Life cycle assessment of global warming potential of feedstock recycling technologies: Case study of waste gasification and pyrolysis in an integrated inventory model for waste treatment and chemical production in Germany

ABSTRACT The primary municipal waste treatment in Tuban Regency, East Java, was landfilling, besides the small amount of the waste was turned to compost. Landfilling causes global warming, which leads to climate change due to CH4 emission. This environmental impact could be worst by the population growth that increases the amount of waste. This study aimed to evaluate the environmental impact on waste management in the Gunung Panggung landfill in Tuban Regency and its alternative scenarios using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Four scenarios were used in this study. They are one existing scenario and three alternative scenarios comprising landfilling, composting, and anaerobic digestion. The scope of this study includes waste transportation to waste treatment which is landfilling, composting, and anaerobic digestion (AD). The functional unit of this analysis is per ton per year of treated waste. Environmental impacts selected are global warming potential, acidification potential, and eutrophication potential. The existing waste management in Gunung Panggung landfill showed the higher global warming potential because of the emission of CO2 and cost for human health, which is 6.379.506,17 CO2 eq/year and 5,92 DALY, respectively. Scenario 3 (landfilling, composting, and AD; waste sortation 70%) showed a lower environmental impact than others, but improvements were still needed. Covering compost pile or controlling compost turning frequency was proposed for scenario 3 amendment. Keywords: environmental impact, landfill, life cycle assessment, waste management ABSTRAK Landfill merupakan pengelolaan sampah utama di tempat pemrosesan akhir (TPA) Gunung Panggung Kabupaten Tuban. Selain landfill, pengomposan diterapkan untuk mengolah sebagian kecil sampahnya. Landfill menghasilkan gas metana yang menyebabkan pemanasan global dan memicu perubahan iklim. Pertambahan penduduk memperbanyak sampah yang perlu diolah di TPA dan dapat memperparah dampak lingkungan yang ditimbulkan. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah menilai dampak lingkungan dari pengelolaan sampah eksisting di TPA Gunung Panggung Kabupaten Tuban Jawa Timur beserta skenario alternatifnya menggunakan Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Terdapat satu skenario eksisting dan tiga skenario alternatif pengelolaan sampah yaitu landfilling, pengomposan, dan fermentasi anaerob (anaerobic digestion). Ruang lingkup studi meliputi pengangkutan sampah, pengelolaan sampah dengan cara pengomposan, Anaerobic Digestion (AD), dan landfill. Satuan fungsional yang digunakan yakni ton sampah yang diolah per tahun. Dampak lingkungan yang dipelajari di antaranya: pemanasan global, asidifikasi, dan eutrofikasi. Dampak lingkungan skenario eksisting menunjukkan nilai tertinggi terutama pada pemanasan global (6.379.506,17 CO2eq/tahun) dan kerugian pada kesehatan manusia (5,92 DALY). Skenario alternatif 3, yang meliputi pengelolaan secara landfill, pengomposan, dan AD menunjukkan dampak lingkungan yang kecil, namun memerlukan perbaikan. Perbaikan untuk skenario 3 yaitu dengan menambahkan penutup pada tumpukan kompos atau mengontrol frekuensi pembalikan kompos untuk mengurangi emisi NH3. Kata kunci: dampak lingkungan, life cycle assessment, pengelolaan sampah, tempat pemrosesan akhir

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Environmental impacts of wooden, plastic, and wood-polymer composite pallet: a life cycle assessment approach

The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment ◽

10.1007/s11367-021-01953-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Md.Musharof Hussain Khan ◽

Ivan Deviatkin ◽

Jouni Havukainen ◽

Mika Horttanainen

Keyword(s):

