Using LCA to evaluate impacts and resources conservation potential of composting: A case study of the Asti District in Italy

Separate collection of municipal solid waste has overcome the 50% threshold in the Asti District in northern Italy, nearly one-third being composed of household and green organic waste. In order to address present and future solutions, it becomes therefore fundamental to assess the environmental performances of the current management of organic waste from separate collection. A from-gate-to-cradle life cycle assessment (LCA) model has been developed by expanding system boundaries, in order to carry out the assessment in the context of the whole waste management streamline. The environmental performances of an existing aerobic plant were made available, based on field measured data, by paying attention to the role and contribution of waste management subsystems. The need for actual and reliable data on materials and energy input, as well as gross and net gains from materials recovery, including benefits arising from use of compost in farming activities, was probably the major drawback that had to be faced. The study integrated the findings of different investigations from the literature with field measured data in order to obtain a more comprehensive framework representative of the area under study. The results may help public administrators to better understand the suitability of using LCA tools when dealing with solid waste management strategies.     

A critical review of building environmental assessment tools

Since the field of environmental assessment tools for buildings is vast, the aim of this study is to clarify that field by analysing and categorising existing tools. The differences between the tools are discussed and the current situation within the tools is critically analysed. However, the comparison of the tools is difficult, if not impossible. For example, the tools are designed for assessing different types of buildings, and they emphasise different phases of the life cycle. In addition to environmental aspects, sustainable building includes economic and social aspects. The shift from green building to sustainable building and the future requirements are challenging for building environmental assessment tools. Furthermore, the benefits of using the tools should be analysed — how the tools and their results have affected decision making?     

Emissions associated with meeting the future global wheat demand: A case study of UK production under climate change constraints

Climate change, population growth and socio-structural changes will make meeting future food demands extremely challenging. As wheat is a globally traded food commodity central to the food security of many nations, this paper uses it as an example to explore the impact of climate change on global food supply and quantify the resulting greenhouse gas emissions. Published data on projected wheat production is used to analyse how global production can be increased to match projected demand. The results show that the largest projected wheat demand increases are in areas most likely to suffer severe climate change impacts, but that global demand could be met if northern hemisphere producers exploit climate change benefits to increase production and narrow their yield gaps. Life cycle assessment of different climate change scenarios shows that in the case of one of the most important wheat producers (the UK) it may be possible to improve yields with an increase of only 0.6% in the emission intensity per unit of wheat produced in a 2 °C scenario. However, UK production would need to rise substantially, increasing total UK wheat production emissions by 26%. This demonstrates how national emission inventories and associated targets do not incentivise minimisation of global greenhouse gas emissions while meeting increased food demands, highlighting a triad of challenges: meeting the rising demand for food, adapting to climate change and reducing emissions.     

钢筋混凝土结构盐冻破坏分析及寿命预测

为评估北方季冻区除冰盐对钢筋混凝土结构耐久性的影响,开展了混凝土试件的盐冻试验,根据试验测得的混凝土相对动弹性模量与质量损失率,分析了钢筋混凝土结构在冻融环境下的损伤情况,得到了盐冻环境下钢筋混凝土盐冻损伤度随冻融循环周期变化的关系式。同时将钢筋混凝土盐冻损伤度引入到氯离子扩散模型(DuraCete模型)中,修正了公式中氯离子扩散系数,使得该公式更适用于冻融环境,最终得到了钢筋混凝土结构的寿命预测公式。修正后的钢筋混凝土结构的寿命预测公式既考虑了冻融和氯离子侵蚀双重作用,又不需要对氯离子扩散系数进行经验取值,使得本预测模型更方便、实用。     

