers financial and sustainability information, giving a holistic view of company performance
Primary data
Collected directly from the processes that are studies
LCM Opportunities
Competitive advantage in emerging or green markets: final consumes, business clients, public administrations Better image: consumers and clients, financial stakeholders, NGOs and civil society, legislators Influence regulations and pre-normative processes
Step 2: Evaluate completeness, sensitivity, and consistency
Completeness: examine the completeness of the study, ensure all relevant information and data are available and complete Sensitivity: investigate the sensitivity and magnitude of data on influencing the results Consistency: system boundary, data mining, assumptions, allocation methods
Strengths of LCA
Comprehensive assessment Highlights potential environmental tradeoffs Provides structure to an investigation Challenges conventional wisdom Advances the knowledge base Fosters communication and discourse
Process-based LCI
Constructed and organized by linking individual unit process data sets to form a complete product system Flexible: expandable, adjustable Aggregated: to protect confidentiality
Drivers: Why communicating LCM?
Consumer demands Information request from business clients External pressure from stakeholders or customers Increasing attention from financial stakeholders Green Public Procurement programs of public administrations Requirements from policy-makers
Process-based LCA
Cut-off criteria are always criticized
Limiting factors shaping the system boundary
Data availability Cut-off rules Allocation requirements
Secondary data
Data reported by some other sources
Product Category Rules
Defines all rules of LCA study and EPD format for the specific product category Open stakeholder consultation process
Corporate Responsibility Reports
Detail a company's response to 4-key questions Why is it important? How does it impact the business? How does it compare to their competitors? How relevant is it to consider stakeholders
Substitution
Determine 'avoided' processes
System and data inventory
Determine inclusion/exclusion of processes and data
Perturbation
Determine sensitivity: What is the effect of the results when one parameter is perturbed? Identify importance of parameters that has significant effects on results Identify key parameters that can govern the overall uncertainty of the result Determine marginal change in input parameter propagates in the system
Converted energy
Does not exist naturally. Generated by converting Primary Energy into more convenient (or useful) forms of energy
Water Use Impact: comprehensive indicator
Eco damage indicator Net primary production Precipitation WFC together with water consumption --> 'compensated area'
Characterization methods
Eco-indicator 99 TRACI
LCI data categories
Energy inputs, raw material inputs, ancillary inputs, and other physical inputs; Products; Emissions to air, water and land, and other environmental aspects
Reporting: Goal
Ensure the study is transparent Specify the purpose of your study: Potential application? Who can be benefited by your study? Describe the production system Brief how the LCA can be carried out: Include methods and assumptions, list limitations define objective (major audience) determine data quality
Endpoint vs Midpoint LCIA
Environmental interventions --> environmental mechanism --> damage occurs to areas we want to protect (end point) Endpoint impact provides tangible aspect BUT, mechanism is less understood at the end points, more commonly available 'mid-point' methods were proposed
ISO 14001
Environmental management system. 'a framework that a company or organization can follow to set up an effective environmental management system'
Normalisation
Expression of the impact potentials relative to a reference situation
Target groups of communication
External stakeholders: final consumers, business clients, financial stakeholders, public administrators and policy makers, civil society and society stakeholders, suppliers Internal stakeholders: shareholders, employees and management
Primary energy
Fuels or forms of energy found in nature
Reporting: scope
Functional unit and reference flow system boundary: can be revised later to echo with study goal or data requirement, must be able to support study goal Data categories input and output inclusion/exclusion allocation method Method for LCA modeling data quality: rarely performed Assumptions and limitations Others (critical review, etc.)
LCI Environmental Impacts that are considered
Global warming Ozone layer depletion Acidification Homan toxic impact Ecosystem toxic impacts (terrestrial, freshwater aquatic, marine aquatic, sediment, etc.) Eutrophication Land use Abiotic resources depletion
Step 1: Identifying significant issues
How? Contribution analysis-- which life cycle stage or processes? Why relevant? Dominance analysis: employ statistical tools or other quantitative methods to identify contributions Anomaly assessment: observation and examination of unusual deviations General foci: inventory of energy, emissions, and waste impact category indicators Essential contributions from a particular stage or groups of processes
ISO type II environmental claims
ISO 14021: 'self-declared environmental claims made by manufacturers, importers, distributors, retailers, or anyone else likely to benefit from such a claim without independent third-party certification' several forms of communication: statements, symbols, or graphics on product or package labels, or in product literature, technical bulletins, advertising, publicity, telemarketing, internet Main features/characteristics: voluntary instrument, generally single criteria, first-party self-declaration Relationship with precut life-cycle and LCM is implicit, generally weak
ISO- type III environmental declarations
ISO 14025: Quantified environmental data for a product, with pre-determined parameters, based on the ISO 14040 series of standards, which may be supplemented by other qualitative and quantitative information Environmental Product Declarations
ISO Standard
ISO established in 1947 to 'facilitate the International coordination and unification of industrial standards' A non-government federation of national standards bodies from around 150 countries: member bodies, correspondent members, subscriber members
Observed trends
ISO-type 1 labels are still the most widely used communication tool to final consumers However important limitations of eco-labels: other communication tools are increasing awareness and fostering better use of product Simplification of complex life-cycle information into ISO type II claims, however some credibility issues ISO type III declarations for B2B-- increasing by still limited diffusion Combination of tools and reporting for various stakeholders
LCA-Based Application: Industry-- Product level
Identify environmental 'hotspots' in the organization or its supply chain set environmental priorities marketing and branding
Allocation principles
Identifying the processes where allocation is relevant Assign environmental burden among products and co-products Allocation should be done in such a way that allocated portions are mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive Sensitivity analysis for multiple options