Sensitivity Analysis ◽

Global Warming ◽

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Polymer Composite ◽

Global Warming Potential ◽

Consequential Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Wood Polymer ◽

Biogenic Carbon ◽

Wood Polymer Composite

Abstract Purpose Waste recycling is one of the essential tools for the European Union’s transition towards a circular economy. One of the possibilities for recycling wood and plastic waste is to utilise it to produce composite product. This study analyses the environmental impacts of producing composite pallets made of wood and plastic waste from construction and demolition activities in Finland. It also compares these impacts with conventional wooden and plastic pallets made of virgin materials. Methods Two different life cycle assessment methods were used: attributional life cycle assessment and consequential life cycle assessment. In both of the life cycle assessment studies, 1000 trips were considered as the functional unit. Furthermore, end-of-life allocation formula such as 0:100 with a credit system had been used in this study. This study also used sensitivity analysis and normalisation calculation to determine the best performing pallet. Result and discussion In the attributional cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment, wood-polymer composite pallets had the lowest environmental impact in abiotic depletion potential (fossil), acidification potential, eutrophication potential, global warming potential (including biogenic carbon), global warming potential (including biogenic carbon) with indirect land-use change, and ozone depletion potential. In contrast, wooden pallets showed the lowest impact on global warming potential (excluding biogenic carbon). In the consequential life cycle assessment, wood-polymer composite pallets showed the best environmental impact in all impact categories. In both attributional and consequential life cycle assessments, plastic pallet had the maximum impact. The sensitivity analysis and normalisation calculation showed that wood-polymer composite pallets can be a better choice over plastic and wooden pallet. Conclusions The overall results of the pallets depends on the methodological approach of the LCA. However, it can be concluded that the wood-polymer composite pallet can be a better choice over the plastic pallet and, in most cases, over the wooden pallet. This study will be of use to the pallet industry and relevant stakeholders.

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Greenhouse gas emission timing in life cycle assessment and the global warming potential of perennial energy crops

Carbon Management ◽

10.1080/17583004.2015.1109179 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 6 (5-6) ◽

pp. 185-195 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Joana Almeida ◽

Jeroen Degerickx ◽

Wouter M.J. Achten ◽

Bart Muys

Keyword(s):

Global Warming ◽

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Greenhouse Gas ◽

Global Warming Potential ◽

Greenhouse Gas Emission ◽

Energy Crops ◽

Gas Emission ◽

Perennial Energy Crops ◽

Emission Timing

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Life Cycle Assessment Applications To The Dry Steam Geothermal Power Generation (Case Study: Star Energy Geothermal Wayang Windu, Ltd, Indonesia)

Indonesian Journal of Life Cycle Assessment and Sustainability ◽

10.52394/ijolcas.v2i2.51 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Rina Annisa ◽

Benno Rahardyan

Keyword(s):

Global Warming ◽

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Power Plant ◽

Environmental Impact ◽

Global Warming Potential ◽

Geothermal Power Plant ◽

Continual Improvement ◽

Acidification Potential ◽

Geothermal Power

Geothermal potential in Indonesia estimate can produced renewable energy 29 GW, and until 2016 it still used 5% or about 1643 MW in. From that result, about 227 MW produced by Wayang Windu geothermal power plant. The Input were raw material, energy and water. These input produced electricity as main product, by product, and also other output that related to environment i.e. emission, solid waste and waste water. All environmental impacts should be controlled to comply with environmental standard, and even go beyond compliance and perform continual improvement. This research will use Life Cycle Assessment method based on ISO 14040 and use cradle to gate concept with boundary from liquid steam production until electricity produced, and Megawatt Hours as the functional unit. Life Cycle Inventory has been done with direct input and output in the boundary and resulted that subsystem of Non Condensable Gas and condensate production have the largest environmental impact. LCI also show that every MWh electricity produced, it needed 6.87 Ton dry steam or 8.16 Ton liquid steam. Global Warming Potential (GWP) value is 0.155 Ton CO2eq./MWh, Acidification Potential (AP) 1.69 kg SO2eq./MWh, Eutrophication Potential (EP) 5.36 gPO4 eq./MWh and land use impacts 0.000024 PDF/m2. Life Cycle Impact Assessment resulted that AP contribute 78% of environmental impact and 98% resulted from H2S Non Condensable Gas. Comparison results with another dry steam geothermal power plant show that impact potential result of the company in good position and there’s a strong relation between gross production, GWP and AP value.Keywords: Life cycle assessment; Geothermal; Continual Improvement; Global Warming Potential; Acidification Potential

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Environmental impacts of a hydrometallurgical process for electronic waste treatment: A life cycle assessment case study

Journal of Cleaner Production ◽

10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.10.040 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 140 ◽

pp. 1204-1216 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

Elena Maria Iannicelli-Zubiani ◽

Martina Irene Giani ◽

Francesca Recanati ◽

Giovanni Dotelli ◽

Stefano Puricelli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Environmental Impacts ◽

Waste Treatment ◽

Electronic Waste ◽

Hydrometallurgical Process

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Global Warming Potential, Variable Costs, and Water Use of a Model Greenhouse Production System for 11.4-cm Annual Plants Using Life Cycle Assessment