喀斯特地区端元样品中溶解有机质的多维特征与源辨析研究

由于喀斯特地区水生生态系统中碳循环的复杂性,给溶解有机质（Dissolved organic matter,DOM）的来源解析带来了巨大的挑战和困难.本研究应用C/N比值、δ¹³C组成、紫外-可见吸收光谱与三维荧光光谱等表征技术,综合对比了西南喀斯特地区典型土壤与水生植物样品DOM的多维特征,探讨了示踪喀斯特地区DOM来源的可靠方法与指标.结果表明：水生植物的C/N比值波动范围较大,石灰土的C/N比值偏低,水生植物与土壤样品的C/N比值及δ¹³C组成有所重叠,难以区分DOM的来源.多种紫外吸收系数（a₂₅₄、a₂₈₀、a₃₀₀与a₃₅₀）侧面反映了不同DOM样品中芳香族化合物的相对丰度,SUVA₂₅₄、E2/E3、E4/E6与腐殖化指数（HIX、HIX_ohno）指示了样品之间腐殖化程度的差异,特别是HIX、荧光指数（FI）、S_R较好区分了浮游藻类与土壤DOM.修正荧光指数（YFI）还揭示了不同DOM样品的化学组成,与三维荧光光谱的平行因子分析相吻合.此外,黄壤因较低的pH值会使土壤有机质酸解为含氮组分,导致HIX、FI和S_R的匹配性不好.除浮游藻类外,HIX表明水生植物DOM均为内源,S_R却显示其主要为外源,而FI指示兼有内源和外源.因此,在进行喀斯特地区DOM来源解析时,光谱技术相比C/N比值和δ¹³C分析更加简便、有效,同时应注意不同土壤类型的异质性与水生生态系统的复杂性.     

磷酸铁锂电池不同应用场景的生命周期评价

为评估磷酸铁锂(LFP)电池梯次应用的生命周期环境影响,设定直接应用和梯次应用2个应用场景,采用生命周期评价(LCA)方法,对应用场景生命周期各阶段的环境影响及其贡献进行分析.功能单位设定为应用总容量1GWh的LFP电池作为通讯基站(CBS)储能电池,循环寿命为800次.结果表明,2个应用场景的环境影响热点均为储能应用阶段,分别占总环境影响的58.25%和64.03%;生产制造阶段的环境影响也较为显著,分别占41.58%和27.36%;回收再生阶段分别贡献了0.18%和0.14%的环境负荷,锂资源回收所产生的环境效益被回收工艺过程额外消耗的资源和能源所产生的环境负荷抵消.2个应用场景的环境影响比较结果显示,相对于直接应用场景,梯次应用场景可降低9.03%的总环境影响,具有一定的环境优势.对2个场景的资源消耗、能源消耗和温室气体排放3类指标的贡献结构进行分析,结果显示,生产制造阶段和储能应用阶段对这3类指标的贡献比例较为显著.     

氢燃料电池汽车动力系统生命周期评价及关键参数对比

发展氢燃料电池汽车被认为是解决能源安全和环境污染问题的理想解决方案之一,为量化探究氢燃料电池汽车动力系统的化石能源消耗和排放情况,运用GaBi软件建模,以新能源汽车相关技术路线为参考,构建我国氢燃料电池汽车动力系统的数据清单并对其全生命周期化石能源消耗和全球变暖潜值情况进行定量评价计算和预测分析,对不同类型的双极板、不同能量控制策略和不同制氢方式对环境的影响分别进行了对比研究,并对关键数据进行了不确定分析.结果表明,预计到2030年我国每台氢燃料电池汽车动力系统生命周期的化石能源消耗量（ADP_f）、全球变暖潜值（GWP,以CO₂ eq计）和酸化潜值（AP,以SO₂ eq计）分别为1.35×10⁵ MJ、9108 kg和15.79 kg.动力系统生产制造阶段的化石能源消耗和全球变暖潜值均高于使用阶段,主要原因是燃料电池堆栈和储氢罐的制造过程.金属双极板、石墨复合双极板和石墨双极板的制造工艺中石墨复合双极板的综合环境效益最好.能量控制策略的优化会使得氢能消耗降低,当氢能消耗降低22.8%时,动力系统的生命周期化石能源消耗和全球变暖潜值分别降低10.4%和8.3%.相比于甲烷蒸气重整制氢,基于混合电网电解水制氢的动力系统生命周期全球变暖潜值高出53.7%[KG-*6],而基于水电电解水制氢降低39.6%.降低动力系统生命周期化石能源消耗和全球变暖潜值的措施包括优化能量控制策略降低氢能消耗、规模化发展可再生能源发电电解水制氢产业和聚焦突破燃料电池堆栈关键技术实现性能提升.     

