introduction to life cycle assessment (lca) 28 july 2011 who training on life cycle assessment...

Introduction to Life Cycle Introduction to Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)Assessment (LCA)

28 July 2011 28 July 2011

WHO Training on Life Cycle Assessment WHO Training on Life Cycle Assessment Ministry of Health, UlaanbaatarMinistry of Health, Ulaanbaatar

Anne Riederer ScD ([email protected]) Anne Riederer ScD ([email protected]) American Association for the Advancement of American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellow, Office of Research and Science (AAAS) Fellow, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyDevelopment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Who am I?Who am I?• Environmental health

scientist (ScD)

• I research human exposures to environmental contaminants

• 2004-2010: Assistant Professor, Emory University (Atlanta, USA)

• 2010-2012: 2-year fellowship at EPA sponsored by American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

• I am not a direct employee of EPA and cannot speak officially for EPA

What is the U.S. EPA (Environmental What is the U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)?Protection Agency)?

• Clean Air Act

• Clean Water Act

• Safe Drinking Water Act

• Toxic Substances Control Act

• Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

• Comprehensive Emergency Response and Control of Liability Act

Paul Anastas PhD, Assistant Administrator

Urinary cadmium in the 1999 – 2008 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination SurveyAnne M. Riederer,1 B.J. George,2 Paul T. Anastas3 1American Association for the Advancement of Science, Science and Technology Policy Fellow hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), Washington, DC USA2Office of Research and Development, U.S. EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC USA3Office of Research and Development, U.S. EPA, Washington, DC USAAbstractChronic low-level exposure to cadmium has been linked to kidney and cardiovascular disease, increased fractures, and cancer in studies controlling for smoking, occupation and other risk factors. Diet and tobacco smoke are the primary sources of exposure in the general population, with additional sources…

Mary Ann Curran, PhDEPA/ORD/NRMRL, Systems Analysis BranchSustainable Technologies DivisionCincinnati, Ohio, USA ([email protected])

Life Cycle AssessmentBasics and 101 Training

Webinar Series(www.epa.gov)

What is Life Cycle Assessment?What is Life Cycle Assessment?

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An industrial environmental management approach to look holistically at products, processes, and activities.

Raw Material Acquisition

ProductionUse/Maintenance

End-of-LifeManagement

Reuse

Recycling

What is Life Cycle Assessment?What is Life Cycle Assessment?

Source: Dr. M.A. Curran, Life Cycle Assessment Basics and 101 Training Webinar Series

Source: as cited in Hecht, A. LCA@EPA, presentation to EPA/ORD, February 23, 2011.

In a life cycle assessment, we: In a life cycle assessment, we:

• Identify and quantify natural resource use (energy, water, land, materials) and releases to the environment across all stages of life cycle

• Assess potential environmental impacts of these material uses and releases

• Identify opportunities to reduce environmental burdens and improve processes


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Brief History of LCABrief History of LCA• Coca Cola Company study in 1969 (not made public) is first

known application of an LCA-like approach• Early studies called Resource and Environmental Profile

Analysis (REPA) in USA, Ecobalance in Europe• 1970s gasoline crises stimulated interest in life cycle energy

use • Garbage crisis, “Diaper Wars” late 1980s renewed interest in

life cycle concept• Computers and spreadsheets made working with lots of data

easier• In 1991, inappropriate marketing claims and pressure from

environmental organizations prompted development of LCA standards under the International Standards Organization (ISO)


Recent ExampleRecent Example


From “Sustainable Innovation Products,” Len Sauers, PhD

Vice President, Global Sustainability, Procter & Gamble

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Cold-Water Wash SavingsCold-Water Wash Savings

• According to Procter & Gamble’s calculations, if every U.S. household used cold water for laundry, the energy savings would be 70-90 billion kilowatt hours per year (this is 3% of total household energy consumption in USA)

• These savings would translate into 34 million tons of carbon dioxide per year not released into the environment, which is nearly 8% percent of U.S. Kyoto target


What is EPA using LCA for?What is EPA using LCA for?

