Environmental Management

Materials Flux Analysis

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Overview

Review– Regional Environmental Management

• Introduction• Approaches to Standard Setting• National SoE reports• Reactive v Anticipatory Environmental Management

Materials Flux Analysis– Aims– System Definition– Method– Cadmium Example– Conclusions

Tutorial

ReferencesBrunner PH and Rechberger H; 2004, Practical handbook of Material Flow

Analysis; Lewis Publ.Brunner P and Baccini P, 1993; Regional Material Management and

Environmental Protection, WM&R

Review

Development of indices/measures for environmental quality– EIS– EMS

• Public Environmental Reports– Corporate– Regional, State, Nation

Regional Environmental Management :Introduction

Regional Environmental Management Plans– Emission standards --> project performance

Regional Environmental Management :National SoE Reports 1996

Ongoing development of key indicators and composite indicators

Regional Environmental Management :Reactive v Anticipatory Env. Mgt.

Time scale problems with monitoring emissions and effects

An alternative approach

R E

ENVIRONMENT

ANTHROPOSPHERE

Stock

2

13

Materials Flux Analysis :Aims

Background :– Chemical Engineers : mass balance for reactors– Civil Engineers : water balance in regions– --> MFA : mass balance with regions as reactor

Aims :– fundamental and holistic understanding of pollution problem– where to concentrate resources – predictive ability– input to human toxicology and ecotoxicology

– Sustainable development requires :• early recognition• more efficient feedback mechanism

Materials Flux Analysis :System Definition

Select substanceDetermine goods

Balance goods through processesCalculate substance balance

I = o + Δ , for ΔT

Sustainability criteria:

• Is the mining of non-renewable resources sustainable? Is recycling efficient enough?

• Is the outflow from the economy too high compared to geogenic flows:– Volcanoes, weathering

and erosion, bushfires, dissolution of minerals in groundwater.

Volcano in Iceland, April 2010

Materials Flux Analysis :General Regional System Definition: Cd

Example : Cd in NiCd batteries– O : Mine 1: concentrate– A: Smelter/recycler 2: Cd– B: NiCd Battery plant 3: NiCd batteries– C: household 4: Used NiCds– X: Household outside region 5: NiCds– Y: Recycler outside region 6: used NiCds

– Other goods for Cd : intentional, unintentional– --> Cd balance for region

system boundary

O

Y

X

goodprocessstock

Legend:

1A

B

C6

52

4

3

LF

Sources of Cadmium

Zinc ore– zinc and cadmium metal

Phosphate rock and limestone– Cd contamination

Intentional Uses– Dispersive: plating, PVC stabiliser, pigment – Concentrated: NiCd batteries

Unintentional Uses– with phosphate fertilizer– contaminants in other materials

EU Environmental Problems

Resource depletion ?Environmental contamination

– food products– soils– aquatic ecosystems– locally around landfills

Bioaccumulative– toxic

What problem here?

What diseases?

MFA for Cd in EU 1987

What goods?

Where from?What is the geogenic flow?

Is this a problem for the EU?

( +Iceland volcano2010)

1987 Key Cd Stocks and FlowsEnvironmental processes

Agricultural Soils ( +634T/yr)– 77% of Cd from P fertilizer and manure– 80% of ultimate origin from phosphate rock

Surface waters ( +161T/yr)– 69% from industrial and sewage effluents– ultimate origin : 38% P rock, 40% zinc

Landfill ( environmental compartment ?) ( +2428T/yr)– 58% from industrial wastes, 32 % from h’hold waste– ultimate origin : 9% P rock, 77% zinc and Cd

Key flowsEconomic processes

Economic stocks ( + 6309 t/yr)– 89% Cd products– ultimate origin : 97% zinc ore and Cd import

Economic stocks become wastes– unrecycled to landfill, biggest env sink

Is Cd contained in landfill ?– if no, a significant environmental load– in Australia ?

EU Action Programme for Cd:What can they do?

MFA for Cd in EU post controls

9829

2094

3206

3063

29

6309

Has the problem been solved?

MFA Analysis of outcomes

Transfer Cd emissions to landfillUnintentional uses ( a contaminant) continues, 10% of intentional usesConcentrated intentional uses increase - NiCd batteries now 80%, increasing demandCd supply to economy linked to zinc demandNiCd battery recycling 15%>>, 50-60%Env stock increases at slower rateLandfill and economy stocks increase at higher rate

Cd in Switzerland 1990..do as an exercise

Is Cd use in Switzerland sustainable?

Global Cadmium Cycle

Stock Variation=?6 000t/yr

Cd to Env= 11 000t/yr

Geogenic Flow= 6 400t/yr

Q:Is this sustainable?

2008 Cd global situation

20 000 T/year demand for new goods (mostly NiCd batteries)

Increasing recycling of Ni and Cd in NICd batteries….4000T/year Cd

Primary Cd demand reduced over past 10 years from 24 000 T/year -> 16 000 T/yr

Increasing demand and supply of Zinc concentrates…increased >10% over past 10 years…

Where is the non-demanded Cd going??

Possible Additional Cd ControlsWhat else can we do?

• If environmental contamination still a problem :– limit regional input to :

• allowed economic stock increase

• allowed env emission rate

– control waste outputs:• stock as future

resource• or, immobilise

– Cd stored at zinc refinery, future resource

– Ban zinc

i.e. need to recycle toReplace old goods

Cd Management in Australia

Controls– Fertilizer…<300mgCd/Kg P– Mineral supplements (zinc sulphate)– point source discharge limits– some industrial NiCd battery recycling, voluntary consumer NiCd battery recycling.

Environmental contamination:– 10%(92/93) and 2% ( 93/94) inland river (NSW) contamination– 6-10% of seafood in NSW with above 0.2mg/kg allow level– 5 of 2236 wheat samples above allow level– Acid Sulphate Soils– 1997 review report

Mineral Supplements

*

*

MFA for Cd in Australia

MFA for Cd in Australia– do not follow other region’s rules– include Australian economy

Test a range of Cd controls– use MFA to test outcomes of CP strategies

Examine fate of Cd in landfills, other sinks– what is fate of Cd in environment ?

• long term issuesFor NiCd batteries :

– now 80% of intentional use of Cd– How should NiCd batteries be collected– How should NiCd batteries be recycled

Conclusions

" A complete understanding of the metabolism of the anthroposphere is essential for the welfare of humans and the biosphere“

" first analysis indicates dynamics of material flow are not under sufficient control to secure resources and environmental quality"

The method of material flux analysis an indispensable tool in understanding the metabolism of the anthroposphere

Materials flux analysis enables / facilitates the setting of limits (carrying capacity)- compare geogenic + anthropogenic fluxes- ( less often) ----> ecotoxicology study

Material flux analysis should be applied to account for regional materials fluxes and to control them

Civilizations that have developed improved measurement and controls in their economies have succeeded:EgyptVenice….

Now:- 1930s money crisis ---> economic models / control- 1960s energy crisis ---> energy audits and control- annual material flux analysis

integration of economics and environment Sustainability?

MFA Example : Lead in a Region

Is lead use in the region sustainable? If no, what should be done?

What is the stock variation in Pb in household, why?

What is stock variation in PBL; Soils; River; ARA; Landfill; Industry; Sewer

Is the Pb in the landfill a problem? Or an opportunity?

MFA Tutorial : Lead in a Region

Is lead use in the region sustainable?

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