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Allocating environmental impacts within life cycle assessment (LCA) is a recognised methodological problem. Different allocation methods have been developed to fulfil the various goals of LCA studies. At present, there is neither a consensus regarding the method to be used nor a one-fits-all method for dealing with recycling in LCA. The paper discusses some of the main allocation procedures practised in the pulp and paper industry, namely those covered by ISO/TS 14067:2018, GHG Protocol/PAS 2050, and the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF). All in all, the allocation method described in the ISO/TS 14067:2018 standard was considered the most appropriate to account for open-loop recycling of paper products. However, the method neither considers the number of subsequent uses of recycled fibres, nor the recycled fibre age. Yet, both of them are considered especially important in the open-loop recycling of paper products. In order to account for these aspects, the present study proposes an advanced, step-wise approach to handle allocation in LCAs accounting for the open-loop recycling of paper products. The advanced approach is based on the fibre mass flow model used to calculate the mean fibre age and the mean number of uses of paper products within the European context. The approach was validated with the data from the pulp and paper industry, particularly examining the newsprint paper grade with different contents of recycled fibre and fibre age. The paper, however, introduces all the parameters required to perform allocation based on the proposed method for other paper grades. The categpory of global warming potential was considered in the study as an illustrative example. yet the method could be applied to other impact assessment categories. The results calculated using the proposed allocation approach were compared to those obtained with the allocation methods described in the GHG Protocol/PAS 2050 and the PEF. The proposed allocation method can be used to guide further development of available standards and the product category rules, which will contribute to increased harmonisation and consistency of LCA studies in the pulp and paper sector, as well as to the enhanced practical implementation of LCA in industry. • A science based method for open loop recycling in life cycle assessment. • European fiber flow model used for calculation of fiber age and mean number of uses. • For product environmental footprint calculations of paper and board products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The aim of this work is to quantify the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions savings potential in magazine paper production through the application of the innovative manufacturing strategies using advanced sheet structure design and fibre modifications. Methods The study applies Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to two different magazine paper products: supercalendered (SC) paper and light-weight coated (LWC) paper. A cradle-to-gate approach is used aiming to assess the environmental benefits gained through the implementation of new manufacturing strategies in both products. The functional unit of the system was defined as the production of one square meter of finished paper for printing magazines. Conventional and new production processes have been compared. Results and discussion The strategies applied to SC paper resulted in reduction of GHG emissions by 22.9%, with a total of 10.7 gCO 2 eq emissions saved per square meter of SC paper. In the case of LWC paper, GHG emissions are reduced by 20.3%, which are equal to a total of 19.7 gCO 2 eq saved per square meter of LWC paper. The influence of certain methodological approaches -functional unit, electricity mix and avoided impacts- in the final results is also discussed in the paper. Conclusions The manufacturing strategies implemented show a remarkable potential for reducing GHG emissions. Taking into account that the pulp and paper industry is a very energy-intensive sector and one of the main GHG emitters, the potential of the strategies for the improvement of the environmental performance of the papermaking processes is significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a well-established and informative method of understanding the environmental impacts of consumer products across the entire value chain. However, companies committed to sustainability are interested in more methods that examine their products and activities' impacts. Methods that build on LCA strengths and illuminate other connected but less understood facets, related to social and economic impacts, would provide greater value to decision-makers. This study is a LCA that calculates the potential impacts associated with Bounty ® paper towels from two facilities with different production lines, an older one (Albany, Georgia) representing established technology and the other (Box Elder, Utah), a newer state-of-the-art platform. This is unique in that it includes use of Industrial Process Systems Assessment (IPSA), new electricity and pulp data, modeled in open source software, and is the basis for the development of new integrated sustainability metrics (published separately). The new metrics can guide supply chain and manufacturing enhancements, and product design related to environmental protection and resource sustainability. Results of the LCA indicate Box Elder had improvements on environmental impact scores related to air emission indicators, except for particulate matter. Albany had lower water use impacts. After normalization of the results, fossil fuel depletion is the most critical environmental indicator. Pulp production, electricity, and fuels for product production drive fossil fuel depletion. Climate change, land occupation, and particulate matter are also relevant. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by pulp, electricity, papermaking, and landfill methane from the disposed product, drive climate change impacts. Pulp provides significant offsets to balance climate change impacts due to sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Ninety-nine percent of land occupation is for the growth of the trees for pulp production. Papermaking, electricity, and pulp production cause the most potential particular matter formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Straw pulp in China, which is the world's largest producer of this material, suffers from water and energy shortages during its entire life cycle. However, limited systematic studies have focused on these issues, and decision makers need be provided with improvement methods for the environmental performance. Thus, an impact-oriented energy and carbon coupled water footprint analysis was conducted in this study based on ISO standards. Results showed that the impact of energy consumption and carbon emissions exceeded that of water footprint. Carcinogens, non-carcinogens, and freshwater ecotoxicity also played effective roles in improving the environmental performance. Optimizing key indirect processes, including chemicals production, steam preparation, electricity generation, wood pulping, and fertilizer recovery, dominated the reduction in environmental burdens. Direct freshwater consumption and wastewater disposal played additional effective roles in controlling water footprint. The water network was thus optimized by a water pinch analysis to decrease the freshwater consumption and pollutant emissions by maximum values of 91.5% and 99.7% after optimization, respectively. Meanwhile, carbon dioxide, methane, chromium, arsenic, mercury, titanium, copper, strontium, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, BOD 5 , and COD were the main pollutants. Overall, the environmental impact can be further reduced by diminishing coal power ratio in national energy structure, adopting recovered steam, and considering multistage regeneration water network to cope with different water use demands. • LCA-based energy and carbon coupled water footprint of straw pulp paper was applied. • Optimizing water network by water pinch method gained marked environmental benefit. • Electricity, steam, and chemicals exerted high impact among all inputs considered. • CO 2 , CH 4 , heavy metals, coal, and water were key contributors to footprint impact. • Improving national energy structure and adopting recovered steam were recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability measurement in economics includes assessment of environmental and economic effects in an integrated manner. In this study, system level economic data are integrated with environmental impacts determined from a life cycle assessment (LCA) of a common product. We adopt a costing methodology that captures conventional costs, but additionally incorporates externality costs to present a convenient, easily interpretable metric. Green Net Value Added (GNVA) is a type of full cost accounting that incorporates total revenue, the cost of production, depreciation, and environmental externalities. We present externality costs disaggregated by upstream sectors, full cost of production, and GNVA to evaluate the relative sustainability of Bounty ® paper towels manufactured at two production facilities. We found that the longer running, more established line had a higher GNVA. The predominant components contributing to externality costs come from the stationary sources in the supply chain: electricity generation (27–35%), refineries (20–21%), pulp and paper making (15–23%). Health-related externalities from Particulate Matter (PM2.5) and Carbon Dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions are to a great extent driven by electricity usage and emissions by the facilities, followed by pulp processing and transport. Supply chains for other facility purchases, product distribution, and end-of-life management contribute the least to the environmental health-related costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Retrofit process design can be seen as a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem aiming at selecting the best alternative for improving the performance of a chemical process. There is a growing consensus that environmental considerations, including the environmental impact associated with all life cycle stages of materials, should be integrated in chemical process design. