Every product casts a shadow: but can we see it,and can we act on it?

This article presents a conceptual exploration of the use of environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) in environmental product policy. Environmental LCA is a scientific technique for evaluating the potential environmental impacts of a product, process or activity along its physical life cycle, i.e. from raw materials extraction to the disposal of released materials to nature. The utilization of LCA in environmental policy is evaluated here with the use of concepts from the research tradition of social studies of science and technology (SST). Three different ways of using LCA are identified: a definitive approach, a conceptual approach and a facilitative approach. Examples of each approach are presented and discussed. The strengths and weaknesses of the different approaches are analyzed, leading to the tentative conclusion that LCA works better as a conceptual or facilitative instrument than as a tool for gaining definitive support for specific policies. Finally, LCA is discussed as an illustration of the problems inherent in the current cause-oriented, integrative trend in environmental policy.     

生命周期评价在工农业生产中的应用研究

生命周期评价是指产品在整个生命周期中对环境的影响、对物质和能源的投入、产出进行汇集、测定的系统方法。从产品生命周期评价的发展过程和技术框架入手,对生命周期评价的意义以及工农业生产中的应用进行探讨,着重阐述了生命周期评价在农业生产、环保工艺、节能减排、清洁生产和环境管理中的应用。并认为生命周期评价应广泛用于环境治理领域,这是解决社会生产发展和环境污染之间矛盾的主要手段。     

Manufacturing actor’s LCA

Modern industrial environmental management encompasses life-cycle thinking. This entails considering not only the emissions and resource use of the company’s production processes, but also the environmental consequences of all processes related to a product’s life cycle. However, no single actor can influence the whole life cycle of a product. To be effective, analysis methods intended to support improvement actions should therefore also consider the decision makers’ power to influence.Regarding the life cycle of a product, there are at least as many perspectives on life-cycle thinking as there are actors. This paper presents an approach with which manufacturing decision makers can sharpen the focus in life-cycle assessment (LCA) from a conventional ‘products or services’ emphasis to a company’s manufacturing processes. The method has been developed by combining knowledge gained from earlier LCA studies with new empirical findings from an LCA study of an SKF manufacturing line.We demonstrate how system boundaries and functional units in an LCA can be defined when adding the perspective of a manufacturing decision maker to the product life-cycle perspective. Such analysis helps manufacturing decision makers identify improvement potentials in their spheres of influence, by focusing on the environmental consequences of energy and material losses in manufacturing rather than merely accounting for the contributions of individual stages of the life cycle to the overall environmental impact. The method identifies and directly relates the environmental consequences of emissions or raw material inputs in the product life cycle to manufacturing processes. In doing so, the holistic systems perspective in LCA is somewhat diminished in favor of the relevance of results to manufacturing decision makers.     

从LCA视角评估钢铁产品改进的环境效益

钢铁产品性能的提高往往会增加其制造环节的环境负荷,但是在很多领域的使用过程中,高性能钢材相对于普通钢材,更有利于环境。因此评估钢铁产品改进的环境效益需要一个系统化的科学方法———生命周期评价(LCA)。从钢铁产品全生命周期视角,讨论了钢铁产品性能提升与环境影响的关系,阐述了如何利用LCA方法评估钢铁产品全生命周期环境绩效,并列举了宝钢利用LCA方法评估钢铁产品性能改进环境效益的两个案例:某变压器采用性能更高的B30P110取向硅钢片取代原B30G130取向硅钢片,其生命周期碳减排15.1%;宝钢钢制二片罐用镀锡钢板从0.28mm经过6次减薄到0.225mm,使钢罐生命周期碳排放降低14.5%。     

An inventory analysis of oil shale energy produced on a small thermal power plant

Energy produced in Estonia from oil shale is studied using the inventory analysis of the product life cycle assessment (LCA) method. The life cycle is taken as an oil shale mine and thermal power plant with consumer supply systems, which are close to each other and are technologically interconnected.The effectiveness of energy production over the whole life cycle is calculated and the energy and the material balances are presented. Local environmental effects of the oil shale extraction and the energy production are briefly described.The first step in defining the oil shale energy as an important input parameter for the LCA studies of all other products of Estonia is made. The collected data can serve as a basis for the environmental improvement programs.     