Allocation Step 2
If allocation is inevitable--> partition the inputs and outputs of the system between its products (physical allocation)
Achieving
Impact down Functionality up
I=PAT
Impacts= Population x affluence x technology
Back to IPAT
Improve eco-efficiency (T) Necessity of services (A) LCA: a tool to find eco-efficient way to deliver a service among all alternatives, but not to answer which one is more important
What LCA can't answer
Improve working environment and worker wellbeing can lead to the increase of productivity GMO products should be banned due to the uncertainty of their effects on human health Biofuel is not economically viable unless gas price is constantly higher than $4/gal Norway is moving to ban gas-based cars by 2025, which will led to the increase of electricity demand and the dependency on public transit, hence boost energy market investment
ISO-type 1 Ecolabels
Indicate overal environmental preferability of a product within a particular product category Qualitative, concise information: allows consumers to take quick purchasing decisions Main features/characteristics: voluntary instrument, multiple criteria, life-cycle approach, third-party independent verifications LCT- life-cycle thinking (but not necessarily LCA) explicitly used to set the criteria
Exploratory data analysis (EDA)
John Turkey (1976) First step in data analysis: leads to the application of formal quantitative methods to determine degree of significance of trends and patterns-- accept difference in perspectives and observed patterns, avoid reporting results blindly, require analysts engagement. Flow accounting: organize inventory flows based on conditional statements applied to the data
Quantify uncertainty
Lack of understanding on sources of uncertainty Currently no consensus on how to quantify the implementation of uncertainty
Ancillary Material Guideline
Less that 1% of the total mass of the processed materials or product Do not contribute significantly to a toxic emission Do not have a signifiant associated energy consumption
IO-based LCA
Less time-consuming and comprehensive Indirect and feedback relationships among processes System boundary: whole economy Resolution of a product is limited by data statistics Fewer LCIA impact categories
Main directions Realm of Industrial Ecology
Life-cycle analysis Eco-industrial parks of sustainability Dematerilization-decarbonization Urban metabolism Material input and output Environmental design Life-cycle design
Step 3: conclusions and recommendations
Make conclusions and the recommendations based on the facts What if the result is unclear?
Reporting--Contents and LCM
Many different approaches several guidelines Difficult classification, because: voluntary instruments, different and heterogeneous industry sectors LCT and LCM not always taken into account/reported
Ancillary Materials
Material input that is used by the unit process producing the product but does not constitute a part of the product Determine if it's okay to be excluded
Allocation step 1-2 disadvantage
Need additional information that is not interested in the study Confuse the audiences Need clarification: system expansion vs. substitution
Allocation
Partion and assign fractions of inventory flows in multifunctional processes Allocation of flows AND releases/emissions Lets processes produce multiple outputs Selected allocation method can significantly affect LCI and LCA results--> sensitivity analysis
Allocation Step 2&3 Partitioning
Physical allocation: mass, volume, energy content... Additional consideration: internal cost accounting, sales, market value Least preferred: 50/50 basis
ISO 14040
Principles and framework of the entire 14040 series An introduction to the 14040 series Basic yet essential form of LCA A distillation of a wide variety of considerations of hundreds of LCA scholars world-wide Highlights: LCA is a technique for assessing the environmental aspects and potential impacts associated with a product Three components: 1. compilation of inventory of input and outputs 2. evaluation of the inventory regarding their environmental impacts 3. interpreting the results Use of LCA in identifying opportunities to improve environmental aspects of products strategic planning, priority setting, products of processing design Environmental claim, eco-labelling, scheme, or environmental declaration
Services provided by the earth
Provider: mass (natural resources), energy Sink: wastes and pollutants
Impact category indicator
Quantifiable representation of an impact category= 'category indicator'
Characterization
Quantification of contributions to the different impact categories
Data quality
Refer to the characteristic of data inventory Determine the degree of confidence you have in the LCA result
Data requirement
Refer to the types of flow data needed in all unit processes Must be able to support study goal and scope Category: from/to technosphere or biosphere, product, resources, or elementary Correspond to impacts interest the study
Key LCIA Assumption
Relationship between production and impacts is linear (attributional LCA)
Uses of LCA
Research Support business strategy Product design/process design education eco-labelling/environmental declaration Others
Codes of Conduct and Supplier Screening
Set of requirements on: ethical, social, health and safety, environmental aspects To be fulfilled internally in the company Often extended to suppliers Good tool to interact with SMEs Link with LCM intrinsic in: Corporate social responsibility, extended producer responsibility, involvement of suppliers
System expansion
Split a multifunctional process
LCA databases
Swiss Ecoinvent CEDA BEES USDA NREL AGRIBALYSE
interpretation
Systematically identify, quantify, check and evaluate information from the results of LCI and the LCIA and communicate them effectively (EPA) Identification of significant issues Evaluation of the results in terms of completeness, sensitivity, consistency Conclusions, recommendations, and reporting Compare alternatives Provide better understanding of the impacts associated with each alternatives Apply LCA results in conjunctions with technical performance, cost, or political and social acceptance
Dimensions that need to be addressed ISO
Temporal coverage Geographical coverage Technological coverage (ex. various types of trucks with various performance and environmental profiles) Precision and completeness Representativeness Consistency and reproducibility Sources of data, and uncertainty of the information
Carrying capacity
The rates at which these two services can be supplied are limited Beyond a certain limit, these services cannot be supplied anymore
Industrial Ecology
There is no official definition Understand energy and material flows in industries Define industrial society as an ecosystem An operational approach to sustainability The concept existed before 1970s, first taught in 1980s
Expanding LCA
Traditional LCA doesn't convey financial and social impacts life-cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) Scheme of LCSA=LCA=LCC=SLCA Pitfall: assuming suitability can be balanced between an environmental, social and economic dimension, how relevant is LCC for sustainability assessment? Cost applies to the poor vs. to the rich?
