Assessment of the sustainability of technology by means of a thermodynamically based life cycle analysis

Life cycle analysis is one of the tools in the assessment of the sustainability of technological options. It takes into account all effects on the ecosystem and the population which may endanger the possibilities of current and future generations. However, the main bottleneck in current LCA methodologies is the balancing of different effects, being all quantified on different scales. In this work, a methodology is proposed, which allows one to quantify different effects of the production, consumption and disposal of goods, and services on a single scale. The basis of the methodology is the second law of thermodynamics. All production, consumption and disposal processes affecting the ecosystem and the population, are quantified in terms of loss of exergy. The exergy content of a material is the maximum amount of energy which can be transformed into work at given environmental conditions. Next to the elaboration of the methodology, the new approach is illustrated by examples of the production of synthetic organic polymers, inorganic building insulation materials and different waste gas treatment options.     

循环流化床锅炉燃煤技术热电厂生命周期评价

运用生命周期评价方法,应用Gabi5.0软件对采用循环流化床锅炉燃煤技术的热电企业进行资源耗竭和环境影响分析,计算各生产单元生命周期清单的全球变暖潜值、酸化效应潜值、富营养化潜值、非生物资源耗竭潜值、人体毒性潜值以及光化学烟雾和臭氧生成潜值等主要环境影响类型,对燃煤发电过程进行生命周期评价。结果表明,全球变暖和非生物资源耗竭为发电运行过程中主要的环境影响因素,分别占53%和15.05%;锅炉燃烧阶段的环境影响最重,占整个生命周期影响值的77.12%,并且除生物耗竭潜值外的其他5项指标均为发电运行阶段各个单元中最高。采用SNCR脱硝技术减少燃烧过程中NOx的排放量,并对该技术方案进行生命周期评价,比较方案实施前后的环境影响。     

Food (miles) for Thought - Energy Balance for Locally-grown versus Imported Apple Fruit (3 pp)

- This commentary compares the primary energy requirement for apples (cultivar ‘Braeburn’), which were either imported or locally-grown in Meckenheim, Germany. Imported apples of the same cultivar were grown in a Southern hemisphere winter in Nelson, Southland, New Zealand, and were picked at the end of March with subsequent 28 d transport by sea for sale in April in Germany. Locally-grown apples (cultivar ‘Braeburn’) were picked in mid-October and required a primary energy of nearly 6 MJ/kg of fruit including 0.8 MJoule/kg for five months CA storage at 1°C during a Northern hemisphere winter until mid-March. This compared favourably with 7.5 MJoule/kg for overseas shipment from New Zealand, i.e. a ca. 27% greater energy requirement for these imported fruits. Overall, the primary energy requirement of regional produce, stored several months on-site, partially compensated for the larger energy required to import fresh fruit from overseas. This result is in marked contrast to reported overestimates of a reported up to 8-fold energy requirement for domestic versus imported apple juice concentrate [7]. Our own findings of less primary energy required for domestic apple fruit is discussed with respect to providing local employment, fruit orchards preserving the countryside, quality assurance systems for local fruit such as QS and EUREP-GAP, networking and other factors favouring regional production.     

生命周期评价研究进展

生命周期评价作为一种评价产品、工艺过程或活动在整个生命周期中环境影响的工具,在国际上广受关注。现对它的概念、发展历程、技术框架、特征及存在问题作简单的介绍,并对其未来发展作了展望。     

LCA of tomato greenhouse production using spatially differentiated life cycle impact assessment indicators: an Albanian case study

