Life Cycle Assessment An introduction

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Life Cycle Assessment- An introduction
Research Fellow Mikkel ThraneMaster in
Environmental ManagementAalborg University
www.i4.auc.dk/thrane
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Content of the course

• Lesson 1 Life cycle thinking, LCA concept
• Lesson 2 LCA methodology
• Lesson 3 EcoDesign
• Lesson 4 Guest lecturer
• Lesson 5 Future perspectives of LCA

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• Historical background for product focus
• What is LCA ?
• What can it be use for ?
• Why is it important ?
• What are the environmental problems ?
• What is impact categories in LCA
• Exercises

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The 1960ies Out of sight out of mind
(Arne Remmen, Greening of Industry, AAU 2000)
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(Arne Remmen, Greening of Industry, AAU 2000)
The 1970ies Output focus - Symptom treatment
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The 1980ies Technology focus - Prevention
(Arne Remmen, Greening of Industry, AAU 2000)
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The 1990ies Management focus - Dynamic
(Arne Remmen, Greening of Industry, AAU 2000)
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(Arne Remmen, Greening of Industry, AAU 2000)
2000... Product focus - triple buttom line
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Increased solution space
(Thrane and Remmen - not published)
Polution prevention Shift of paradigme
Symptom treatment
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Gradually wider problem understanding
(Thrane and Remmen - not published)
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actors and motivation
(Thrane and Remmen - not published)
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The solution ladder
(Inspired of Inge Røpke, DTU 1991)

• 7. Life forms - promote cleaner life styles
• 6. Structures - promote cleaner infrastructures
• 5. Services - promote other modes of
  transportation
• 4. Products - develop fuel cell technology
• 3. Sub product - recyclable materials
• 2. Processes - cleaner production
• 1. E-O-P - wwt
• 0. Dilution - chimney

Each level may be subdivided
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Subdivision of cleaner production
(Inspired of Inge Røpke, DTU 1991)
Level 2 Processes
Better housekeeping
Substitution
Process optimization
BAT Cleaner products
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Where are the companies in Denmark?
Symptom treatment
Polution prevention
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Companies dealing with Cleaner Products

• Coca-Cola, Unilever (food)
• Ford, GM, Scania, Volvo, Mercedes, BMW etc.
  (transport)
• Shell, Hydro (energy)
• Bosch, Phillips, Sony, Siemens, IBM, Nokia, ATT,
  Xerox(electronic)
• TetraPak, Hartmann (packaging)
• Danfoss, Gram, Grundfos, BO, KEW (electro
  mecanics)
• Novo Nordisk, ASTRA (bio-technology)
• ..

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Environmental regulation
(Wenzel et al., EDIP project1996)
The old focus
The new focus
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Danish IPP
(Danish Environmental Protection Agency, 1998)
Product perspective
- Green public procurement - Environmental
labelling - Promotion of LCA - Green taxes and
subsidies - Product standards - Take back
responsibility
Market perspective
Actor perspective
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• Historical background for product focus
• What is LCA ?
• What can it be use for ?
• Why is it important ?
• What are the environmental problems ?
• What is impact categories in LCA
• Exercises

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Life Cycle Assessment (definition)
(ISO 14040,1997)

• LCA is a compilation of the inputs and outputs
• and evaluation of potential environmental impacts
  
• of a product throughout its life cycle
• (ISO 14040, 1997)

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Illustrated...
(Wenzel et al., EDIP project1996)

• Extraction of raw materials
• Processing of materials
• Production
• Use and maintenance
• Disposal

Potential impacts
Recycling
Reuse
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Structure of LCA
(ISO 14040,1997)

• Goal and scope (purpose)
• Inventory (data collection - LCI)
• Impact assessment (evaluation)
• Interpretation (review - conclusion)

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ISO standard on LCA
(www.ISO.ch, 2000)

• ISO 14040 Principles and framework (step 1-4)
• ISO 14041 Goal, scope inventory analysis (step
  1 and 2)
• ISO 14042 Impact assessment (step 3)
• ISO 14043 Life cycle interpretation (step 4)
• ISO 14047 Examples on impact assessment (2001)
• ISO 14048 Documentation format (2001?)
• ISO 14049 Examples Inventory (1999)

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Related ISO standards
(www.ISO.ch, 2000)

• ISO 14001-4 EMS
• ISO 14020-25 Eco-labels
• ISO 14061 Eco-Design

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History of LCA
(Allan Astrup Jensen et al., Life Cycle
Assessment, EEA 1997)

• 1970ies Beverage containers - energy
• Ian Bousted UK - materials
• 1985. New birth of LCA - science driven
• 1990ies SETAC A code of praxis Nordic
  Council Nordic Guidelines
• EDIP, SimaPro, CML, LCAit, GaBi, etc.
• ISO 14040 - series

Science driven
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Future tendencies
(Allan Astrup Jensen et al., Life Cycle
Assessment, EEA 1997)