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci12602-17 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 53 (4) ◽

pp. 441-444 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Dewayne L. Ingram ◽

Charles R. Hall ◽

Joshua Knight

Keyword(s):

Global Warming ◽

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Best Management Practices ◽

Global Warming Potential ◽

Production System ◽

Natural Ventilation ◽

Management Practices ◽

Individual Plant ◽

Environmental Controls

Life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to analyze the global warming potential (GWP) and variable costs of production system components for an 11.4-cm container of wax begonia (Begonia ×semperflorens-cultorum Hort) modeled in a gutter-connected, Dutch-style greenhouse with natural ventilation in the northeastern United States. A life cycle inventory of the model system was developed based on grower interviews and published best management practices. In this model, the GWP of input products, equipment use, and environmental controls for an individual plant would be 0.140 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents (kg CO2e) and the variable costs would total $0.666. Fifty-seven percent of the GWP and 43% of the variable costs would be due to the container and the portion of a 12-plant shuttle tray assigned to a plant. Electricity for irrigation and general overhead would be only 13% of GWP and 2% of variable costs. Natural gas use for heating would be 0.01% of GWP and less of the variable costs, even at a northeastern U.S. location. This was because of the rapid crop turnover and only heated for 3 months of a 50-week production year. Life cycle GWP contributions through carbon sequestration of flowering annuals after being transplanted in the landscape would be minor compared with woody plants; however, others have documented numerous benefits that enhance the human environment.

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Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Steel and Concrete Construction Frames: A Case Study of Two Residential Buildings in Iran

Buildings ◽

10.3390/buildings10030054 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 54

Author(s):

Amir Oladazimi ◽

Saeed Mansour ◽

Seyed Abbas Hosseinijou

Keyword(s):

Global Warming ◽

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Environmental Impacts ◽

Global Warming Potential ◽

Residential Buildings ◽

Steel Frame ◽

Complete Analysis ◽

Environmental Damage ◽

Concrete Frame

Given the fact that during the recent years the majority of buildings in Iran have been constructed either on steel or concrete frames, it is essential to investigate the environmental impacts of materials used in such constructions. For this purpose, two multi-story residential buildings in Tehran with a similar function have been considered in this study. One building was constructed with a steel frame and the other was constructed with a concrete frame. Using the life cycle assessment tool, a complete analysis of all the stages of a building’s life cycle from raw material acquisition to demolition and recycling of wastes was carried out. In this research, the environmental impacts included global warming potential in 100 years, acidification, eutrophication potential, human toxicity (cancer and non-cancer effects), resource depletion (water and mineral), climate change, fossil fuel consumption, air acidification and biotoxicity. It could be concluded from the results that the total pollution of the concrete frame in all eleven aforementioned impact factors was almost 219,000 tonnes higher than that of the steel frame. Moreover, based on the results, the concrete frame had poorer performance in all but one impact factor. With respect to global warming potential, the findings indicated there were two types of organic and non-organic gases that had an impact on global warming. Among non-organic emissions, CO2 had the biggest contribution to global warming potential, while among organic emissions, methane was the top contributor. These findings suggest the use of steel frames in the building industry in Iran to prevent further environmental damage; however, in the future, more research studies in this area are needed to completely investigate all aspects of decision on the choice of building frames, including economic and social aspects.

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Assessing management options for wastewater treatment works in the context of life cycle assessment

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.1998.0428 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 38 (11) ◽

pp. 23-30 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

F. J. Dennison ◽

A. Azapagic ◽

R. Clift ◽

J. S. Colbourne

Keyword(s):

Wastewater Treatment ◽

Global Warming ◽

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Global Warming Potential ◽

Water Utilities ◽

Management Options ◽

Management Regimes ◽

Treatment And Disposal ◽

The Uk

This paper presents the preliminary results of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study comparing different wastewater treatment works, operated by Thames Water Utilities Ltd. in the UK. Fifteen works have been studied, representing a range of size and type of treatment works. Five management regimes for centralising sludge treatment and disposal were analyzed in the context of LCA to provide guidance on choosing the best practicable environmental option (BPEO). Consideration of Global warming potential indicates that the four proposed management regimes with centralisation of sludge for treatment and disposal, as adopted by Thames Water Utilities Ltd., is an environmental improvement upon the current practice. One of these options, that of complete centralisation and composting of sludge prior to disposal, exerts the least environmental impact with respect to Global warming potential. This suggests that the adoption of composting at Crawley is environmentally preferable to increasing the digestion facility at this works.

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