• Computer displays (desktop monitors)

• Tin-lead, lead-free solders in electronics

• Lithium-ion Batteries

Promoting design of greener/safer products - “Design for Environment (DfE)”:

DfE LCA reports: www.epa.gov/dfe

Life cycle thinking in green electronics labeling: www.epeat.net

Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool• for institutional purchasers to evaluate, compare, select desktop

computers, laptops, displays based on environmental attributes

Other product/process evaluations:

Source: EPA/ORD/NRMRL LCA 101 series (various presentations), 2010-2011

Spray polyurethane foam weatherization

Nano-silver socks

Carbon nano-tubes

BiofuelsBiofuels

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How environmentally friendly are plant-

based products on a life-cycle basis?


http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.umassvegetable.org/images/soils_crops_pest_mgt/crop/corn5.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.umassvegetable.org/soil_crop_pest_mgt/crops/corn_ornamental.html&usg=__QiH2RtemVbpM_jLP132utjXccUw=&h=449&w=500&sz=132&hl=en&start=11&um=1&tbnid=GdY8zXAqGEBMcM:&tbnh=117&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcorn%26hl%3Den%26um%3D1

http://www.fortunespawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/corn_on_the_cob.png

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.epa.gov/smartway/growandgo/smartway_images/e85-pump01.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.epa.gov/smartway/growandgo/e85dispensers.htm&usg=__69yXdYf4ik3FH4sG3F8iHZeKg_s=&h=1353&w=759&sz=361&hl=en&start=7&um=1&tbnid=HWw7DUda1fW1zM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=84&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dgas%2Bpump%2Be85%26hl%3Den%26um%3D1

www.epa.gov/ORD/NRMRL/lcaccess

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Suggested ReadingSuggested Reading• Curran, M.A. (ed.) (1996) Environmental Life Cycle Assessment, McGraw-

Hill, ISBN 0-07-015063-X.• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA (2006). Life Cycle

Assessment: Principles and Practice, EPA/600/R-06/060, available on-line, www.epa.gov/ORD/NRMRL/lcaccess.

• Horne R, Grant T, and Verghese K. (2009). Life Cycle Assessment: Principles, Practice and Prospects. ISBN: 9780643094529; 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: 978-0-444-52033-3; ISBN-10: 0-444-52033-3; Elsevier.

• ISO 14040 (2006). Environmental Management – LCA – Principles and Framework. International Standards Organization, Geneve, Switzerland.


Life Cycle Life Cycle AssessmentAssessment

Yavya!Yavya!

1818

• Examines system-wide effects (cradle-to-Examines system-wide effects (cradle-to-grave)grave)

• Analyzes multi-media (air, water, waste, etc.)Analyzes multi-media (air, water, waste, etc.)• Analyzes multi-attributes (all impacts)Analyzes multi-attributes (all impacts)• Helps identify trade-offs among alternativesHelps identify trade-offs among alternatives• Identifies opportunities for improvementIdentifies opportunities for improvement• Supports environmental decision makingSupports environmental decision making

An Effective LCA: An Effective LCA:

LCA is difficult but not impossible!LCA is difficult but not impossible!


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ISO LCA StandardsISO LCA Standards

• ISO 14040 “Life Cycle Assessment – Principles and Framework” 1997

• ISO 14044 “Life Cycle Assessment – Requirements and Guidelines” 2006

ISO has standardized methods for conducting multi-media, cradle-to-grave environmental assessments:


ISO 14040 “Life Cycle Assessment – ISO 14040 “Life Cycle Assessment – Principles and Framework” 1997Principles and Framework” 1997

Interpretation

Goal and ScopeDefinition

Inventory

ImpactAssessment

Goal and Scope DefinitionGoal and Scope Definition

• Product comparison (ISO requires “Comparative Assertion” to undergo peer review)

• Develop baseline of environmental and human health impacts associated with a product or process

• Identify opportunities for system-wide improvement • Provide evidence for eco-labeling• Others…

An LCA can be used for many purposes, for example:


2222

• A clearly defined goal:– Determines the scope of the study– Sets the boundaries and scale– Identifies the product or process function– Sets the Functional Unit (important for

comparing equivalent systems)– Defines the level of data detail & quality

Goal and Scope DefinitionGoal and Scope Definition

Functional Unit – home heating exampleHeat one family home for one year


23

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Claims and conclusions must reflect stated scope of study

