Environmental Health Management (EN481) Numfon Eaktasang, Ph.D. Thammasat University numfon.e@fph.tu.ac.th

ISO 14000 Series

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) LCA is a technique for assessing the environmental aspects and potential impacts throughout a product’s life (cradle-to-grave) from raw material acquisition through production, use and disposal. Environmental impacts: resource, human health, ecological, global warming, ozone depletion, etc. .

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

Life Cycle Assessment Framework Goal and Scope Inventory Analysis Impact Assessment Interpretation Direct Applications: Product development and improvement Strategic planning Public policy making Marketing Others

I. Goal and Scope Functional unit A functional unit is a measure of the performance of the functional outputs of the product system. Quantity Durability Quality

Functional Unit Polystyrene 1 cup/day 365 cup/year Stainless Lifetime = 4 yrs Ceramic 1/2 cup/year Lifetime = 2 yrs

II. Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) Analysis Input Raw Materials Material A xxx kg Material B xxx kg Material C xxx kg Chemicals Chemical D xxx kg Chemical E xxx kg Resources Resource F xxx kg Water xxx m3 Energy Electricity xxx KW-hr Fuel -natural gas xxx m3 -oil xxx L Process Products Product 1 ton By-products/Co-products Co-product xxx ton By-product xxx ton Solid Waste Solid waste xxx ton Air Emission Air pollutants (CO2, CH4, HFC, PFC, N2O, SF6, NOx, SOx, dust) xxx kg Water pollution Water pollutants (BOD, COD) xxx mg/L Output

Example: LCA Inputs Outputs

III. Life Cycle Impact Assessment ISO 14040 Mandatory Optional Classification Characterization Normalization Weighting Grouping

III. Life Cycle Impact Assessment General impacts Global warming Ozone depletion Acidification Salinity Aridity Biodiversity Specific impacts Biological and physical losses Ecological toxicity Human toxicity SMOG

Classification

Characterization Calculating the potential contribution to environmental impacts (numerical indicator results), representing the magnitude of potential impacts The contribution of each burden to any impact category is assessed by multiplying with a relevant equivalence factors or characterization factors. Environmental impact Air pollutant Unit Global warming CO2, CH4, N2O, CO g CO2-equivalent Ozone depletion CFC11, CO g CFC11-equivalent Acidification SO2, NxO g SO2-equivalent

Global Warming Potential Inventory List Characterization factors (GWP) Global Warming Potential (g CO2-eq.) CO2 0.15 g 1 0.15 x 1 = 0.15 CH4 0.005 g 23 0.005 x 23 = 0.115 N2O 0.14 g 270 0.14 x 270 = 37.8 CFCl3 0.0005 g 13000 0.0005 x 13000 = 6.5 GWP = 44.565

Normalization

Normalization

Weighting

Weighting

IV. Life Cycle Interpretation

IV. Life Cycle Interpretation

LCA Software Simapro ---> PRé Consultants, Netherlands CMLCA ---> CML, Netherlands Umberto ---> Ifu Hamburg GmbH, Germany GaBi ---> PE Europe, Germany EcoLab ---> Nordic Port, Sweden LCAiT ---> CIT Ekologik, Sweden WWLCAW ---> IMI, Sweden JEMAI ---> Jemai, Japan TEAM ---> Ecobilan, France

LCA Framework

Advantages LCA Industrial sector Optional to improve the efficiency of product Eco-design Strategic plan Green market Government Guideline for green label standard Develop green label Policy Regulations Customer Product information Environmental concern NGO Environmental trend

Eco-label

Case Study: Domestic Coffee Maker

Step 1: Goal Definition & Scope Establish purpose & goal Define decision criteria, function & functional unit Define system boundaries Life cycle stages Time Place Determine required data quality

Step 1: Coffee Maker Purpose of LCA? Determine how to improve the environmental performance of a coffee maker Decision criteria? Total energy consumed, equivalent CO2 produced, eco-indicator 99 score Function of coffee maker? Functional units? Cups of coffee poured, Time coffee is warmed System boundaries? Five years of use, production, use & end-of-life stages

Difficulties & Limitations of Step 1 How do you compare different products that provide similar functions or services? How do you compare similar products that provide multiple functions or services? How do you define more abstract functional units such as entertainment from toys or higher self-esteem? Where do you stop drawing the bounds to your system?

Step 2: Inventory Analysis Make process tree or flow chart classifying events in a product’s life cycle Determine all mass and energy inputs and outputs Collect relevant data Make assumptions for missing data Establish (correct) material and energy balances for each stage and event

Step 2: Inventory Analysis Input/output diagram for single stage or unit operation Source: EPA Life-Cycle Design Guidance Manual, EPA Report no. EPA/600/R-92/226, p. 104.

Step 2: Coffee Maker Understand the product components & materials first Rested (bottom) View Top (internal) View Bottom (internal) View Good View Heater View Source: http://home.howstuffworks.com/coffee-maker.htm

Step 2: Coffee Maker Simplified process tree for coffee maker

Step 2: Coffee Maker Lifecycle inventory for coffee maker White boxes are not included in assessment/inventory

Difficulties & Limitations of Step 2 Finding data is hard and usually very time-consuming Published data on material loads exists, but is often inconsistent and/or not directly applicable Obtained data is usually discrete, static and linear (makes many simplifying assumptions) Mistakes are easily made in quantification Mass and energy balances may not be correct Results can be generalized improperly

Step 3: Impact Analysis Define impact categories Determine which loads affect different impact categories Assign indicators to impact categories Weigh importance of each category Environmental Impact Environmental Load greenhouse effect ozone layer depletion eutrophication depletion of abiotic resources (summer) smog acidification copper CO2 CFC SO2 NOx phosphorous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) heavy metals PCB pesticides styrene eco-toxicity depletion of biotic resources human toxicity odour Scalar Indicator

Step 3: Paper or Plastic? Which is better?...

Step 3: Coffee Maker

Difficulties & Limitations of Step 3 Subjective Impact categories chosen Indicators chosen for impact categories How metrics / load affect impact indicators Weightings used for impact categories Where are the impacts occurring? U.S., Europe, Brazil? Is there damage already in the area being impacted? How much can that area take before it breaks down? Or can it handle it without any problems? How are managers and engineers supposed to know the effects of every load on the different impacts?

Step 4: Improvement Analysis Identify areas & opportunities for improvement Evaluate with original goal definition Target lifecycle areas/processes/events with large impacts Large amounts w/ low hazard Small amounts w/ high hazard Ask yourself: What are the resources required and risks involved?

Step 4: Coffee Maker How to improve coffee maker? Where should we focus?

General Comments Domestic coffee maker is simple product How would it be different from a commercial coffee maker (Starbucks)? It is fairly representative of appliances - main impact is use phase What other products is their main impact the use phase? Which products is their main impact the production or disposal phase?

Summary Focus should be on the product’s lifecycle, not the product itself Presented the main steps of LCA (ISO 14040-14043) Presented the limitations & difficulties of each step of LCA LCA has variations limitations

Thank you!!