面向2035的节能与新能源汽车全生命周期碳排放预测评价

发展节能与新能源汽车是降低交通运输行业碳排放的重要技术路径.为量化预测节能与新能源汽车的全生命周期碳排放,利用全生命周期评价方法,以汽车相关技术路线和政策为参考,选取燃油经济性、整车轻量化水平、电力结构碳排放因子和氢能碳排放因子为关键参数,构建传统燃油汽车(ICEV)、轻度混合动力汽车(MHEV)、重度混合动力汽车(HEV)、纯电动汽车(BEV)和燃料电池汽车(FCV)的数据清单并对其全生命周期碳排放进行量化预测评价,对电力结构碳排放因子和不同制氢方式碳排放因子进行了敏感性分析和讨论.结果发现,2022年ICEV、 MHEV、 HEV、 BEV和FCV的全生命周期碳排放量(以CO₂-eq计)分别为208.0、 195.5、 150.0、 113.5和205.0 g·km^-1.到2035年,BEV和FCV相比于ICEV具有较为显著的减碳效益,分别降低69.1%和49.3%.电力结构的碳排放因子对BEV的全生命周期碳排放的影响最显著.关于燃料电池汽车的不同制氢方式,短期应以工业副产氢提纯为主供应FCV氢能需求,长期以可再生能源电解水制氢和化石能源...     

Life cycle assessment analysis of active and passive acid mine drainage treatment technologies

Acid mine drainage (AMD), resulting from open-cast coal mining, is currently one of the largest environmental challenges facing the mining industry. In this study, a life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted to evaluate the environmental impacts associated with the construction, operation and maintenance of different AMD treatment options typically employed. LCA is a well-reported tool but is not documented for AMD treatment systems despite their ubiquitous implementation worldwide. This study conducted detailed LCA analysis for various passive and active AMD treatment approaches implemented or considered at a major coal mine in New Zealand using a comparative functional unit of kg acidity removed per day for each treatment option. Eight treatment scenarios were assessed including active limestone and hydrated lime treatments, and compared to passive treatments using limestone and waste materials such as mussel shells. Both midpoint and endpoint LCA impact categories were assessed. Generally, the active treatment scenarios demonstrated greater LCA impacts compared to an equivalent level of treatment for the passive treatment approaches. Lime slaking had the greatest LCA impacts, while passive treatment approaches incurred consistently less impacts except for one passive treatment with a purchased energy scenario. A 50% reduction in transportation distances resulted in the lowest LCA impacts for all scenarios. This study highlights the importance of evaluating the environmental and social impacts of AMD treatment for the mining industry.     

Transitions of municipal solid waste management. Part II: Hybrid life cycle assessment of Swiss glass-packaging disposal

In policy support of municipal solid waste (MSW) management, life cycle assessment (LCA) can serve to compare the environmental or economic impacts of two or more options for waste processing. The scope of waste management LCAs generally focuses less attention on future developments, e.g., where will recycling take place, and more on the environmental performance of prototypes, e.g., the incineration of all waste compared to recycling. To provide more robust support for Swiss waste glass-packaging disposal, scenarios of Swiss waste glass-packaging are assessed from a life cycle perspective. The scenarios consist in schemes for the disposal of the total amount of Swiss waste glass-packaging, i.e., different combinations of recycling and downcycling in Switzerland or abroad developed in Part I, Meylan et al. (2013). In this article (Part II), the disposal schemes are assessed with respect to eco-efficiency, an indicator that combines total environmental impacts and gross value added in Switzerland. Results show that no policy alternative guarantees environmental impact reductions and gross value added gains under all developments of exogenous constraints. Downcycling to foam glass in Switzerland is not only an environmentally sound disposal option, but it also buffers gross value added losses in case domestic recycling (and thus glass-packaging production in Switzerland) ceases in the future. The substitution of products based on raw materials other than Swiss cullet is the main responsible for change in environmental and economic impacts. Hence, an eco-efficiency maximizing policy should consider the products of disposal schemes. The combination of scenario analysis and eco-efficiency assessment as presented in this paper can be applied to other contexts (i.e., countries, waste fractions).