Natural Resources

Air Emissions

Water Effluents

Solid Waste Study Boundary

Rec

ycli

ngR

euse


ISO 14040 “Life Cycle Assessment – ISO 14040 “Life Cycle Assessment – Principles and Framework”Principles and Framework”

Interpretation


Inventory

ImpactAssessment

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Life Cycle Inventory (LCI)Life Cycle Inventory (LCI)

• Should account for all material and natural resource inputs and outputs to the environment, for each process

• A manufacturer may have process-specific data but also need the upstream and downstream data

• LCI data usually presented as aggregated averages to represent an industrial average

• Assumptions, exclusion rules must be transparent


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Flow Diagram


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LCAs View Systems at 30,000 FeetLCAs View Systems at 30,000 Feet

Life Cycle Inventory data are aggregated “rolled up” data

For example, plastic bottles

from polyethylene terphthalate (PET)...


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…are made using different

processes, pollutant controls, etc.


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Flow Diagram


3030

Life Cycle Inventory SpreadsheetsLife Cycle Inventory Spreadsheets


3131

Air Emissions Summary

(lbs)


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• National LCI databases:• US LCI Database (www.nrel.gov/lci)• ecoinvent (www.ecoinvent.org )

• Practitioner’s databases, e.g., SimaPro and GaBi• Proprietary company data through surveys• Published research by labs, universities• Public data, e.g., EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory

(TRI)• Modeled or estimated data• Best engineering judgment

Life Cycle Inventory Data SourcesLife Cycle Inventory Data Sources


Source: Michael Deru, DOE/NREL

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LCA Software/ConsultantsLCA Software/Consultants

• APME• APC• Athena• BEES• Boustead• CMLCA• Eco-Indicator 99• Ecointensys• ecoinvent

• SimaPro • Franklin• Euklid• LCAid• LISA• SPINE• TEAM• Umberto• VITO

• eiolca.net• ECOit• EDIP• eVerdEE• FEFCO• GaBi• KCL-Eco • LCAPix • PEMS


Available LCI Databases - DetailsAvailable LCI Databases - Details

• Public Databases (free)– North American LCI Database (U.S. DOE NREL)

[~200 processes/industries] www.nrel.gov/lci– European Reference Life Cycle Database (ELCD)

[~300] http://lca.jrc.ec.europa.eu/lcainfohub/datasetArea.vm

• Proprietary (must pay for)– ecoinvent Swiss database (2000+)– PE GaBi 4.0 (2000+ up to 5000 special order)– Boustead (claims 13,000 in 41 regions → ~300)


Using Economic Using Economic Input/Output (I/O) Data to Create LCIInput/Output (I/O) Data to Create LCI

U.S. Department of Commerce's has input-output model of economic flows ($M) across 500 industrial sectors:

Carnegie Mellon University (USA) has a free EIO-LCA model of the 2002 U.S. economy: www.eiolca.net


Economic I/O-LCA Model of Chinese EconomyEconomic I/O-LCA Model of Chinese Economy


Interpretation


Inventory

ImpactAssessment

Life Cycle Impact AssessmentLife Cycle Impact Assessment


ImpactAssessment Weight Across Impact Weight Across Impact

Categories (Optional)Categories (Optional)

Normalize (Optional)Normalize (Optional)

Modeling category indicators Modeling category indicators (characterization)(characterization)

Assign LCI resultsAssign LCI results(classification)(classification)

Select and define Select and define impact categoriesimpact categories

Source: Jane Bare, EPA/ORD/NRMRL, LCA 101: Life Cycle Impact Assessment

InventoryTRACITRACITool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other environmental Impacts

Ozone DepletionGlobal Warming

Eutrophication

Inventory of StressorsChemical EmissionsFossil Fuel UseLand UseWater Use

Impact CategoriesOzone DepletionGlobal WarmingAcidificationEutrophicationSmog FormationHuman Health

CriteriaCancerNoncancer

EcotoxicityFossil Fuel UseLand UseWater Use

…….

Characterization (e.g., Eutrophication)

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

Product A Product B Product C

End of Life

Use

Processing

Transportation toManufacturing Site


Jane Bare

TRACITRACITool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other environmental Impacts

Ozone DepletionGlobal Warming

Eutrophication

Inventory of StressorsChemical EmissionsFossil Fuel UseLand UseWater Use

Impact CategoriesOzone DepletionGlobal WarmingAcidificationEutrophicationSmog FormationHuman Health

CriteriaCancerNoncancer

EcotoxicityFossil Fuel UseLand UseWater Use

…….