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a technique that allows quantification of those impacts. However, implementing this technique would increase the decision-making complexity and thus would necessitate systematic tools and methods. The analogy between LCA and MCDM has been recognized, but the systematic evaluation of LCA methodological choices and interpretation in this context is rarely discussed. The importance of those is demonstrated in this paper using a case study involving the implementation of de-inked pulp capacity and cogeneration and an integrated newsprint mill. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The forest sector is vital in Europe, providing economic and social benefits to communities. However, this sector is also responsible for some environmental impacts, and it is crucial to ensure that these impacts do not outweigh the benefits described. For this reason, this paper proposes an environmental and economic assessment of three forest wood products – uncoated woodfree paper, natural cork stoppers, and particle boards. The life cycles of these products were modeled using foreground data and a life cycle assessment was conducted to determine the environmental impacts associated with these three life cycles. For the economic assessment, the net present value method was adopted. From the results, it is possible to conclude that the utilization of 1 ha of forest land for 100 years to plant Eucalyptus globulus used in the production of uncoated woodfree paper generates the least environmental impact per euro. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine the reliability of the results achieved given the uncertainty associated with the data used to model the three life cycles. The same critical impact categories and the same critical life cycle stage (raw materials' extraction) were identified for the three systems under study. Given these similarities, an effort must be made by the forest sector to reduce the impacts of these categories and this life cycle stage. To assist on this task, a set of generic and industry-specific recommendations is provided for companies operating in the forest sector. • An environmental and economic assessment of three forest wood products is performed. • The life cycle assessment methodology and the net present value method are used. • The production of uncoated woodfree paper generates the least environmental impact per euro of NPV. • Using sensitivity analysis, the results were found to be reliable. • Recommendations for different stakeholders in the forest sector are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study demonstrates how the environmentally weighted material consumption (EMC) indicator can be used to assess the resource efficiency of bioeconomy policies by calculating thirteen categories of environmental impacts associated with the production and the use of 146 biomass resources in Japan. The total environmental impact, expressed in the Japanese life cycle database in Japanese yen (JPY), decreased from 2,444 × 109 JPY in 1990 to 1,870 × 109 JPY in 2010. Supply chain related emissions (upstream) represented more than 98% of the impacts for all years. Land use, resource consumption, global warming, and urban air pollution were the main impact categories accounting respectively for 45%, 32%, 14% and 8% of the impacts. Ten products were found responsible for more than half of the impacts: rice, raw milk, beef cattle, painted printing paper, broiler, rolls of newsprint, hen egg, squares, common plywood and lumbers. Improvement of the production processes, reduction of consumed amounts and dietary change were identified as potential strategies for reducing the environmental impacts of these materials. Still, finding the best policy option may require the development of a life cycle assessment database able to differentiate organic and conventional agriculture and to better represent the production and environmental specificities of importing countries. • Environmentally weighted material consumption as an indicator of bioeconomy. • Detailed analysis of 146 biomass materials' environmental impacts. • Land use and resource consumption are the main impact categories. • Ten products are responsible for 50% of the total impacts. • Yield increase, diet shift, and paper recycling can reduce biomass related impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Life cycle assessment was carried out using IMPACT2002+ to estimate the environmental impact of coated white board production, which is common in China. Normalized results showed that the potential impacts of respiratory inorganics, terrestrial ecotoxicity, global warming, and non-renewable energy had a dominant contributions to overall environmental impact. Specifically, emissions from chemical and energy production processes exhibited higher potential impact (more than 80% of the total contribution) on the environment than that of emissions generated from transport, landfill, wastewater treatment, and paper plants infrastructure. Energy recovery from black liquor and energy generation based on natural gas are key factors in reducing overall environmental potential impact. The current paper presents improvements on the environmental performance of a coated white board production site in China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Large quantities of post-use glass packages are produced globally, that so need to be treated as waste: this is cause of a global environmental concern. Therefore, efforts are required for optimisation and promotion of re-use and recycling practices with a waste valorisation-oriented approach in a circular economy context. In this context, the study was aimed at documenting environmental damages and improvements related to recycling glass cullet into sodium silicate in water solution on a lab-scale chemical process. Life Cycle Assessment was applied for this purpose according to the specialised International Standards. The study highlighted that the environmental hotspots of the process stay in the production of electricity and of sodium hydroxide as both required for the chemical reaction development. Those two input items contribute 81.94% and 14.33% of the total damage associated with the whole lab process, that is equal to nearly 36.5 μpt. A 64% environmental damage reduction could be obtained by sourcing the process electricity requirements by means of a photovoltaic plant. Furthermore, through a sensitivity analysis, the authors proved that the investigated sodium silicate is appreciably more environmentally sustainable than the virgin-origin counterpart, whose environmental profile was measured in nearly 43 μpt. The study can be considered as a proof that, already in the design phase on a lab-scale dimension, it is possible to identify recycling paths that may contribute to implementing sustainable circular models of the economy. [Display omitted] • The paper investigates the recycling of post-use glass containers into sodium silicate. • Life Cycle Assessment was applied to a chemical process on the laboratory scale. • The functional unit was 41g sodium silicate. • Electricity consumption and sodium hydroxide production were the environmental hotspots. • Recycled sodium silicate was environmentally proven than the virgin counterpart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The literature on baby diapers has so far focused on environmental implications of using cloth instead of disposable products, utilising bio-materials or enabling recycling and composting. However, no study to date has examined the life cycle costs and eco-efficiency implications of cleaner production of disposable diapers. Therefore, this paper sets out to evaluate the economic and environmental savings that could be achieved by eco-design and cleaner production of disposable baby diapers. This involves the use of an optimised absorbent core and innovative bonding technologies to replace gluing systems in diaper manufacturing. The analysis is carried out at different production and consumption scales: a single production platform, a whole industrial plant, a country and the European Union (EU). A cradle-to-grave life cycle costing demonstrates that the novel design and manufacture of the so-called "glueless" diapers reduce costs by 11% compared to the conventional product. This is equivalent to saving €250 million at the EU level. Likewise, the eco-efficiency analysis shows that the glueless diapers are 7%–170% more eco-efficient (€/impact) than the standard diapers, depending on the environmental impact considered. Still, eco-design and cleaner production will not help to resolve the underlying critical issue of the linear material consumption and waste generation associated with the use of disposable baby diapers. Further industrial efforts must concentrate on finding solutions to facilitate implementation of circular economy principles for these products. This calls for the development of new circular business models as discussed in the paper. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • New diapers are overall 32% more eco-efficient (€/impact) than the standard type. • Cleaner production of diapers reduces the life cycle costs by 11%. • At the EU level, this corresponds to an annual saving in costs of €250 million. • In addition, 192 kt materials and wastes and 184 kt of CO 2 eq. are saved annually. • Still, implementation of a circular economy is critical for the diapers industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Product service systems (PSS) are an example of a novel business model billed as having the potential to significantly reduce the environmental burdens of production and consumption processes. However, despite widespread interest in PSS, consensus regarding their actual environmental impacts, particularly with regard to salient issues such as global warming, is lacking. Hence this paper explores existing research to investigate the state of the art regarding the climatic impacts of PSS, alongside the set of factors that influence climatic impacts. The paper comprises a systematic review of peer-reviewed academic literature, quantifying the extent to which different types of PSS have the capacity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across multiple product categories. Our study shows that significant reductions in climatic emissions are possible, but PSS are in many cases associated with more modest reductions and, in some cases, increased emissions. Further, we observe no clear differences in climatic impacts according to the type of PSS model that is deployed. Rather, differences in climatic impact are influenced by factors such as production and design alongside use-phase impacts and contextual factors such as transportation and the energy mix. The study argues that further research is needed to establish a more robust baseline upon which to draw conclusions regarding the sources of climatic impacts, and outlines fruitful ways for companies to tackle the complexities of climatic emissions that are beyond their control. • In some cases, product service systems can reduce climatic impacts by up to 80%. • In other cases, climatic impacts increase compared to traditional product sales. • Climatic impacts are influenced by use intensity, transportation and production. • Other contextual factors such as the energy mix play a role. • More quantitative assessments are needed with less reliance on estimations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The annual market demand for disposable baby diapers exceeds 20 billion units (690 kt) in the European Union (EU). Almost 40,000 disposable diapers are used every minute, producing 1.3 t/min (dry weight) of waste. Based on the estimates in this work, this requires 90.3 PJ of primary energy and emits 2.7 Mt CO 2 eq. annually. In an attempt to reduce resource, waste and environmental impacts associated with diapers, this paper focuses on novel design and manufacture of disposable baby diapers. This involves using optimised absorbent core and novel bonding technologies to replace conventional gluing of diaper materials. Life cycle assessment has been performed to compare the environmental performance of these new diapers, here termed "glueless", with standard designs. The annual resource consumption and environmental impacts of glueless diapers have been estimated at different production levels: a single production platform, an industrial plant, a country (Italy) and the EU, taking into account different production volumes, electricity mixes and waste management options. Different market penetration scenarios have been considered to determine potential environmental implications at the EU level by 2020. The results reveal that glueless diapers reduce the consumption of raw materials by 23% (9.2 g/diaper), primary energy demand by 25% (752 kJ/diaper) and global warming potential by 10% (10.4 g CO 2 eq./diaper) compared to the standard diapers. They also have more than 50% lower eutrophication, ozone depletion and human and eco-toxicity. Up to 16 PJ primary energy and 191,000 t CO 2 eq. would be saved annually in the EU by using glueless diapers. The cumulative savings would amount to 47 PJ and 566,000 t CO 2 eq. by 2020. The annual consumption of raw materials at the EU level would be reduced by 196,000 t with cumulative savings of up to 584,000 t by 2020, also reducing the equivalent amount of waste from the disposal of diapers. Consequently, glueless diapers can contribute to meeting the energy, climate and resource efficiency goals specified in the EU 2020 strategy. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Novel design and manufacture of "glueless" disposable baby diapers is considered. • Glueless diapers save 23% of materials and 25% of energy relative to standard type. • Most life cycle impacts are reduced by >50% and global warming potential by 10%. • Up to 584,000 t of waste and 566,000 t of CO 2 eq. can be saved by 2020. • Glueless diapers can help meet the EU energy, resource and climate change targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An assessment of the environmental aspects related to the life cycle of disposable baby diapers in Europe is presented in this paper with the aim of analysing recent improvements and identifying key environmental areas on which to focus in order to further decrease impacts. Average products available on the European market in recent years have been modelled and evaluated from “cradle to grave”. Results point out the importance of materials in the definition of the environmental profile of the product. These are followed by the end of life for some impact categories, while the contribution of manufacturing, packaging and transport to the overall LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) results seems of minor relevance. Significant environmental improvements at European level have been achieved in recent years through the design of lighter products and the introduction of superabsorbent polymers. Careful selection and use of materials at the design stage could allow life cycle impacts of products to be further decreased, while ensuring that human health and environmental risks are controlled and that functionality and performance requirements are fulfilled. Indeed, potential malfunctioning of products would result in increasing consumption. Resource efficiency is also important at the manufacturing level to optimise the demand for materials and limit waste production. Special forms of treatment at the end of life stage of the product could instead require significant structural changes of the waste management system. The outcomes of this paper could be applied to support the design and environmental labelling of disposable baby diapers for promoting the production and consumption of product options characterised by lower environmental impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concrete waste recycling has been considered an efficient way to reduce environmental impacts in the end-of-life treatment of construction waste materials compared to traditional landfilling. Developing advanced and sustainable technologies in recycling processes grows with significance for enhancing the performance of recycled products. However, there is still a lack of systematic analysis and comparison of the studies adopting life cycle assessment (LCA) to examine environmental potentials of varied concrete waste recycling processes. This paper identifies up-to-date enhancement techniques for recycling concrete waste and provides a comprehensive analysis of selected cases that evaluated environmental impacts of recycling processes with LCA approaches. A total of 22 representative case studies were compared systematically using the key parameters involved in four major steps of LCA framework. Critical issues were identified from previous research studies. It is of great importance to standardize the rules for determining system boundaries and functional units, validate foreground and background inventory databases, and improve the utilization of combined uncertainty and sensitivity analysis. A specialized LCA computational tool for concrete waste recycling is in high demand for industrial decision-makers and practitioners. The proposed system boundaries of advanced recycling technologies and conceptual framework of platform development highlight potential directions for future research. [Display omitted] • A systematic comparison from perspectives of the LCA framework has been adopted on the 22 case studies that involve detailed processes of concrete waste recycling. • Standardized rules for defining system boundaries and functional units are expected to be developed for enhancing the comparability and quality of LCA outcomes. • The availability, integrity, and authenticity of the LCI databases with primary datasets are of great importance in obtaining accurate results of the assessment. • A conceptual framework for constructing a semi-developed LCA computational tool specialized for concrete waste recycling is proposed and its feasibility should be investigated in further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels continue to be a significant barrier in the fight against global climate change. Carbon taxes are an energy policy tool for substantially carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions reduction. This paper proposes a new strategy to promote the use of renewable energy by enterprises in industrial parks against the backdrop of a carbon tax. Using an evolutionary game model based on life cycle assessment (LCA), this study investigates the impact of dynamic carbon tax mechanisms, fines, and subsidies on the energy choices of industrial park enterprises. This paper's primary contribution is the incorporation of LCA into the evolutionary game model, which facilitates accurate calculation of the carbon tax parameter value. According to the study's findings, the carbon tax rate increases the propensity of enterprises to acquire a high percentage of renewable energy. While there is a negative relationship between fines and the propensity of enterprises to adopt a low proportion of renewable energy, an increase in subsidies decreases the proportion of enterprises that purchase a high proportion of renewable energy. This paper concludes by providing a theoretical foundation for policymakers to construct precise carbon tax schemes and promote renewable energy consumption among industrial park enterprises while simultaneously reducing carbon emissions. [Display omitted] • Carbon tax & energy decisions: life cycle assessment & evolutionary game theory. • Life cycle assessment for enterprise carbon taxes under multiple energy options. • Carbon tax mechanisms, fines, and subsidies influence enterprises energy decisions. • Excessive subsidies discourage renewable energy use, but fines can. