Systems analysis and its interpretation

Life cycle assessment (LCA): aims to evaluate the environmental burdens associated with a certain product or service in a cradle-to-grave perspective, from raw material extraction to waste management and final disposal. Standardisation is made through the framework of ISO, the International Organization for Standardization Source: Pernilla Tidåker

Raw material acquisition Processes Transport Manufacture Use Waste management Source: Pernilla Tidåker

We work with an “expanded system” In all scenarios the same amount of valued functions are produced, either by the waste system or by the compensatory system (external system) Waste systemCompensatory system Product Source: Jan-Olov Sundquist, IVL

Total system scenario 1-n Source: Jan-Olov Sundquist, IVL

Source: Pernilla Tidåker

Resources - Energy and materials Resources - Water Resources - Land Impacts on human health (toxicological and non-toxicological impacts, excluding and including work environment) Global warming Depletion of stratospheric ozone Acidification Eutrophication Photo-oxidant formation Eco-toxicological impacts Habitat alterations and impacts on biological diversity Impact categories to be considered in an LCA Source: Pernilla Tidåker

TitleTitle Data are collected… and aggregated NO x NH 3 P etc. CO 2 CH 4 N 2 O Eutrophication Global warming Index InventoryCharacterisation Weighting Source: Pernilla Tidåker

Acidification 2 NH 3 +4 O 2 2 NO H 2 O + 2H + 2 NO 2 +½ O 2 + H 2 O 2 NO H + 2 SO 2 +½ O 2 + H 2 O 2 SO H + NH 3 and NO x are not acidifying if they are taken up by plants instead of being oxidized to NO 3 - or if the NO 3 - is taken up, because when taken up by the root it is exchanged for OH -. Source: Pernilla Tidåker

Remember… It is a great difference between potential and actual environmental impacts. Source: Pernilla Tidåker

Which environmental effect is most important? Global vs local Long-term vs short-term Normalization: Compare the system under study to total national emissions Source: Cecilia Sundberg

Normalized emissions from biowaste Source: Cecilia Sundberg

ORWARE, LCA and waste management Waste occurs in most production systems – waste management included in most LCAs (but for food LCAs, it is often only included for the packaging)  Waste management models, applicable to various wastes a useful tool in LCA ORWARE: mass flow model, including LCA assessment methodology Source: Cecilia Sundberg

Functional unit, valued products Core system incineration Waste Heat Power Functional unit Core system Landfill Waste Heat Power Heat production Power production Complementary or alternative production Functional unit Which is the complementary production system? Source: Cecilia Sundberg

Complementary systems Marginal production: –If I would not produce heat from waste – how would that heat be produced? –If I produce more heat from waste – what other heat will not be produced? Short term marginal : changes within existing infrastructure/production capacity Long term marginal : changes in supply or demand will drive investment The goal and scope of your study guides the choice of complementary systems Source: Cecilia Sundberg

Carbon budgeting Biogenic carbon is considered neutral, no GWP Most common assumption in LCA This can be justified – and it can be questioned! Source: Cecilia Sundberg