The application of life cycle assessment to design

This paper explores the practical application of life cycle assessment (LCA) to product system development. While life cycle assessment methods have been studied and demonstrated extensively over the last two decades, their application to product design and development has not been critically addressed. Many organizational and operational factors limit the integration of the three LCA components (inventory analysis, impact assessment and improvement assessment) with product development. Design of the product system can be considered a synthesis of individual decisions and choices made by the design team, which ultimately shape the system's environmental profile. The environmental goal of life cycle design is to minimize the aggregate environmental impacts associated with the product system. Appropriate environmental information must be supplied to decision makers throughout each stage of the development process to achieve this goal. LCA can serve as a source of this information, but informational requirements can vary as the design moves from its conceptual phase, where many design choices are possible, to its detailed design and implementation. Streamlined approaches and other tools, such as design checklists, are essential. The practical use of this tool in product development also depends on the nature and complexity of the product system (e.g. new vs. established), the product development cycle (time-to-market constraints), availability of technical and financial resources, and the design approach (integrated vs. serial). These factors will influence the role and scope of LCA in product development. Effective communication and evaluation of environmental information and the integration of this information with cost, performance, cultural and legal criteria will also be critical to the success of design initiatives based on the life cycle framework. An overview of several of these design initiatives will be presented.     

Environmental management and life cycle approaches in the Mexican mining industry

Mexico ranks among the 11 major producer countries of minerals worldwide; its open pit and underground systems are 500 years old. This paper presents an overview of the Mexican mining industry from technological development, historical and economic perspectives. The efforts made by mining companies to address issues of environmental management and sustainable development expressed in national and international frameworks, as well as the Mexican environmental regulatory framework for the mining sector, are analyzed. Since, among others, life cycle assessment (LCA) has been recognized as a key topic to promote sustainable development in the Latin American and Caribbean region, this paper also examines the application of LCA in mining. Two life cycle approaches are presented: a national life cycle inventory for base metals, and an integral life cycle model for the management of mining processes.     

Normative ethics and methodology for life cycle assessment

Prospective life cycle assessment (LCA) provides information on the environmental consequences of individual actions. Retrospective LCA provides information about the environmental properties of the life cycle investigated and of its subsystems. In this paper we analyse the links between the choice of methodology and different theories of normative moral philosophy. The choice of electricity data in an LCA of a conference site with local hydropower production is discussed as an illustration. The two types of LCA can be related to different theories on the characteristics of a good action. Each type of LCA, as well as each of the moral theories, can be criticised from the alternative point of departure. Decisions based on retrospective LCA can have environmentally undesirable consequences. On the other hand, prospective LCA can appear unfair and result in environmentally sub-optimised systems. Both types of LCA also have methodological limitations. We cannot conclude that one type is superior to the other, but the choice of methodology should be consistent with the information sought in the LCA.     

塑料牛奶包装及处置方式生命周期环境影响研究

采用生命周期评价(LCA)法研究了塑料牛奶包装的全生命周期环境影响,并在处置阶段对不同处置方式的环境影响进行比较.通过现场和资料调研的方式,获得所有生命周期阶段能量物质的输入/输出和环境外排数据.结果表明:塑料牛奶包装生命周期阶段中环境影响比重最大的是原料获取阶段,占90%以上.其全生命周期环境影响主要集中在化石燃料、无机物对人体损害和气候变化3个方面,在致癌、酸化富营养化和生态毒性方面影响稍小.3种处置方式对环境影响由大到小依次为填埋>焚烧>再生,其中填埋和焚烧处置分别比塑料包装处置阶段前的环境影响增加16.1%和5.3%,再生可降低75.9%.     

Life cycle assessment of spray dried soluble coffee and comparison with alternatives (drip filter and capsule espresso)

This paper aims to evaluate the environmental burdens associated with spray dried soluble coffee over its entire life cycle and compare it with drip filter coffee and capsule espresso coffee. It particularly aims to identify critical environmental issues and responsibilities along the whole life cycle chain of spray dried coffee. This life cycle assessment (LCA) specifically uses foreground data obtained directly from coffee manufacturers and suppliers. Aside from energy consumption and greenhouse gases emissions, water footprint is also studied in detail, including regionalization of water impacts based on the ecological scarcity method 2006. Other impact categories are screened using the IMPACT 2002+ impact assessment method.The overall LCA results for a 1 dl cup of spray dried soluble coffee amounts approximately to 1 MJ of primary non-renewable energy consumption, to emissions of 0.07 kg of CO_2-eq, and between 3 and 10 l of non-turbined water use, depending on whether or not the coffee cultivation is irrigated and wet treated. When considering turbined water, use can be up to 400 l of water per cup. Pouch – and to a lesser extent metal can packaging alternatives – show lower environmental burdens than glass or sticks.On average, about one half of the environmental footprint occurs at a life cycle stage under the control of the coffee producer or its suppliers (i.e., during cultivation, treatment, processing, packaging up to distribution, along with advertising) and the other half at a stage controlled by the user (shopping, appliances manufacturing, use and waste disposal). Key environmental parameters of spray dried soluble coffee are the amount of extra water boiled and the efficiency of cup cleaning during use phase, whether the coffee is irrigated or not, as well as the type and amount of fertilizer used in the coffee field. The packaging contributes to 10% of the overall life cycle impacts.Compared to other coffee alternatives, spray dried soluble coffee uses less energy and has a lower environmental footprint than capsule espresso coffee or drip filter coffee, the latter having the highest environmental impacts on a per cup basis. This study shows that a broad LCA approach is needed to help industry to minimize the environmental burdens directly related to their products. Including all processes of the entire system is necessary i) to get a comprehensive environmental footprint of the product system with respect to sustainable production and consumption, ii) to share stakeholders responsibility along the entire product life cycle, and iii) to avoid problem shifting between different life cycle stages.     