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When a product has reached the end of its useful life, different strategies can be used to extend its lifespan. In additive manufacturing, two of these strategies are additive repair and refurbishment, which aim to recover or improve a product's properties and functionality. However, it is important to consider the potential negative ecological impacts of these end-of-life strategies and how they can be implemented in an environmentally sustainable way. To address this, a generic model based on life cycle impact assessments is developed to evaluate different demonstrators. Starting from technical process chains via the integration of process- and product-specific data, different demonstrators are evaluated and compared based on a model. This paper explores previous research on additive repair and remanufacturing processes and their ecological assessment. An assessment framework for MAR/R (metal additive repair/refurbishment) is presented, with a subsequent life cycle assessment (LCA) of four demonstrators. Proceeding from these results, recommendations for action are discussed for users as well as further scientific research. A result of this multi-case study is that environmental hotspots within the process chain are primarily material-dependent so the amount of metallic powder has a significant influence on the overall ecological impact. The paper concludes with recommendations for efficient use of additive repair and refurbishment. (207 words) • Innovative use of metal additive manufacturing allow new end-of-life potentials. • Material flow networks represent environmental dependencies in process chains. • Metal repair and refurbishment allow products entering another product life cycle. • Holistic evaluation in a multi-case study enables to develop expert knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ground-coupled heat pump (GCHP) systems can provide comfortable indoor environments, but also inevitably contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and other impacts on human health, ecosystems, and resources. Life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology has been widely adopted to estimate the environmental impacts associated with GCHP systems, with operational electricity consumption being the largest contributor among most categories. Given the data-intensive nature of LCA, operational electricity consumption should be prioritised to refine the accuracy of LCA results. Previous studies, however, have relied on static COP (Coefficient of Performance) and annual average data to obtain the environmental impacts and have disregarded the effect of long-term performance degradation caused by building thermal load imbalances. In this paper, to bridge this research gap, a dynamic operational environmental impact assessment (DOEIA) method was proposed to improve the precision of LCA results by incorporating higher temporal resolution data of electricity mix and real-time performance modelling of the reversible GCHP system. Impacts of different temporal resolutions (i.e. monthly, trimestral, and annual) on the accuracy of LCA results was examined and the operational performance degradation resulting from imbalanced building heating and cooling loads was considered. Results demonstrate that while performance degradation effects are evenly distributed across impact categories, gaps due to temporal resolutions vary significantly between different categories. Subsequent analysis of spatial variations in the latter further emphasises the importance of accounting for higher temporal resolutions. Finally, life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) results for reversible GCHP systems in different locations were obtained with the support of DOEIA method and the results underscore the necessity of a cleaner energy mix. The proposed DOEIA method can be applied to other energy systems for comparative analyses. It is replicable in other countries and regions and therefore is expected to provide methodological guidance for future decision-makers. • Development of a dynamic method to improve the accuracy of LCA of GCHP systems. • Evaluated long-term performance degradation and low-temporal resolution data effects. • Performance degradation affects categories consistently; low-resolution data varies. • Spatial analysis clarifies parameters affecting environmental impacts. • The proposed method is applicable to other energy systems for comparative analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the agricultural sector is one of the main drivers responsible for the transgression of planetary boundaries, there is an urgent need to reduce its environmental impacts. To address this issue, international institutions advocate for digital agriculture, but formalised and comprehensive assessment of its environmental impacts is still lacking. This systematic review aims at studying papers dedicated to the environmental assessment of the use of digital technologies in agriculture (DATs), i.e. of digital agriculture. In the 69 studies selected by the PRISMA method, most of the DATs dealt with crop production, supporting technical production management (e.g. fertilisation or irrigation). Almost a third of DATs were robots or automation tools. Out of the selected studies, 36 applied the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) framework. A focus was placed on these 36 case studies, which were examined in the light of the four LCA standardised stages, i.e. goal and scope, life cycle inventory (LCI), life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) and interpretation. Our review results show that most of the studies aimed to assess the environmental impacts of digitalising an agricultural system using either a mass or surface-based functional unit, or sometimes both. The system boundaries seldomly included the DAT life cycle which were sometimes modelled with proxies and assumptions at the LCI stage to address data gaps. Assumptions were also needed to quantify the effects of DAT on the agricultural system, such as yield benefits or food waste reduction. At the LCIA stage, midpoint indicators were often selected. Turning to the interpretation step, it is worth noting that few studies carried out uncertainty and sensitivity analysis. Finally, most of these 36 studies concluded that digitalisation reduced the environmental impacts of the agricultural system due to efficiency gains, or the use of electricity instead of fossil fuel. Conversely, three studies determined that digitalisation increased the environmental impacts of their agricultural system in terms of toxicity, mineral resource use, marine eutrophication, land use and ionising radiations, as high technologies (robots and drones) were being assessed in these works. Based on our review, recommendations were made on how to conduct LCA when assessing the environmental impacts of digitalising an agricultural system. Research perspectives for DAT environmental assessment were also discussed that take into consideration their emerging nature, their multifunctionality and the rebound effects they may generate. [Display omitted] • It is the first systematic review of LCA of digital agriculture technologies (DATs). • Precision agriculture DATs for crop management were the most assessed. • DAT life cycle and DATs effects on agricultural systems should be considered in LCA. • Life cycle inventory of DATs faces a lack of data. • DATs multifunctionality remain a challenge for LCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methods are able to assess environmental impact using significant resources (including time and data). However, due to the challenges associated with data collection these can still suffer from issues including representation accuracy, comparability, data availability, data quality, and uncertainty. This paper describes a new streamlined, high-level framework which seeks to solve these issues through rigorous and iterative application of existing standardised LCA methodologies whilst continually engaging with stakeholders. This new framework has been applied to an aviation case study, which seeks to investigate the potential environmental impact of implementing sustainable aviation fuel (including fuels based on used cooking oil, power to liquid technology, and hydrogen) and digitalisation of training regimes within a UK aircraft manufacturer. These are currently major areas of focus to enable the decarbonisation of the global aviation sector. The proposed framework allowed for efficient joint interpretation of results by different stakeholders, and therefore enabled effective strategic decision making without requiring the granular level of data detail demanded by conventional LCA frameworks. The case study has shown that each scenario offers potential reductions in global warming potential, fine particulate matter formation, and water consumption for an aircraft; but only when the associated supply chain is just as sustainable as the scenario in question. Overall, this research has shown that applying the new framework allows for rapid evaluation of decarbonisation technologies through rigorous environmental assessment to a degree accuracy which still enables strategic decision making, but without the use of unnecessary resources. Although this framework has been developed to work across product, platform, or system, further work should seek to apply it in different contexts as a LCA enabler within technological developments including exploration of other aviation decarbonisation pathways to achieve net zero. • Novel high-level framework improves efficiency in life cycle assessment. • Stakeholder-driven framework applied in an aviation case study. • Sustainable aviation fuels and training digitalisation reduce environmental impact. • Global environmental performance depends on sustainability in supply chain. • Framework allows rapid evaluation of decarbonisation technologies towards net zero. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with exhaustive process modelling, techno-economic and life cycle assessment (TEA/LCA) of olefin (ethylene and propylene) production through captured CO 2 and electrolytic hydrogen. Olefins are important building block chemicals with several applications and carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) can provide a sustainable production route. The proposed system involves direct air capture (DAC) of CO 2 ; proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis for hydrogen production, methanol synthesis, methanol to olefins (MTO) upgrade, and power generation from off-shore wind turbines. This study proposes a new integrated process as the first attempt to holistically assess a whole CCU assembly aiming at olefins production. Processing modelling has been implemented using the Aspen plus V12.1 and MATLAB R2022a software to solve the mass and energy balances of each unit operation. The modelling results showed a carbon efficiency of 72.3% to ethylene and propylene. In addition, the process is designed and integrated in such a way that no external heat supply is required. A specific energy consumption (SEC) of 150 MJ/kg olefins (41 kWh/kg) has been estimated. A minimum selling price of £3.67 per kg of olefins is required for the proposed process to break-even. The sensitivity analysis has revealed that the major cost driver is the cost of electricity. In addition, the life cycle assessment (LCA) has exposed that the proposed synthesis route of olefins has the potential to reduce the global warming potential (GWP) by 47% compared to fossil - based production. The outcomes of this study can be beneficial to engineering conceptual studies, policy makers and contribute new information to the CCU academic community. [Display omitted] • Low-carbon olefin production through CO 2 capture and utilisation. • Process modelling, TEA and LCA are applied to the whole supply chain. • 4.88 kg of CO 2 are required to produce 1 kg of olefins. • The MSP of power to olefin is 3.67 £/kg. • CO 2 emission reduction of 47% can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global construction sector consumes 40 billion tonnes of raw materials and is responsible for considerable CO 2 emissions. With growing awareness of its environmental impact, the construction sector is looking to transition from a linear economy "take-make-waste" scenario towards more circular economy principles. Lightweight exterior infill walls are built between floors of primary structural frames to provide building façades. The design of these components is usually based on the current linear economic model. While lightweight exterior infill walls are becoming increasingly common in building construction in the UK, no studies have investigated the potential environmental benefits of designing them with circularity in mind. This means there's a lack of research on both the carbon footprint of these walls and the potential environmental benefits of reusing them. Thus, this article assesses the significance of the carbon emissions from lightweight exterior infill walls and examines whether there is any carbon reduction when lightweight exterior infill walls are demounted from the building frames and reused. This paper first examines the construction process of lightweight exterior infill walls and explores the opportunity to demount and reuse them. Then, the environmental impacts of the lightweight exterior infill walls are analysed using a lifecycle assessment framework. Sensitivity and uncertainty analyses are also conducted. The results demonstrate that (i) the embodied carbon of the lightweight exterior infill walls over their lifecycle represents approximately 22% of the embodied carbon of the entire building, and (ii) the disassembly and reuse of infill walls can reduce a building's embodied carbon over its typical lifetime by about 6% compared to the linear scenario where the walls were not reused. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium sedimentary deposits which were once considered impractical to extract, have become increasingly attractive for exploiting and producing high-quality lithium compounds, due to the surge in demand for batteries and from other markets. However, potential environmental impacts are yet to be evaluated for this emerging lithium production route. Therefore, this paper presents a comparative Life Cycle Assessment study for three prominent and near-to-opening lithium clay projects globally: Sonora Mexico, Falchani Peru, and Thacker Pass USA. Specifically, this study used literature, statistical data, expert interviews, and technical reports to develop cradle-to-gate models covering the mining to refining processes. The results suggest that lithium carbonate production in the Thacker Pass project has higher impacts than the two other selected sedimentary projects. Additionally, the impact categories of the Sonora project are significantly influenced by the source of electricity. The sensitivity analysis highlights the pivotal role of a transition to clean energy sources for these emerging lithium production routes. Especially, the Thacker Pass project would benefit significantly from on-site sulfuric acid production and power generation to reduce the associated environmental impacts. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to make recommendations about the convenience of using low-noise pavements to mitigate traffic noise under different traffic and population scenarios. To do so, a life cycle approach has been applied by performing a Life-cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life-cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA). To account for the noise mitigation achieved by the road surfaces, which is the main benefit compared to conventional road surfaces, the damage effect of traffic noise has been incorporated in both analyses. Thus, open source noise emission and propagation modelling and Geographical Information System (GIS) tools have been used to determine the noise level at which residents are exposed. The impact of noise emissions on human health is estimated and expressed in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and the related external cost have been calculated by monetarizing the environmental impacts and by integrating them within the cost assessment. The methodology followed allowed the comparison of different scenarios and the results show a huge potential for reducing environmental impacts and costs when using low-noise road surfaces although accurate information about the acoustic aging of the materials is key in order to ensure that benefits are obtained. [Display omitted] • The feasibility of low-noise road surfaces has been evaluated combining LCA and LCCA. • Noise exposure is assessed using open-source GIS and noise modelling tools. • Population and traffic density influence low-noise surfaces viability. • Traffic noise impacts significantly outweigh other LCA/LCCA categories. • Acoustic ageing estimates of low-noise surfaces affect low-noise surfaces viability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The battery electric vehicle (BEV) industry, commanding over half of the global market share in China, has garnered significant attention in response to escalating concerns about climate change. NCM (LiNi x Co y Mn z O 2) batteries, prized for their high energy density, are pivotal in this industry. However, their production relies on critical metals, posing environmental challenges. Recycling processes aim to address this issue by recovering critical metals from end-of-life batteries. The industry is updating from NCM 111 to NCM 811 batteries to enhance energy density and reduce costs, but the key factors influencing the material flows and environmental impacts remain uncertain. This paper aims to identify the key factors contributing to the potential differences in material flows and environmental impacts introduced by the NCM battery upgrading in China. Following the new energy vehicle sales projections in China until 2035, a dynamic material flow analysis was employed to calculate material demands, recovered amounts, and substitution rates for various upgrading scenarios. The study reveals that the majority of retired batteries until 2035 were sold between 2022 and 2029. Material substitution rates prove to be more sensitive to the upgrading scenario than the lifetime and growth rate of BEVs. Faster NCM 811 penetration results in over 2.5 times more saved cobalt demand compared to additional nickel demand. A life cycle assessment of NCM batteries reveals a 39% lower global warming impact for NCM 811 compared to NCM 111, highlighting environmental benefits from increased energy density and reduced cobalt consumption. The energy density improvement contributed 85%, while the alteration in material composition contributed 15% to the global warming reduction in NCM 811. Recycling emerges as a crucial strategy in mitigating environmental impacts across all categories, particularly addressing eutrophication, previously deemed challenging due to the difficulty in recovering Li 2 CO 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analysed and summarised the significant research outputs published on the environmental impact assessment of mining and mineral processing industries through life cycle assessment. The paper presents valuable insights in identifying the gaps, where should the focus be in the mining and mineral processing industries for a sustainable future. Mining and mineral processing industries have been the key focus of research in many countries due to its increasing sustainability concerns that affect global warming and climate change. Use of heavy equipment that consumes electrical energy, mechanical energy, and an enormous amount of process heat is a key contributor to the overall impacts in the industry. Due to the use of heavy equipment and associated energy consumption, these industrial sectors contribute notably to global warming, human health, ecosystems, and resources. Among the various environmental impact assessment tools which are widely used to identify sustainability indicators, life cycle assessment (LCA) is a well-justified approach among the practitioners and researchers. Though state of the art technological tools and resources are being used now a days, there is still a research gap in identifying the key mining processes which need to be the focus of attention. Renewable energy integration in the mineral processing sector and process heating from green energy sources is becoming the emergent field of research. The review results reveal, the assessment indicators in human health and ecosystems are key factors that are mostly missing in the previous studies which are crucial for people or community living nearby mining area. This review paper identifies the research gaps to the existing literature that can form the base for future research direction in the field of LCA and sustainable energy integration in mining and mineral processing industries. • A review based on life cycle assessment studies in mining and mineral processing. • 16 metal mining industries are reviewed. • Summarised key factors of environmental effects using LCA. • Future research directions are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the use of LNG as an alternative fuel has drawn increasing attention from the marine industry, this