Simplification Easy to use tools
Refinement of methods and data quality
Science and research
Companies
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• Historical background for product focus
• What is LCA ?
• What can it be use for ?
• Why is it important ?
• What are the environmental problems ?
• What is impact categories in LCA
• Exercises

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LCA in Perspective
SEA
Politics
EIA
Projects
Environmental Assessment
LCA
Products
SFA
Substances
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Application of LCA
(Pär Olsson, LCA netfood, SIK 2000)
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Different approaches
(Allan Astrup Jensen et al., Life Cycle
Assessment, EEA 1997)
Qualitative LCA
Screening LCA
Fuld LCA
Single product or comparative
Start
End
External use
Internal use
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• Historical background for product focus
• What is LCA ?
• What can it be use for ?
• Why is it important ?
• What are the environmental problems ?
• What is impact categories in LCA
• Exercises

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The factor 4-10 debate
(Wenzel et al., EDIP project1996)
I Number of citizens x Consumption per person x
Impact per product
Factor 4 up
Factor 4 down?
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Number of Citizens
(www.wri.org, 2000)
1950
2000
2050
Billion
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Indicators of consumption (so far)
(www.wri.org, 2000)
1950
2000
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Rise in emissions!
(Alting et al., EDIP project 2000)
ppm CO2
380
340
300
Time
2000
1850
1900
1950
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Impact per product
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Factor 4 products..

• Portable PC ?
• Phillips ecotone light bulbs ?
• VW LUPO ?
• Switch-mode power supply ?
• LCD technology ?
• Fuel cells ?

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• Historical background for product focus
• What is LCA ?
• What can it be use for ?
• Why is it important ?
• What are the environmental problems ?
• What is impact categories in LCA
• Exercises

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Some of the environmental impacts
(Wenzel et al., EDIP project1996)
Greenhouse gases CO2 etc.
Toxic substances
Non renewable resources
CFC-gases
Use of renewable resources
Deforestation
N, P and O
Clean water
Working Environment
Solid waste
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Effects consequences
(Wenzel et al., EDIP project1996)
Extreme whether
Eutrofication
Acid rain
Melting of ice caps etc.

• Reduced bio- diversity
• Effects on immune systems
• Reduced fertility
• Cancer, allergy...

Desert formation
Global warming/ ultraviolet sun light
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The problems and their importance
Inspired by (Wenzel et al., EDIP project1996)

• Media
• Politicians
• Researchers
• NGOs .

• Danger to human health
• Danger to animal health
• Danger to plants and ecosystems..

Actors
Risk

• Political system
• Social system
• Educational system
• Economy, welfare..

• Irreversibility
• Mobility
• Inherent hazard
• Quantity
• Accumulation potential
• Persistency...

Structures
Science

• Religion, belief
• Myths, fear
• Culture, tradition
• Ethics, moral, aesthetics...

Values
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• Historical background for product focus
• What is LCA ?
• What can it be use for ?
• Why is it important ?
• What are the environmental problems ?
• What is impact categories in LCA
• Exercises

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Typical impact categories in LCA
Inspired by (Wenzel et al., EDIP project1996)
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Global impact categories
(Olesen et al.,, EDIP project 2000)

• Source Use of copper, zinc, oil etc.
• Effect Reduction of possibilities for future
  generations
• Source Combustion (transport, energy etc.)
• Effect Increase in temperature, desert formation
  etc.
• Source CFC and HCFC from foam and coolants
• Effect UV radiation, skin cancer etc.

Resource depletion
Green house effect
Depletion of ozone layer
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Regional impact categories
(Olesen et al.,, EDIP project 2000)

• Source Transport, energy, industry (Hydrocarbons
  etc.)
• Effect Ozone formation (Damage of lung tissue
  etc. )
• Source Transport, energy, agriculture
• Effect Damage to woodlands, lakes and buildings
  (SOx, NOx, NH3 )
• Source Fertilisers, waste water, transport and
  energy
• Effect Eutrophication (Damage to plants and
  fish)
• Source Waste water, incineration, industry,
  ships etc.
• Effect Accumulation Chronic damage to
  ecosystems and organisms

Ozone formation
Acidification
Eutrofication
Persistent toxicity
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Local impact categories
(Olesen et al.,, EDIP project 2000)

• Source Chemicals, waste water, combustion,
  dumpsites
• Effect Acute and chronic health effects (asthma,
  cancer, fertility etc.)
• Source The same as persistent toxicity but not
  chronic, regional etc.
• Effect The same.but more local and acute
  effects.
• Source Industrial processes and household
• Effect leach of toxic substances, smell, land
  destruction etc.
• Source Industrial working processes
• Effect Allergy, cancer, damage to nerve system,
  hearing, fertility etc.

Human toxicity
Eco toxicity
Waste
Working Environment
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• Historical background for product focus
• What is LCA ?
• What can it be use for ?
• Why is it important ?
• What are the environmental problems ?
• What is impact categories in LCA
• Exercises