Characterization (e.g., Eutrophication)

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

Product A Product B Product C

End of Life

Use

Processing

Transportation toManufacturing Site


Bare, J.C., G.A. Norris, D.W. Pennington, and T. McKone, “TRACI – The Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other environmental Impacts,” Journal of Industrial Ecology, Vol. 6, No. 3, 2003.

TRACI

Water Use

Land Use

Human Health Criteria

PollutantsGlobal Climate Change

Ozone Depletion

Uncertainty of TRACI Impact CategoriesUncertainty of TRACI Impact Categories

Eutrophication

Human Health

Non Cancer

Smog Formation

Fossil Fuel Use

Acidification

Ecotoxicity

Increasing uncertainty

Human Health Cancer


Midpoint analysis allows maximum

comprehensiveness, scientific

defensibility, and minimal value

choices or modeling assumptions.

Midpoints Midpoints versusversus EndpointsEndpoints


Human Health

Method CMLEco-Indicator

99 Ecoscarcity EDIP97 EPS 2000d Impact 2002+ LIME TRACIClimate Protection

Midpoint GWPsNot reported separately. GWPs GWPs

Not reported separately. GWP GWPs GWPs

Endpoint

All included. Not calculated independently.

Malaria, dengue fever, schistosomiasis, cardio & resp disease, displaced populations



Life expectancy, severe morbidity, morbidity, severe nuisance, nuisance

Mortality and morbidity of species

Thermal stress, cold stress, malaria, dengue fever, disaster, food shortage


Damage Not calculated DALYs Not calculated Not calculated Person-years Not calculated DALYs Not calculated

Weighting Not calculatedDALYs and 3 perspectives Critical Flows

Political Reduction of Targets.

ELU/inidcatorbased on WTP Not calculated

(Yen/DALYs) or (WTP Yen * Weighting Factor) Not calculated

Stratospheric Ozone Protection

Midpoint ODPsNot reported separately. ODPs ODPs

Not reported separately. ODPs ODPs ODPs

Endpoint


Skin cancers and cataracts.


All included. Not calculated independently. Life expectancyCancer. Unknown.


Damage Not calculated DALYs Not calculated Not calculated Person-years DALYs DALYs Not calculated





Human Health

Method CMLEco-Indicator

99 Ecoscarcity EDIP97 EPS 2000d Impact 2002+ LIME TRACIClimate Protection

Midpoint GWPsNot reported separately. GWPs GWPs

Not reported separately. GWP GWPs GWPs

Endpoint


Malaria, dengue fever, schistosomiasis, cardio & resp disease, displaced populations



Life expectancy, severe morbidity, morbidity, severe nuisance, nuisance

Mortality and morbidity of species

Thermal stress, cold stress, malaria, dengue fever, disaster, food shortage


Damage Not calculated DALYs Not calculated Not calculated Person-years Not calculated DALYs Not calculated





Stratospheric Ozone Protection

Midpoint ODPsNot reported separately. ODPs ODPs

Not reported separately. ODPs ODPs ODPs

Endpoint


Skin cancers and cataracts.


All included. Not calculated independently. Life expectancyCancer. Unknown.


Damage Not calculated DALYs Not calculated Not calculated Person-years DALYs DALYs Not calculated





Bare, J.C., P. Hofstetter, D.W. Pennington, and H.A. Udo de Haes, “Life Cycle Impact Assessment Midpoints vs. Endpoints – the Sacrifices and the Benefits,” International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, Vol. 5, No. 6, 2000.

