0. Mary Ann Curran, PhD curran.maryann@epa.gov
The Opportunities and Pitfalls of Applying Life Cycle Thinking to Nanoproducts and Nanomaterials
Mary Ann Curran, PhD
Life Cycle Assessment

1. Raw Material Acquisition
Life Cycle Assessment
An industrial environmental management approach to look holistically at products, processes, and activities.
Raw Material Acquisition
End-of-Life
Management
Reuse
Recycling
Use/Maintenance
Production 1

2. Antimicrobial Silver in Socks
Refinement
Transport
Silver Ore Mining
Silver Feedstock
Nanocomponent Manufacturing
Transport
Distribution
Disposal
Use
Nanoproduct Manufacturing

3. Using LCA to “understand the global environmental consequences of our local choices.”
Time Magazine, March 23, 2009 3

4. Worldwide interest in the life cycle concept is ignited by several factors
Increased concerns about Global Climate Change
(Al Gore’s 2006 documentary “An Inconvenient Truth”).
Walmart’s quest to develop a Sustainability Index for the products they carry.
The US Green Building Council’s promotion of sustainable buildings and the LEED standard.
General interest by companies to be ‘green’ and ‘sustainable.’

5. Meyer D, Curran MA, and Gonzalez MA (2009) “An Examination of Existing Data for the Industrial Manufacture And Use of Nanocomponents and Their Role in the Life Cycle Impact of Nanoproducts,” ES&T 43(5); pp

6. Aspects of Applying Life Cycle Thinking to Nanoproducts
Abridged Boundaries: Cradle-to-Gate
Life-Cycle Based Risk Assessment
Scale-Up to National Production Levels
Energy Demands
Global Climate Change Focus
Need for Decision Support

7. Glossary
Life Cycle Concept: consideration of all the connected activities within an industrial system from cradle-to-grave, i.e. the product life.
Life Cycle Assessment: a standardized process to quantify natural resources used and wastes released to the environment from cradle-to-grave; to assess the impact of quantities; and to identify opportunities to affect environmental improvements.
Screening Level or Streamlined Assessment
Detailed Life Cycle Assessment
Life Cycle-Based Approach: use of the life cycle concept to view a product system from cradle to grave but limit the study to a pre-determined area of concern, such as energy use, global climate change, material use, etc.
Life Cycle Management: the integration of environmental, economic, technological, risk, implementation, and societal aspects of products & services on a life cycle basis.

8. Product System Boundary
Life Cycle Stages
Product System Boundary
Raw Material Acquisition
Material Processing
Production
Use and Maintenance
End-of-Life
Natural Resources
Air Emissions
Water Effluents
Solid Waste
Recycling
Reuse 8 8
Study Boundary 8

9. Cradle-to-Gate Studies
Air Emissions
Water Effluents
Solid Waste
Cradle-to-gate boundaries – excluding downstream activities past product manufacture – can be called an LCA BUT claims must relate to what was studied and not be overstated.
Such studies are helpful in improving the product supply chain but may miss important impacts that occur at end of life.
Natural Resources
Recycling
Reuse 9 9 9
Study boundary 9

10. An Effective Life Cycle Assessment
Examines system-wide effects (cradle-to-grave)
Analyzes multi-media (air, water, waste, etc.)
Analyzes multi-attributes (all impacts)
Helps identify trade-offs among alternatives
Identifies opportunities for improvement
Supports environmental decision making
Provides the cornerstone of Sustainability 10

11. ISO Standards for LCA
ISO provides a standardized methodology for conducting multi-media, cradle-to-grave environmental assessments:
ISO “Life Cycle Assessment – Principles and Framework” 1997
ISO “Life Cycle Assessment – Requirements and Guidelines” 2006
* ISO – International Standards Organisation