工业产品生命周期环境成本评估方法初探

产品环境成本内在化是解决其环境问题的一个重要经济手段。生命周期评价方法和传统的会计制度都不能提供产品的环境成本信息。而目前逐渐兴起的环境会计制度也多关注与产品生产直拉相关的环境成本，缺乏全过程的思想，要真正满足可持续发展的需要，就必须开发适于其生命周期环境成本评估的方法。文章在介绍传统的成本划分方法基础上，提出了生命周期环境成本的概念及其评估方法。     

A comparative study on milk packaging using life cycle assessment: from PA-PE-Al laminate and polyethylene in China

A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach was used to compare the environmental impacts in the life cycle of two milk packaging systems, PA-PE-Al laminate—a laminated foil made from paper, polyethylene and aluminum foil—and polyethylene. The data for the mass, energy fluxes and environmental emissions were obtained from published literature and from site investigations, for the two systems being analyzed for environmental impacts. The application of LCA using Eco-Indicator 99 has made the comparison of the environmental impacts of the two milk packages possible. The results of this LCA study are discussed and the results reveal that the composite packaging has a slightly higher environmental impact than the plastic one. In addition, the environmental impact of raw material extraction is the highest in all of the life cycle stages except for disposal. The environmental impact of composite packaging mainly comes from the fossil fuels, land use and respiratory inorganics categories, while the plastic packaging mainly comes from the fossil fuels category. However, the composite packaging has a greater environmental impact because it has not been well recycled and reused. This environmental impact could be decreased by developing the technology to separate out polyethylene and aluminum from the packaging.     

生命周期评价应用于温室气体排放的研究进展

致使全球气候变暖的温室气体排放问题已经全面引起了人们的广泛关注。生命周期评价作为一种评价环境负荷的评价工具,用于科学定量地估算产品、服务及工艺流程改造等方面的温室气体排放有其独特的优势。文章介绍了估算温室气体排放简化生命周期的技术框架及生命周期评价方法在第一产业(种植业、畜牧业),第二产业(硬纸板加工、橡胶生产、废塑料燃烧的能源再利用)以及第三产业(交通运输、旅游业)的应用情况,并综述了三个产业中的主要系统边界划分原则以及对温室气体排放影响的主要因素;同时,介绍了我国在节能减排方面利用生命周期评价方法的研究与应用实例。     

Eco-labelling of wild-caught seafood products

Several eco-labels for wild-caught seafood have been developed during the last decade. This article describes and analyses the criteria applied by four different eco-labelling schemes for seafood products from capture fisheries, and discusses the criteria in terms of environmental impacts, based on the ISO 14040 standard for life cycle assessment.It is concluded that the most widespread eco-label, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), mainly addresses the fishing stage, in particular the overexploitation of marine resources. LCA studies confirm that the fishing stage represents the most significant environmental burden, but energy consumption and emissions of anti-fouling agents at the fishing or harvesting stage contribute with significant impacts that are not being addressed by international labelling initiatives for wild-caught seafood.LCA studies show that significant environmental impacts are related to the life cycle stages after landing. This includes fish processing, transport, cooling and packaging (especially for highly processed seafood products). Hence, another challenge would be to include criteria related to the post-landing consumption of energy, certain materials and chemicals, waste handling and wastewater emissions. Minimizing product losses throughout the product chain would also be an important area for future criteria in order to avoid fishing at high environmental costs only to produce something that is later wasted.The analysis shows that the Swedish KRAV is the only one that currently addresses a range of issues that include energy and chemicals in the whole life cycle of the products. International initiatives such as MSC cover fish products from many parts of the world emphasizing ‘overexploitation of fish resources’. It is recommended, however, that international initiatives such as MSC develop criteria related to energy use and chemicals – at least at the fishing stage. Over time, other life cycle stages could be addressed as well to the extent that this is manageable.     