Global warming potential (GWP), ozone depleting potential (ODP)Global warming potential (GWP), ozone depleting potential (ODP)

Simple Emissions-Based Impact Assessment Simple Emissions-Based Impact Assessment (global warming, ozone depletion) Calculations(global warming, ozone depletion) Calculations

Modified from: Hertwich, E. G., Pennington, D. W., Bare, J. C. (2002) Introduction, In: H. A. Udo de Haes, et al, ed., Life Cycle Impact Assessment: Striving Towards Best Available Practice: Pensacola, FL, USA, SETAC

GWP 2800 kg CO2 eq

ODP 0.73 kg CFC-11 eq

X Y Z Units

GWP 1 1400 kg CO2 equivalent (eq) / kg substance

ODP 1.1 0.6 kg CFC-11 equivalent / kg substance

X

=

X 2100 kg

Y 0.5 kg

Z 0.3 kg


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Sample TRACI ResultsSample TRACI Results

Acidifi

catio

n

Ecoto

xici

ty

Ozone

Deple

tion

Global

War

min

g

Smog F

ormat

ion

Human

Toxi

city

Land U

se

Fossil

Fuel D

eple

tion

Eutrophic

atio

n

Option A Option B


WeightingWeighting

where:

W = the weighted score for all aggregated impact categories,

αi = the value-based weighting factor for the individual impact category (i)

Di = the quantified potential impacts for the case study for individual impact category (i)

NVi = the normalization value for each individual impact category (i)

W D NVi ii

i /

Bare, J.C., “Life Cycle Impact Assessment Research Developments and Needs,” Clean Technology and Environmental Policy, accepted Nov. 9, 2009.

Building for Environmental and Economic Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability (BEES) 4.0Sustainability (BEES) 4.0

You can download BEES from: http://www.bfrl.nist.gov/oae/software/bees/Source: Jane Bare, EPA/ORD/NRMRL, LCA 101: Life Cycle Impact Assessment


InterpretationGoal and ScopeDefinition

Inventory

ImpactAssessment

• Describe data quality and uncertainty

• Perform sensitivity analysis

• Analyze tradeoffs• Identify largest impact

areas and greatest opportunities for improvement

• Report results• Initiate efforts to get higher

quality data where it matters most

Parameter 1

Parameter 2

Parameter 3

Output

Model

Uncertainty and variability in model inputs Uncertainty and variability in model inputs affect model outputsaffect model outputs

Parameter variability: natural variation of input parametersParameter variability: natural variation of input parameters

Parameter uncertainty: random, systematic, measurement errorsParameter uncertainty: random, systematic, measurement errors


Parameter Uncertainty and Variability AnalysisParameter Uncertainty and Variability Analysis

Probabilistic research within CALTOX showed that for the majority of substances chemical data (e.g., toxicity and half life) had the biggest contribution to data variability/uncertainty

Hertwich, E., et al, Parameter uncertainty and variability in evaluative fate and exposure Hertwich, E., et al, Parameter uncertainty and variability in evaluative fate and exposure models. Risk Analysis, 1999. 19.models. Risk Analysis, 1999. 19.


LCA – Heating with Wood in Old LCA – Heating with Wood in Old vs.vs. New Stoves New Stoves

LCA – Including Social and Economic ImpactsLCA – Including Social and Economic Impacts

Summary of LCA Pros and ConsSummary of LCA Pros and Cons

Interpretation


Inventory

ImpactAssessment

Pros•Comprehensive analysis of Comprehensive analysis of

product, process, or activityproduct, process, or activity• Transparent method for Transparent method for

estimating impactsestimating impacts• Highlights potential Highlights potential

environmental tradeoffsenvironmental tradeoffs• Can provide information that Can provide information that

challenges current thinkingchallenges current thinking• Captures the knowledge Captures the knowledge

basebase• Fosters better communication Fosters better communication

among decision makersamong decision makers

Cons•Can be expensive Can be expensive •Can take a long timeCan take a long time•There are different LCIA There are different LCIA

models models •Data are lacking for new Data are lacking for new

processes like nanotechnologyprocesses like nanotechnology•Combining impacts into a Combining impacts into a

single score is not scientific– single score is not scientific– requires value judgmentsrequires value judgments

•Assumptions, decisions must Assumptions, decisions must be documented or results will be be documented or results will be misinterpreted misinterpreted

•Should be one piece of Should be one piece of decision-making process for decision-making process for assessing cost assessing cost vs. vs. performance performance


Group Exercises (this afternoon)Group Exercises (this afternoon)

1. Life cycle thinking

2. Setting the functional unit

3. Setting the system boundaries

introduction to life cycle assessment (lca) 28 july 2011 who training on life cycle assessment...

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