The increasing attention to agricultural exports and sustainability issues is driving a surge of interest in the life cycle assessment (LCAs) of greenhouse crop production in Albania. Meanwhile, most of the reported agricultural LCAs tend to be generic without considering regionalized environmental sensitivities. In this study, ReCiPe 2016, covering 18 midpoint indicators and 3 endpoint indicators was used to generate a full-fledged cradle-to-farm gate LCA of greenhouse tomatoes in a typical Albanian farm including spatial differentiation and indicators not covered by contemporary LCAs. The most important midpoint categories per 1 ha identified from foreground–background analysis were global warming (2660.4 kg CO2-eq), stratospheric ozone depletion (0.0308 kg CFC11-eq), particulate matter formation (7.99 kg PM2.5-eq), human health and ecosystem ozone formation (8.47 and 14.95 kg NOx-eq), water consumption (2293.23 m3), and terrestrial acidification (42.28 kg SO2-eq). The application of spatial differentiation resulted in higher impacts with about 21% for particulate matter formation, 12% for human health ozone formation, 134% for ecosystem ozone formation, 19% for terrestrial acidification, and 13% for water consumption. The impacts primarily originated from nitrogen-based fertilizer emissions and diesel fuel with the origin of the impact from nitrous oxide (N2O), ammonia volatilization (NH3), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs). Water consumption was dominated by irrigation water use. Overall, at the endpoint level, 9% and 24% less cumulative damage to human health and ecosystem quality were calculated with respect to the site-generic analysis primarily from the cause-and-effect chain of water consumption (mainly lower water stress index). This affirms the importance of regional considerations in LCA calculations to reflect the impacts accordingly (i.e., the magnitude of impacts, the most relevant midpoint categories, and their relevance on endpoint level) and increase the possibility of making correct conclusions and sub-optimizations, i.e., increase the discriminating power of LCA.     

Life cycle assessment

The basic idea of LCA is that all environmental burdens connected with a product or service have to be assessed, back to the raw materials and down to waste removal. Therefore, the term “Life Cycle Assessment” is more precise than the German “?kobilanz” or the French “écobilan”. This basic idea is undoubtedly true, and LCA is the only environmental assessment tool which avoids positive ratings for measurements which only consists in the shifting of burdens. In the years from 1990 to 1993, SETAC and SETAC-Europe shaped the development of LCA in a series of important workshops culminating in the “Code of Practice” of 1993. The results of these workshops can be illustrated by the famous SETAC-triangle. It shows the basic structure which is now underlying the standardizing activities of ISO: 1. Goal definition and scoping, 2. Inventory analysis, 3. Impact assessment, 4. Improvement assessment. The structure recently defined by ISO differs from the SETAC structure only in the last element which is called “Interpretation” in the international standard 14040. According to ISO, “Improvement Assessment” is only one of the many activities which may follow LCA but is not part of the true analysis. The components of an LCA are described and interpreted in detail, SETAC vs. ISO. Recent developments and activities initiated by ISO, SPOLD and other organisations complete the review.     

城市污水处理环境效益量化分析

运用生命周期评价（LCA）方法对西安市北石桥污水净化中心污水处理工艺从其原材料开采和加工开始直到污水厂施工建设、处理运行以及废弃拆除的生命周期全过程资源消耗、能耗和环境影响进行了识别和量化分析,同时结合一维水质稀释模型,提出污水处理环境效益估算模型。采用最大污染权重因子对模型进行计算,结果表明,采用深度处理比常规二级处理多产生1 708.52×10⁹kJ的环境正效益。     

General prevention and risk minimization in LCA A combined approach

Methods for life cycle assessment of products (LCA) are most often based on the general prevention principle, as opposed to the risk minimization principle. Here, the desirability and feasibility of a combined approach are discussed, along with the conditions for elaboration in the framework of LCA methodology, and the consequences for LCA practice. A combined approach provides a separate assessment of above and below threshold pollution, offering the possibility to combat above threshold impacts with priority. Spatial differentiation in fate, exposure, and effect modelling is identified to play a central role in the implementation. The collection of region-specific data turns out to be the most elaborate requirement for the implementation in both methodology and practice. A methodological framework for the construction of characterization factors is provided. Along with spatial differentiation of existing parameters, two newly introduced spatial parameters play a key role: the sensitivity factor and the threshold factor. The practicability of the proposed procedure is illustrated by an example of its application. Providing a reasonable data availability, the development of separate LCA characterization factors for the respective assessment of pollution levels above and below environmental threshold values seems to be a feasible task that may add to LCA credibility.     