Stepwise environmental product declarations: ten SME case studies

The lack of reliable communication tools is anticipated to become an important barrier to design and sell products with improved environmental performance. In this paper, environmental product declarations, EPDs, and in particular a Stepwise EPD approach is investigated as a means to overcome the communication barrier. The experiences of ten European SMEs who have tried to use Stepwise EPDs for market communication and as a basis for eco-design are described and discussed. The experiences suggest that Stepwise EPDs based on life cycle assessment can be a cost-efficient tool to improve the environmental performance of products. For normal marketing activities the Stepwise EPDs were disappointing. Using the underlying LCA as a platform for in-depth communication with selected parties in the supply chain showed more promise.     

铁路运输生命周期评价初探

基于生命周期评价方法,建立了我国铁路运输的生命周期模型,包含电力机车和内燃机车的运行、基础设施建设、上游能源和原料生产等主要过程;采用我国2010年铁路货运统计数据、中国生命周期核心数据库(CLCD)等数据源,通过eBalance软件对铁路运输生命周期的环境影响进行了计算和分析. 归一化分析表明,铁路运输生命周期的主要环境影响类型为富营养化、酸化和可吸入无机物,三者分别占全国相应环境影响类型总量的0.92%、0.70%和0.62%. 对大理—保山段铁路实际建设数据的研究表明,铁路基础设施建设及原材料生产的各项环境影响类型对铁路运输生命周期环境影响的贡献在9.45%(富营养化)～73.55%(非能源资源消耗)之间,影响十分显著. 生命周期节能减排综合评价表明,铁路运输节能减排综合指标的主要贡献来自于初级能耗、NO_x和CO₂,三者分别占ECER(节能减排综合指标值)的30.90%、27.50%和21.60%. 电力机车运输的节能减排效果优于内燃机车运输,其节能减排综合影响比内燃机车低41.91%.      

不确定数据条件下的生命周期评价及其应用

针对产品生命周期评价中普遍存在着的不确定性数据问题，提出基于概率统计的方法，进行生命周期评价以及重要环境影响清单参数的识别与灵敏度分析。结合水源中央空调系统，建立了统计平均意义下的污染排放清单，运用MonteCarlo模拟获得了以均值219．746和方差9．4243所表征的空调机系统生命周期环境影响的概率分布。进一步通过K—S检验与灵敏度分析，识别出10个具有重要环境影响贡献的清单参数及其中4个对环境影响分布较敏感的参数。以概率分布代替固定数值可以反映产品环境绩效的统计信息，能够有效地用于不确定数据条件下的产品生命周期评价。     

Life cycle assessment to eco-design food products: industrial cooked dish case study

An industrial cooked dish is one of the food products with the most complex agri-food chain. In this study, an eco-design pilot experiment has been performed as a way to develop more efficient and sustainable agri-food products throughout its whole life cycle. To achieve this, a life cycle assessment (LCA) has been carried out to identify and quantify the environmental performance of the production and distribution of a cooked tuna with tomato dish. The most important stages of the life cycle have been established taking into consideration the full environmental impact as well as the potential reductions achievable by the application of various improvements.     

A life cycle impact of the natural gas used in the energy sector in Romania

The world's natural gas consumption continues to grow, increasing its market share of total primary energy consumption. Among the major fuels, natural gas is expected to provide the greatest increase in energy consumption in the world energy sector, due to its relatively low environmental impact and high thermodynamic quality. Natural gas plays a significant role in the energy sector because of its environmental qualities and energy. We analyzed the natural gas life cycle by using the life cycle assessment (LCA) to compare, from an environmental point of view, four sites of heat production by natural gas combustion. We determined the best site from an environmental point of view for a consumer and which stage (extraction, treatment, transportation, storage, combustion) of the natural gas life cycle pollutes the most. This study confirmed the utility of the LCA in the evaluation of the environmental impact in the energy sector.     

The energy consumption and environmental impacts of a color TV set in China

The present study analyses the different processes followed during color TV set production along with the energy consumption and the environment emissions in each stage. The purpose is to identify “hot-spots”, i.e. parts of the life cycle important to the total environmental impact. The analysis is performed using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, which is a method used to identify and quantify in the environmental performance of a process or a product from “cradle to grave”. LCA methodology provides a quantitative basis for assessing potential improvements in the environmental performance of a system throughout the life cycle. The system investigated includes the production of manufacturing materials, transport of manufacturing materials, color TV set manufacturing, transport of color TV sets, use of color TV sets, discarding color TV sets and partial plastic waste energy utilization. The environmental burdens that arise from color TV sets are mainly due to air emissions derived from fossil fuel utilization.