Uncertainty
Types of uncertainty: parameter uncertainty Models uncertainty Uncertainty due to unavoidable methodological choices in LCA Spatial and temporal variability Variability between sources in LCI Bias Consciously created Unintentionally occur
Environmental Product Declarations-- Main Features/Characteristics
Voluntary instrument multiple environmental impact indicators no threshold criteria/minimum levels to be met Allows comparability of products Third-party verified Relationship with product life cycle is explicit, strictly based on underlying LCA study
Allocation Step 3
Where physical relationships alone is not feasible, the inputs should be allocated to reflect other relationships between them
Impact category
a class representing environmental issues of concern to which LCI results may be assigned. In endpoint method also refers to damage category or area of protection
Characterization factor
a factor derived from a characterization model which is applied to convert the assigned LCI results to the common unit of the category indicator
life-cycle thinking
a holistic view over a product system essential for thinking differently as an environmentalist Alway question: contribution of an environmental action or event, consequences, impacts
Energy flows
change converted energy (energy carriers) back to primary energy Change energy forms: facilitate fair comparison Always compare LCA energy consumption of different products based on primary energy Therefore, resource mix in local grid system matters
Challenges of SME
cost of LCA Need for change in workplace routines Complexity of LCA methods and shortages of personnel to perform LCA General barrier for taking sustainable measures
Reporting: impact assessment and interpretation
determine impact assessment method select proper indicator: revise data inventory, revise goal and scope summarize results interpret: reflect goal and scope, reflect purposes of study Deliver conclusions and suggestions
Communication toolbox: product-related
eco-labels environmental claims environmental product declaration product environmental performance indicators product profiles eco-efficiency analysis product information schemes GPP guidelines
Communication toolbox: Firm and Organization level
environmental reports EHS reports Social reports Sustainability reports CSR- corporate social responsibility Company codes Manuals of Conduct Audits Supplier evaluation systems
ISO 14000 series
envisioned a a second set of managerial standards that will lead to improving environmental performance of business
Elementary flows
from/to biosphere (air, water, or land/soil)
Sources of cut-off
identified: flows are identified in process-based system but no LCI available Non-identified: intangible for simple overlooked. The effect of omitting this type of flows can be more significant if social and economic indicators are considered
Methodological Characteristics
improve communication by bridging science and policy: support dialogue among stakeholders, support policy making and development Provide quantitative information to elaborate the key environmental context of a production systemL inform and improve product design Can be attributional or consequential Global, rather than local Steady state, not dynamic Not pass/fail criteria
General barriers for taking sustainable measures
lack of awareness of sustainability issues absence of perceived benefits lack of knowledge and expertise lack of human and financial resources insufficient external drivers and incentives unsuitability of formal management tools complexity tools
LCA-Based Application: Industry-- Corporate level
mostly done by adopting a few selecting impact categories, or footprint accounting future application: setting strategic objectives, LCA as a tool to aid EMS
Consequential LCA
nonlinear models integration with IO-based linear model can be challenging more relevant for supporting decision-making
Cut-off
normal assumption: cut-off flows are insignificant, but study found that the omission can lead to over 30% of deviation in certain impact categories
Socio-economic indicators
population water use reap GDP primary energy use Transportation Telecommunications International tourism
Corporate responsibility reports
provide information on non-financial risks and opportunities enable companies to manage environmental, social and political factors Track company's sustainability in terms of profits and environment Communities-- understand how companies can impact them Employees-- understand how their work contributes to additional non-monetary values
Environmental Product Information Schemes
seal-of-approval programs single-attribute programs hazard warning programs information disclosure programs environmental self-declaration by individual firms or test reporting
Intermediate flows
to/from technosphere
Water Use Impact: direct indicator
water footprint L of water consumed/kWh power generated L of water consumed/ L biofuel generated