运用LCA方法分析污水再生处理的成本效益

运用生命周期评价(LCA)方法,以西安市北石桥污水净化中心的污水处理与再生利用全过程为例进行环境影响评价,通过清单分析、当量计算和权重分析等一系列分析过程,计算出污水处理过程的投入成本及污水再生处理前后对环境的影响,得出污水在经过处理后,能够很大程度上减小其对环境的影响,从而产生环境正效益。该研究明确了污水处理在环境保护中的重要地位,同时对优化污水处理与再生利用工艺过程具有重要的参考价值和指导意义。     

Life cycle assessment of active and passive groundwater remediation technologies

Groundwater remediation technologies, such as pump-and-treat (PTS) and funnel-and-gate systems (FGS), aim at reducing locally appearing contaminations. Therefore, these methodologies are basically evaluated with respect to their capability to yield local improvements of an environmental situation, commonly neglecting that their application is also associated with secondary impacts. Life cycle assessment (LCA) represents a widely accepted method of assessing the environmental aspects and potential impacts related to a product, process or service. This study presents the set-up of a LCA framework in order to compare the secondary impacts caused by two conceptually different technologies at the site of a former manufactured gas plant in the city of Karlsruhe, Germany. As a FGS is already operating at this site, a hypothetical PTS of the same functionality is adopted. During the LCA, the remediation systems are evaluated by focusing on the main technical elements and their significance with respect to resource depletion and potential adverse effects on ecological quality, as well as on human health. Seven impact categories are distinguished to address a broad spectrum of possible environmental loads. A main point of discussion is the reliability of technical assumptions and performance predictions for the future. It is obvious that a high uncertainty exists when estimating impact specific indicator values over operation times of decades. An uncertainty analysis is conducted to include the imprecision of the underlying emission and consumption data and a scenario analysis is utilised to contrast various possible technological variants. Though the results of the study are highly site-specific, a generalised relative evaluation of potential impacts and their main sources is the principle objective rather than a discussion of the calculated absolute impacts. A crucial finding that can be applied to any other site is the central role of steel, which particularly derogates the valuation of FGS due to the associated emissions that are harmful to human health. In view of that, environmental credits can be achieved by selecting a mineral-based wall instead of sheet piles for the funnel construction and by minimising the steel consumption for the gate construction. Granular activated carbon (GAC) is exclusively considered as the treatment material, both in-situ and on-site. Here it is identified as an additional main determinant of the relative assessment of the technologies since it is continuously consumed.     

Sustainable development of food production: a case study on scenarios for pig production

To study future, sustainable production systems, a step-wise method was used to create three future scenarios for pig production based on different sustainability goals. The first scenario focused on animal welfare and the natural behavior of the animals. The second targeted low impacts on the environment and the efficient use of natural resources. The third scenario aimed at product quality and safety. Each scenario fulfilled different aspects of sustainability, but there were goal conflicts because no scenario fulfilled all sustainability goals. The scenarios were then parameterized. The environmental impact was calculated using the life-cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, and the economic cost was calculated from the same data set. The cost per kilo of pork was highest for the animal welfare scenario and similar for the other two scenarios. The environmental scenario had the lowest environmental impact, and the product-quality scenario the highest. The results are discussed based on different future priorities.     

北京和上海典型复合包装废物处置环境影响比较

采用生命周期评价法研究比较了北京和上海两地纸塑铝复合包装处置阶段的环境影响。通过现场和资料调研的方式获得此阶段的能量物质的输入输出和环境外排数据。结果表明:北京和上海两地纸塑铝复合包装处置阶段的环境影响潜值分别为-0.428 Pt和9.776 Pt,其主要集中在气候变化、土地占用和无机物对健康的损害三方面;每提高10%的回收率,其环境影响潜值北京和上海可分别降低5.446 Pt和5.799 Pt;上海地区纸塑铝复合包装处置阶段对环境的影响在任何同回收率的情况都要高于北京地区,其主要原因是上海地区填埋产生的温室气体释放量过大和再生企业距离打包点较远。     

Using a Set of Strategic Indicator Systems as a Decision-making Support Implement for Establishing a Recycling-oriented Society - A Taiwanese Case Study (16 pp)