paper aimed to evaluate three competitive LNG fuelled engine systems: ultra-steam turbine, four-stroke medium speed engine, and two-stroke low-speed engine systems. To achieve this goal, the paper developed an enhanced hybrid decision-making model which was applied to integrate the economic, environmental and technical performance of these systems. This model can be represented as a semi-quantitative multi-criteria decision making process in combination of several novel techniques, particularly 'life cycle cost assessment' for economic analysis, 'life cycle assessments' for environmental analysis, 'fuzzy order preference by similarity to ideal solution' for technical analysis and 'fuzzy analytic hierarchy process' for multi-criteria decision making. A case study with a 174 K LNG carrier has revealed that the two-stroke low-speed engine system is the most effective overall and suggested that this type of engine system will hold the lead over the other candidates in the large LNG carrier market. It has also demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed model to improve the inherent subjectivity in existing qualitative multi-criteria decision-making processes by guiding the overall process in a more objective direction. Finally, this paper has revealed an underlying novelty of the proposed model to enhance the level of confidence level in the decision by expanding our short-term perspective to the holistic one. • The strengths and limits of three different marine LNG engine systems were investigated in various aspects. • The effectiveness of an enhanced hybrid MCDA model was demonstrated by evaluating an optimal marine LNG engine system. • It was ultimately suggested that the two-stroke engine systems would be the best option. • The impact of the proposed model is expected to extend to various studies related to proper decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A long-running debate within the life cycle assessment literature concerns the appropriate uses for attributional and consequential forms of life cycle assessment. A recently published contribution to this debate suggests that social responsibility necessarily requires a consequential perspective, and that taking an attributional perspective is optional, but not necessary. The present paper critiques this suggestion by exploring two limitations with only taking a consequential perspective. First, consequential assessments are not additive, in the sense that when added they do not approximate to total aggregate environmental burdens. Second, consequential assessments are not suitable for creating an initial scope of responsibility, as the number of possible decisions available to an agent may be intractably large, and the notion of 'role' responsibility is not defined by specific decisions and consequences. This second limitation is derived from a previously identified parallel between attributional and consequential methods and the normative ethical theories of deontology and consequentialism. Based on the exploration of the two limitations, a coupled accounting solution is proposed which uses both consequential and attributional approaches for different but complementary purposes. The paper concludes by suggesting that although the debate on attributional versus consequential methods has occurred largely within the field of life cycle assessment, the proposed coupled accounting solution has broader applicability to other areas of social and environmental accounting. Highlights • Attributional and consequential life cycle assessment have different purposes. • Consequential LCA is inappropriate for establishing an initial scope of responsibility. • Attributional LCA can be used to define an initial scope of responsibility. • Action aimed at reducing environmental impact needs to use a consequential method. • The two methods are complementary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Any industry have significant impact on environment and textile manufacturing is one of the main contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. This paper summarizes and discusses the ecofriendly achievements within development of textile industry dealing with three main contributors: production, consumption and recycling. It shows that although significant environmental friendly technological improvements were made in primary textile production whereas, recycling and consumer awareness have low sustainability level for textile industry. The emphasis was also made on comparison of textile industry with other ones (paper, aluminium, glass) showing significantly higher recycling rate. Waste management regulation for textiles and the lack for standardization for global textile waste management are also discussed. Low recycling rate and continuously increasing demand in textile production makes it difficult to establish the balance between industrial and environmental systems necessary to increased life cycle for textile products. Importance of simultaneous involvement and development of customer awareness, sustainable manufacturing and high recycling level should, therefore, be in focus. Highlights • Textile manufacturing is one of the main contributors to greenhouse gas emission. • There was increased demand in textile production and low recycling rate worldwide. • This result in misbalance of environmental and industrial ecosystems. • Increase of life cycle of textile products should therefore be in focus. • It is need for development of textile waste management globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to evaluate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of a Chinese highway tunnel in the life cycle. Life cycle assessment (LCA) method is adopted in the paper. Based on rock mass classification and pavement categories, five different functional units have been proposed for the first time. The system boundaries, processes and assumptions are defined. The study results indicate: 1) the GHG emissions of a double-track four-lane Chinese highway tunnel in 100 years can be up to 375.5 thousand tons of CO 2 eq. Cement and electricity contribute to more than 80% of the total emissions in all functional units. 2) The construction stage, operation stage and maintenance stage emit 30.89%, 56.12% and 12.99% of the total GHG respectively. During the construction stage, casting and lining, rock support and road work are the top three GHG emission processes. 3) Rock conditions are discovered to be an important factor of affecting GHG emissions in tunnels. The GHG emissions of the 1-m Chinese highway tunnel are between 82 t to 113 t CO 2 eq. With the increase of rock mass grades, GHG emissions rapidly rise if the pavement design stays the same. The emission differences among the functional units are mainly from materials. 4) Asphalt pavements tend to generate more GHG emissions than concrete pavement due to the more frequent replacements of asphalt pavements. This paper investigates the influences of rock conditions and pavement types on the GHG emissions of Chinese tunnels in the life cycle, which can provide a scientific reference for policy making of the Chinese government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The objective of the LORVER project was the construction of fertile Technosols on an industrial brownfield using wastes and byproducts to produce biomass for industrial purposes (hemp as a fiber source and poplar for short rotation coppice). A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the Technosol construction was conducted to highlight the most significant environmental contributions. Three scenarios were compared: a reference scenario (REF) without improvement of the brownfield, a Technosol scenario (LORVER) using industrial byproducts (treated excavated soil, dredging sediments, paper mill sludge, compost and green waste) and a scenario where the brownfield was covered by topsoil (TS). An LCA was performed using SimaPro 8.5, the Ecoinvent v3 database and the ILCD impact indicators. The main contributors to the LORVER scenario that affected air quality and had energy-related impacts were the indirect demand of quicklime due to the use of paper mill sludge, which would have otherwise been spread on fields to save calcic amendments, followed by the transportation of waste from its source to the brownfield site. For the REF and TS scenarios, transportation and organic material spreading caused the most significant impacts. The LORVER scenario was the best or one of the best options for the fertility, carbon and pollution regulation-related impact categories due to the high carbon storage capacity of Technosols and its potential as an alternative solution to waste landfilling. Sensitivity analyses have shown that the LORVER scenario was always the best scenario for the climate change and land-related impacts and that it outperformed alternative scenarios if their required transportation distances exceeded 200 km. This very first LCA of a constructed Technosol made of inert and organic wastes on a brownfield site has proven the merit of this new approach, provided that environmental impacts are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, with the main variability source being the used materials and their alternative management strategies. It has also been demonstrated that these unused soils and materials could provide provisioning, regulation and cultural ecosystem services. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Transportation of industrial by-products is a key issue in Technosol construction. • Technosol construction is a better option than no action or coverage by topsoil. • Technosol may compete with more energy/resource efficient valorization chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A rapid development of building environmental research from the globe is witnessed in recent years to deal with the environmental issues, especially in terms of energy consumption and carbon emissions, due to the substantial environmental burdens associated with the building industry. Thus, numerous scientific efforts have been devoted to buildings through environmental assessment like a life cycle assessment (LCA) and a methodological framework development. Concerning the rapid growth of buildings, LCA is increasingly used for assessing and mitigating the associated environmental impacts from material selection to the whole building systems. This study aims to comprehensively review the LCA implication on buildings by discussing the contemporary issues related to the development of this research field. The study considers a wide range of literature including case studies, reviews and surveys, and these articles are critically examined according to the predefined criteria developed. An in-depth analysis is also conducted on selected studies to unveil the criticality of the assessments and results under different considerations. In addition to demonstrating the research gaps for comprehensive assessment of buildings, the adoption of a circular economy (CE) concept is highlighted by providing a comprehensive framework. The findings show that resource recovery and resource-efficient building construction are seldom considered in prevailing studies. As a result, the framework proposed in this paper should help support a paradigm shift towards a comprehensive research for increasing the accuracy and practicability by introducing the CE principle to the building industry for enhancing its sustainability performance. Highlights • Literature related to building-environmental research was critically analyzed. • LCA implication on buildings was comprehensively reviewed by discussing the contemporary issues. • Selected papers were critically analyzed to unveil the research trends and practices. • Knowledge gaps for comprehensive assessment of buildings under the CE principle are identified. • Comprehensive framework based on the CE principle was proposed for comprehensiveness building LCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper applies the Life Cycle Assessment methodology to develop a simple method to calculate the carbon footprint of the municipal solid waste treatment stage. This simple and structured methodological procedure takes into account: i) direct greenhouse gas emissions produced in waste treatment, taking place within the city boundary (scope 1 of international carbon footprint standards); ii) indirect greenhouse gas emissions related to the use of grid-supplied electricity, as well as fuel production and distribution (scopes 2 and 3 emissions as per international carbon footprint standards); and iii) avoided greenhouse gas emissions as a result of the products obtained (if any) that can replace other products or the raw materials used to produce them. Madrid City (a representative European city), the capital of Spain, was used as a case study to prove the validity and usefulness of the proposed methodology. In this city, 344 kg of municipal solid wastes were produced per inhabitant in 2013. These wastes were collected separately in different fractions (packaging, glass, paper/cardboard and mixed waste, including organic material). Mixed waste and packaging fractions were processed at the Valdemingómez Technology Park. The current treatment stage was compared with several alternative scenarios which describe hypothetical management routes for the different waste fractions. The carbon footprint for the current situation is equal to 224 kg CO 2 eq/t waste. In comparison to the worst situation, corresponding to the scenario in which municipal wastes were landfilled without energy recovery, the current scenario reduces its carbon footprint by 1597 kg CO 2 eq/t waste (a reduction of 88%). Improvements in the material separation and recovery processes, along with the implementation of biological treatments for the organic fraction, clearly contribute to reducing the carbon footprint of the municipal solid wastes handled in the city of Madrid. According to the obtained results, the scenarios based on a total recovery of valuable materials and waste-to-energy or anaerobic digestion treatments present the lowest carbon footprint because burden avoided is more important than direct and indirect emissions from treatments. In addition, the consumption of electricity and the emissions derived from its generation (mix of generation), can increase the carbon footprint of power-intensive treatments. Highlights • Methodology to compute CF of MSW management treatments. • Scenarios based on biological treatments of MSW have less impact on climate change. • CF of real situation in Madrid was 224 CO 2 eq/t MSW in 2013. • Current CF is 88% lower than the "worst" situation (landfilling/no biogas recovery). • As sensitivity analysis shows, electricity generation mix sharply influences on CF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract One of the major global environmental challenges is the overuse of nutrients and related eutrophication problems. Specifically in Finland, the roach fish population is rapidly increasing in eutrophic water systems. Currently roach fish does not have economic value, and it is mainly composted despite the fact that it could provide a direct protein source for human needs. This paper assumes that new business could be established by removing roach fish from eutrophic water systems and using them as a protein source for human consumption. Removing roach fish directly removes nutrients and indirectly impacts the vicious cycle of eutrophication. This paper assesses different environmental sustainability perspectives of roach fish removal and utilization. It also aims to present different environmental impacts on the planetary boundary framework. The research is carried out using life cycle assessment methodology. Based on the results, the use of roach fish as a protein source would help in returning to a safe operational zone in biochemical flows. Phosphorous removal with roach fish is 5.8 (1.9–10.3) g kg−1 while nitrogen removal is 28.4 (26.4–30.4) g kg−1. However, the production has also climate change impacts which are 2.9–5.2 kgCO 2eq kg−1 roach protein. Nevertheless, the climate change impacts are 12–57 times lower than positive impacts on eutrophication. Different environmental impacts are assessed regarding whether or not they help to avoid crossing planetary boundaries. Roach fish should be marketed especially for green consumers, and creating new markets for roach fish could also help in eutrophic lake restoration projects. Additionally, new business could be created from nutrient offsetting by roach fish removal. Roach removal from eutrophic water systems and use as food helps in returning to a safe operational zone in biochemical flows and the positive impacts are far greater than the negative impacts on climate change from fishing and fish processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The concept of the levelized cost of energy or respectively hydrogen (LCH) is frequently chosen for techno-economic analyses of energy technologies. However, the results of the LCH very much depend on the assessment perspective, which may be either private (or synonymously business) or social. The paper identifies three points as being basically responsible for differences: (1) tax deductibility of cost components, (2) external environmental costs, and (3) discounting. The objectives of the paper are to present the levelized cost of hydrogen for improved alkaline water electrolysis (AWE) and to highlight the different results from private and social perspectives. Accordingly, the methodology comprises the different LCH calculation schemes, an energy scenario focusing on electricity, a Life Cycle Assessment for environmental impacts of AWE technology, and the monetary valuation of these impacts. As a case study, we chose the production of hydrogen from advanced alkaline water electrolysis at three different sites in Europe (Germany, Austria, and Spain). The paper shows that the private and social LCH differ strongly. Inclusion of all cost components and comparatively low discount rates provoke highest LCH from social perspective. The main differences in the case study presented here are due to full accounting for environmental costs – with the global warming potential resulting from electricity generation as the main environmental cost source – and due to electricity price projections. Finally, the paper also discusses the sensitivity of LCHs with respect to parameters such as plant lifetime, monetary values of CO2, and tax rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In the context of built environment, buildings are amongst the principal generators of environmental externalities. Life Cycle Assessment (LCAs) of energy efficiency and environmental performance of buildings are deemed critical to address sustainable development issues. This paper aims to investigate LCA as a tool to support the design of buildings with two objectives in mind. Firstly, it determines the role of LCA in the evaluation of energy efficiency and environmental performance of buildings. Secondly, it elaborates LCA of these constructions through the lens of international standards. The methodological approach of the study leads to development of a whole building life cycle formula that sums up the contributions from a set of LCAs. By doing so, the paper highlights the necessity of LCA applications in buildings, and the need for minimisation of resource and energy consumption, and environmental impact. The study helps in better understanding the way LCA supports the search for and identification of innovation pathways in buildings. This paper contributes to the efforts in providing theoretical expansions in LCA of buildings and stimulates the creation of technical standards for the residential building construction sector. Graphical abstract Image Highlights • The study overviewed Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) in residential buildings. • The study discussed stages and methodological aspects related to LCA elaborations. • LCA can have huge applications for quality and sustainability of buildings. • The whole building LCA was formulated as the sum of a set of partial LCAs. • LCA in buildings minimises resource and energy use and related environmental impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is widely employed for evaluating waste management and recycling technologies. However traditional LCA analytical method has limitations in boundary setting and indicators selection. It is necessary to find a way to improve LCA. This paper focuses two outstanding issues in traditional LCA method: the boundary-setting and indicators amendment. On the one