12. ISO 14040 12

13. Midpoint and Endpoint Impacts
Emissions (CFCs, Halons)
Chemical reaction releases Cl- and Br-
Cl-, Br- destroys ozone
MIDPOINT measures ozone depletion potential (ODP)
Less ozone allows increased UVB radiation
which leads to following ENDPOINTS
skin cancer
cataracts
crop damage
marine life damage 13
immune system suppression
damage to materials like plastics 13

14. Life Cycle Impact Assessment Indicators of Potential Impact
Impact Category Indicator Measurement
Global Warming kg CO2 equivalents
Ozone Depletion CFC-11 equivalents
Acidification kg SO2 equivalents
Eutrophication kg PO43- equivalents
Smog Formation kg Ethene equivalents
Human Toxicity HTx equivalents
Eco-toxicity ETx equivalents
Waste kg Waste
Resource Use kg Scarce Resources
Water m3 Water
Land Use being developed 14

15. Most scientifically defensible methodologies for use within the US.
Principal Investigator: Jane Bare, Sustainable Technology Division
Most scientifically defensible methodologies for use within the US.
Consistent with US EPA regulations, policies and guidelines. Available for site-specific or generic site analyses.
Models to the Midpoints.
Useful for LCA, Benchmarking, Product/Process Comparisons, Setting Sustainability Metrics, etc. 15

16. Nano Risk Framework ED-DuPont Nano Partnership, 2007
The life cycle concept is used to systematically account for the nature of nanomaterials and their applications and evaluate safety.
Iterate
Nano Risk Framework ED-DuPont Nano Partnership, 2007
Profile Lifecycle(s)
Properties
Hazards
Exposure
Describe Material & Application
Review & Adapt
Evaluate Risks
Assess Risk Management
Decide, Document & Act .
Assess, prioritize & generate data 16 16 16

17. Classical Risk Assessment & Life Cycle Risk Assessment
“Classical” Risk Assessment characterizes the nature and magnitude of health risks to humans and the environment from potential chemical contaminants and other stressors.
Comprehensive Environmental Assessment (CEA)
Integrates Life Cycle Thinking and Risk Assessment.
Identifies potential releases and risk at points along the life cycle.
Focuses on a select chemical or stressor.
CEA is not an LCA. 17 17

18. Scaling Up to National Production Levels
A clearly defined goal for an LCA:
Determines the scope of the study
Sets the boundaries and scale
Identifies the product or process function
Sets the Functional Unit
Defines the level of data detail & quality
Basing the functional unit on potential market share rather on a single product will be result in more apparent impacts, such as resource use. 18 18 18

19. Life Cycle Thinking At times, there is confusion between
LCA and other Life Cycle Based Approaches.
Life Cycle Based Approaches use the life cycle concept to view a product system from cradle to grave but limit the study to a pre-determined area of concern, such as:
Energy Use
Global Climate Change
Material Use

20. Technical Feasibility
Life Cycle Management
Environmental
Impacts (LCA)
Costs ($)
Technical Feasibility
Viability
Risk Analysis
Societal Benefits
Integrated
Decision-Making 20 20 20

21. Suggested Reading
Curran, M.A. (ed.) (1996) Environmental Life Cycle Assessment, McGraw- Hill, ISBN X.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA (2006). Life Cycle Assessment: Principles and Practice, EPA/600/R-06/060, available on-line,
Horne R, Grant T, and Verghese K. (2009). Life Cycle Assessment: Principles, Practice and Prospects. ISBN: ; 160PP; CSIRO Publishing, Australia.
Guinee, J., Ed. (2001). Life Cycle Assessment: An Operational Guide to the ISO Standards.
Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, SETAC (1990). A Technical Framework for Life Cycle Assessments. J Fava, R Denison, B Jones, MA Curran, B Vigon, S Sulke, and J Barnum (eds), 152 pages.
Curran, M. A. (2008). Human Ecology: Life Cycle Assessment. 8 PP; Encyclopedia of Ecology, Five-Volume Set, ISBN-13: ; ISBN-10: ; Elsevier.
ISO (2006). Environmental Management – LCA – Principles and Framework. International Standards Organization, Geneve, Switzerland. 21