Background Scope and Aims. To realize the vision of sustainable development (SD) originating from the ‘only one earth’ philosophy, and to integrate the conceptions of ecology and sustainability into the planning and decision-making criteria of urban growth management, the establishment of a recycling-oriented society (ROS) is essential. However, before the above intention can be achieved, it is indispensable to develop a system of strategic indicators for supporting a radical reformation of the urban development plan. Therefore, this study, based on the conception of the new urban development pattern ROS, attempted to carefully choose a sample city in Taiwan for launching a preliminary case study, and furthermore designed and proposed a concise and strategy-oriented assessment indicator system termed ROSAIS. ROSAIS, on the one hand, can act as a compass for understanding resource using efficiency and recycling status during city development and, on the other hand, can serve as an implement supporting decision-making for ROS construction.Methods According to the definition and spirit of ROS, the structure of ROSAIS should clearly represent the relationship between resources and environment in human activities. The eco-efficiency indicator system (EEIS) and environmental symbiosis indicator system (ESIS) can be considered two key sub-indicator systems, and are the necessary components of ROSAIS. EEIS chooses the dominant production sectors in urban economic activities to calculate their eco-efficiency (EE). Separately, for obtaining a consensus regarding the framework of ESIS, the questionnaire approaches and expert consultation, together with the research experience and foundation of current relevant studies and indicator systems, are applied when crucial resource and environmental issues and respective indicators are selected.Results and Discussion The calculation results of EEIS in this case study indicated that among the three dominant production activities (agricultural, fishery, and animal husbandry sector) the fishery sector has the highest EE, which indicates that the fishery activities and resources significantly influence the sustainability of the economic-environmental system of the sample city. Furthermore, according to a consensus achieved in ESIS, local green spaces, resource recovery, energy consumption pattern change, freshwater conservation and greenhouse effect abatement were considered as the five crucial issues influencing how the case study city can develop into an ES-city. The rate of local green spaces, resource recycling, freshwater conservation and the rate of reduction of nonrenewable energy use as well as carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions were used to evaluate the above five issues.Conclusion This case study is unparalleled in Taiwan. Even in Japan, where ROS legislation has been implemented, this kind of study remains in the preliminary stages. Furthermore, when communicating the indicator results, it is essential to provide the context and countermeasures of the crucial issues that are faced. The two sub-indicator systems proposed in this case study could comply completely with the above-mentioned requirements. For example, the EEIS provides information for achieving a balance between environmental burden and economic benefits among dominant production sectors; the ESIS provides information for setting strategies for overcoming the crucial issues faced. Recommendation and Outlook This study recommends that urban planers should consider the construction of the corresponding strategic indicator system to be indispensable, and makes further use of the indicator results related to the environmental education of residents for identifying and promoting participation with ROS, and turning them into implements for supporting urban SD decision-making. Furthermore, a successful indicator system depends on data availability and quality. This study recommends that urban planers should pay considerable attention to constructing relevant data collection channels, databases and the data quality.     

2种典型餐厨垃圾资源化处理工艺的环境影响分析

为了评估餐厨垃圾资源化处理工艺对环境的影响,运用生命周期评价的方法,比较了2种典型的资源化处理工艺——好氧堆肥和湿热处理对环境的影响。结果表明,2种餐厨垃圾资源化处理工艺对全球变暖、生态毒性、酸化和富营养化的影响各有不同。其中,好氧堆肥对全球变暖的贡献较大,碳排放为337.7 kg CO_2eq./t。湿热处理为163.1 kg CO_2eq./t。在环境影响负荷方面,湿热处理工艺中的高能耗加重了毒性的影响。但由于其对环境的酸化、富营养化的不利影响较小,湿热处理的环境影响负荷总值是好氧堆肥的62.5%。总体上,湿热处理是一种对环境影响较小的餐厨垃圾处理工艺。     

北京市生活垃圾处理的环境影响评价

目前北京市生活垃圾产生量不断增加,处理设施能力日渐不足,生活垃圾管理正面临着减量化与资源化必然趋势。在未来5～10年内,堆肥处理、焚烧处理和综合处理等方式将取代卫生填埋成为北京市垃圾处理的主要方式。本研究采用生命周期评价的方法,对北京市4处垃圾处理设施采用的不同工艺（卫生填埋、好氧堆肥、焚烧处理和综合处理）的环境影响进行比较。评价结果表明4,种处理方式中填埋、堆肥、焚烧和综合处理的环境影响负荷分别为4.82×10-2、1.10×10-21、.31×10-1和2.31×10-2,焚烧处理的总环境影响潜值最大,填埋处理次之,综合处理再次,堆肥处理最小。4种处理方式的资源耗竭系数分别为-2.39×10-51、.11×10-5、-3.45×10-4和-1.04×10-6,焚烧处理的资源耗竭系数最小。     

