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D r a f t

D r a f t. Life Cycle Assessment A product-oriented method for sustainability analysis UNEP LCA Training Kit Module d – Inventory analysis. D r a f t. ISO 14040 framework. Source: ISO 14040. Life cycle inventory analysis.

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D r a f t

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  1. D r a f t Life Cycle AssessmentA product-oriented methodfor sustainability analysisUNEP LCA Training KitModule d – Inventory analysis

  2. D r a f t ISO 14040 framework Source: ISO 14040

  3. Life cycle inventory analysis • ISO: Phase of life cycle assessment involving the compilation and quantification of inputs and outputs, for a given product system throughout its life cycle • International Standard ISO 14041 • Technical Report ISO/TR 14049 • The second phase of an LCA • LCI

  4. D r a f t • Economy-environment system boundary • Flow diagram • Format and data categories • Data quality • Data collection and relating data to unit processes • Data validation • Cut-off and data estimation • Multifunctionality and allocation • Calculation Contents

  5. Economy-environment system boundary (1) • Demarcation between what is included in the product system and what is excluded • Each product/material/service should be followed until it has been translated into elementary flows (emissions, natural resource extractions, land use, …)

  6. Economy-environment system boundary (2) • Example: • upstream: TV  transformer  copper wire  copper  copper ore • upstream: TV  electricity  high-voltage electricity  coal • downstream: TV  electronic equipment waste  removal of precious and recyclable materials  dump site

  7. Economy-environment system boundary (3) D r a f t small system boundary wide system boundary

  8. Flow diagram (1) • Graphical representation of structure product system • Showing the interdependence of economic processes • Can be organized as hierarchical (multi-level) flow diagrams

  9. Flow diagram (2) • Simple rules, consistently applied: • process = box • economic flow = arrow • no environmental flows • no numbers coal electricity production electricity generator fly ash

  10. D r a f t Flow diagram (3) equipment steel coal mining generator production coal generator electricity production product system fly ash system boundary electricity fly ash treatment reference flow gypsum

  11. Format and data categories (1) • General considerations: • processes have inputs and outputs • processes have economic flows and environmental/elementary flows • several types of each (e.g., materials, energy, atmospheric emissions) • symmetry in economic flows

  12. D r a f t Format and data categories (2)

  13. Format and data categories (3) • Several standards for data exchange: • ISO 14048 • Spold/EcoSpold • Spine • UNEP/SETAC • ELCD (European Commission)

  14. Format and data categories (4) • More detailed standardisation: • representing numbers (1.2E-3, 0,0012) • choice of units (kg, mg, g, lbs, tonne) • language/character set (English, German, Chinese) • choice of names (carbon dioxide, CO2) • codes (SIC, NACE, CAS, EINECS) • other info (uncertainties, missing values)

  15. Data quality • Crucial to address data quality • precision • completeness • representativeness (temporal, geographical, technology) • consistency • reproducibility • No standardised method for overall assessment of data quality available

  16. Data collection and relating data to unit processes • Different ways to obtain data • Primary data collected on-site • measurements • interviews • annual reports • Secondary data from generic sources • LCA databases • previous LCA-studies • IOA data

  17. Data validation • Errors are easily introduced … • errors in measurements • errors in data entry • errors with units (liter versus gallon) • errors with prefixes (mg versus mcg) • errors with nomenclature (N2O versus NO2) • … and can sometimes easily be detected • mass and energy balances • comparative analysis of different data sources

  18. Cut-off and data estimation (1) equipment steel coal mining ????? D r a f t cut-off flows coal generator electricity production fly ash electricity fly ash treatment gypsum

  19. Cut-off and data estimation (2) equipment steel D r a f t coal mining ????? coal generator electricity production fly ash electricity fly ash treatment gypsum

  20. Cut-off and data estimation (3) • Problem • many data needed • limited time and budget • Possible solutions • cut-off certain flows • provide a rough estimation • difference analysis

  21. Multifunctionality and allocation (1) D r a f t • Many processes produce more than one function: coal electricity production electricity heat generator fly ash

  22. Multifunctionality and allocation (2) • Typology I: • co-production • combined waste treatment • recycling • Typology II: • joint production • combined production

  23. Multifunctionality and allocation (3) equipment steel D r a f t coal mining generator production • What to do with the extra heat? • accept it as an extra reference flow • get rid of it by an extra modeling step coal generator electricity production fly ash heat electricity fly ash treatment gypsum

  24. Multifunctionality and allocation (3) • Problem • whenever a product system needs product 1, it also produces product 2 • Possible solutions • more refined data collection • system expansion • substitution • partitioning (=allocation) • surplus

  25. Multifunctionality and allocation (3) • (More refined data collection) • … not really allocation, but more re-iteration of data collection • System expansion • add extra function(s) to the functional unit • … but are you still doing the LCA of a product?

  26. Multifunctionality and allocation (4) • Substitution method • defining an “avoided” process with subsequent “avoided” interventions/impacts • … but which process is avoided? • Partitioning method • effectively splitting the multifunctional process into several monofunctional processes • … but what basis for splitting? • (Surplus method) • ignoring co-products

  27. Multifunctionality and allocation (5) • Allocation according to ISO • Wherever possible, allocation should be avoided by: • dividing the unit process to be allocated into two or more sub-processes and collecting the input and output data related to these sub-processes; • expanding the product system to include the additional functions related to the co-products • Partition inputs and outputs of the system between its different products or functions in a way which reflects the underlying physical relationships between them • Partition input and output data between co-products in proportion to the economic value of the products.

  28. Calculation (1) • Relating unit processes to reference flow(s) • Based on linear scaling of processes • Take account for (feedback) loops • Matrix procedure available • But calculation sometimes fails … • missing processes • multifunctional processes

  29. Calculation (2) • Example of an inventory table

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