Life Cycle Analyses and Resource Assessments

Prof. Ulgiati stresses that we should always use an ecosystem view when transforming energy from one form to another. Sustainable growth and development of both environmental and human-dominated systems require optimum use of available resources for maximum power output. We have to adapt to the laws of nature because nature has to take care of all the waste products we produce. The presentation addresses a much needed shift away from linear production and consumption pattern, toward reorganization of economies and lifestyle that takes complexity—of resources, of the environment and of the economy—into proper account. The best way to reach maximum yield from the different kinds of biomass is to use biorefineries. Biorefinery is defined as the sustainable processing of biomass into a spectrum of marketable products like heat, power, fuels, chemicals, food, feed, and materials. However, biomass from agricultural land must be used for the production of food and not fuel. Prof. Voss focuses on the sustainability of energy supply chains and energy systems. Life cycle analyses (LCA) provides the conceptual framework for a comprehensive comparative evaluation of energy supply options with regard to their resource requirements as well as the health and environmental impact. Full scope LCA considers not only the emissions from plant operation, construction, and decommissioning but also the environmental burdens and resource requirements associated with the entire lifetime of all relevant upstream and downstream processes within the energy chain. This article describes the results of LCA analyses for state-of-the-art heating and electricity systems as well as of advanced future systems. Total costs are used as a measure for the overall resource consumption.     

Life cycle assessment of a large water treatment plant in Turkey

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The objective of this study is to assess the environmental sustainability of a large water treatment plant through life cycle assessment (LCA)...     

Environmental sustainability and the integration of different methods for its assessment

The aim of this paper is to propose a research framework, based on the joint use of three widely used methods: EMergy Evaluation (EME), Ecological Footprint Analysis (EFA) and Greenhouse Gas Inventory (GHGI), that are applied to assess the environmental sustainability of a region. The results of application of these methods to several Italian Provinces enabled us to compare their sustainability, and to test the methods with respect to sustainability requirements at local and global level. The outcomes suggest that the proposed framework provides an organic evaluation of regional systems based on key aspects, such as resources depletion, consumption patterns, waste production and absorption.     

苏州市生活垃圾两种处置方法的生命周期影响评价

采用生命周期评价的方法,比较了苏州市垃圾填埋和垃圾焚烧2种处置方法对环境的影响。研究的系统范围主要包括垃圾收集、垃圾运输、垃圾填埋或焚烧以及发电等几个部分。采用收集的垃圾组分数据,利用IPCC推荐的模型等,计算了垃圾填埋和垃圾焚烧时CO₂等气体污染物的排放量。根据对垃圾渗滤液的实测数据,计算了水污染物的排放量。环境影响评价采用日本开发的AIST-LCA Ver4计算机软件进行。计算结果表明：垃圾填埋的生态币值要大得多,可见垃圾焚烧对环境的影响比垃圾填埋的影响要小。所获得的结论较为客观地反映了对环境的影响,可以作为中国城市垃圾处置决策的参考依据。     

Environmental risks of chemicals and genetically modified organisms: a comparison. Part II: Sustainability and precaution in risk assessment and risk management

The principles of precaution and sustainability require more consideration in the assessment of environmental risks posed by chemicals and genetically modified organisms. Instead of applying risk reduction measures when there are serious indications for damage, full scientific certainty is often waited for before taking action. The precautionary principle particularly should be applied in those cases in which the extent and probability of damage are uncertain, e.g. in the case of persistent chemicals which are additionally bioaccumulative or highly mobile. Based on these principles, environmental action targets for risks associated with GMOs and chemicals can be developed. Risk management not only includes statutory measures but also instruments designed to influence behaviour indirectly are important to achieve the goals. Particularly for risks of GMOs which provoke fear, risk communication is important. Some rules to which attention should be paid in communication with the public are presented.