hand, based on traditional indicators, this paper extends study on local concern pollutants indicator system, local or national endowments, and efficiency titles. On the other hand, from the temporal dimension, i.e. short term, medium term and long term, and the spatial dimension, i.e. local, national and global level, this paper establishes a more comprehensive analysis framework. These two aspects together form an indicators matrix. So the assessment makers can be classified into three categories, enterprises, governments or public. A case study was undertaken to carry out quantitative assessment between straw-made biomass pellets technology and straw-made biogas technology. The results proved that traditional LCA is lack of the ability to thoroughly and specifically analysis the comprehensive effect of one technology, while the amended indicators matrix in this paper can reflect the behavior entity's evaluation difference to one technology in temporal or spatial dimension. The improved LCA and sensitivity analysis implicates that traditional LCA usually prefers straw-made biomass pellets technology, while improved LCA sometimes prefers straw-made biogas technology. The improved LCA method is more suitable for reflecting the reality and scientizing decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additive manufacturing (AM) refers to a group of manufacturing techniques that produce components in a layer-by-layer fashion. By virtue of its capability to produce parts with complex geometry and functionally graded materials, AM has been introduced and used in multiple industrial sectors and is leading the way into the “third industrial revolution”. One of the key considerations in Additively Manufactured Products (AMP) is the issue of sustainability which attracts increasing attention as modern society becomes more aware of environmental concerns. As a response to the growing requirement for sustainability, industries and customers are inclined to assess products and services through the perspective of life cycle sustainability. The integration of life cycle sustainability and AMP is still an open question and is the primary motivation for this study. Since the eventual goal of all advanced technologies is to serve and satisfy human society, social sustainability must be an essential part of all decisions regarding AMP. Limited studies that integrate social sustainability into AMP life cycle analysis is a current research gap in the body of the literature, and thus this paper will address it. The primary merit of this paper is developing a suitable full-dimension sustainability life cycle assessment framework to obtain a fundamental understanding of the performance of AMP life cycle sustainability. The proposed framework applies a more systemic AMP life span including AMP design, AM, usage, and end-of-life (EOL) handling. An AM produced gear is used as an example to illustrate the life cycle sustainability assessment framework. The results show that the AM stage has the highest influence on economic and environmental dimensions of sustainability and the EOL stage has the highest social impact. The results also indicate that AM mass production can significantly reduce the impact of sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is an analytical tool used to quantify the overall environmental impacts associated with products, processes or human activities from cradle to grave. The LCA is important to determine the impact of wastewater treatment and the technologies used on human health and the environment. It performs well to find the best solutions to improve the sustainability. Therefore, it is important to review how previous studies on wastewater treatment have applied LCA. This paper presents a wide-ranging review of papers published from 1990 to 2016 that have used a range of LCA to cover the objectives, boundaries, functional units (FUs) and life cycle impact assessment(LCIA) of wastewater treatment. The analysis of the reviewed papers revealed that there are some differences in term of the FUs, system boundaries, and LCIA methods. These differences normally contribute to obtaining a few non-prosaic results. Moreover, the FUs adopted in some reviewed studies were not able to achieve the purpose of providing a reference to ensure compatibility of the results. Therefore, it is highly recommended that more attention is paid to choosing the FU in future studies. Thus, to ensure the quality and comparability of LCAs, it is very important to develop the LCA guidelines and standards and the LCIA impact categories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As agriculture is an important contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, carbon labelling aiming at climate protection will play an increasing role in the future. An important example is the development of guidelines and standards for climate-neutral agricultural products and their respective certification. Carbon neutral certifications are, however, affected by criticism and mistrust as there were cases of doubtful claims to carbon neutrality in the past. Against this background, this paper analyses a rather promising case of certification for carbon neutrality: the pioneer case of the Costa Rican coffee cooperative Coopedota, which is the first organization worldwide that achieved certification for carbon neutrality in coffee using a renowned international standard. Coopedota's carbon neutral coffee is certified according to the Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 2060, which is based on a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The paper analyses how the cooperative came to apply this certification, which challenges it faced and how the cooperative solved them. Furthermore, the paper examines the social, political and institutional factors that fostered this innovation. To analyse the success factors that were relevant in this case, a Social Network Analysis approach was used. An innovative tool called ‘Process Net-Map’ was applied to visualize the social networks that enabled the actors to pursue the certification scheme. Process Net-Map also made it possible to identify the role and importance of different types of actors. The analysis shows that the certification created awareness on emission hot-spots along the coffee value chain. Reliable farm data from producers were identified as crucial because emissions at the farm level account for 60% of total emissions. It was also found that by avoiding pure offsetting, PAS 2060 supports emission reduction; however, PAS 2060 does not account for on-site carbon sequestration, for which coffee cultivation has high potential. Overall, the study found that the most important success factors include a combination of (i) past achievements in Coopedota's sustainability policy, which was incentivised by national and international trends and (ii) strong, visionary actors who performed the necessary network functions. The analysis also showed that the network of relevant actors is highly centralized, (indicated by a degree centrality of 86%), which may jeopardize the sustainability of the innovation project. Moreover, the network analysis revealed the importance of ‘double linkages’ between actors, which points to the role that combined services, such as funding and advice, played for the introduction of the certification scheme. General implications are derived from this case for future efforts to promote carbon neutral certification schemes for agri-food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The food industry is one of the world's largest contributors to carbon emissions, due to energy consumption throughout the food life cycle. This paper is focused on the residential consumption phase of the food life cycle assessment (LCA), i.e., energy consumption during home cooking. Specifically, while much effort has been placed on improving appliance energy efficiency, appliance models used in various applications, including the food LCA, are not updated regularly. This process is hindered by the fact that the cooking appliance models are either very cumbersome, requiring knowledge of parameters which are difficult to obtain or dependent on manufacturers' data which do not always reflect variable cooking behaviour of the general public. This paper proposes a methodology for generating accurate appliance models from energy consumption data, obtained by smart meters that are becoming widely available worldwide, without detailed knowledge of additional parameters such as food being prepared, mass of food, etc. Furthermore, the proposed models, due to the nature of smart meter data, are built incorporating actual usage patterns reflecting specific cooking practice. We validate our results from large, geographically spread energy datasets and demonstrate, as a case study, the impact of up-to-date models in the consumption phase of food LCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By adopting the concept of modularity, this paper introduced an optimal framework which facilitates life cycle assessment and life cycle cost assessment, thereby supporting rapid and reliable decision-making in the marine industry. The benefits of the proposed framework were discussed through two case studies where the optimal configurations of marine propulsion systems were determined from the economic and environmental perspectives. First, the performance of a short-route ferry using the hybrid system was compared with those of equivalent ships using diesel-electric and diesel-mechanical propulsion systems respectively. Research findings revealed the excellence of the hybrid system in both economic and environmental aspects. Second, the same method was applied to an offshore tug vessel to determine an optimal engine configuration. Results of analysis emphasised that the selection of multiple small-sized engines is more effective than two medium-sized engines. Both studies have proven that the proposed framework would be useful and practical for accelerating the life cycle analysis which allows ship designers and owners to obtain the long-term view of economic and environmental impacts for particular products or systems without demanding process. The paper also opened up the possibility of extending the application of the proposed framework to the areas where proper decision-making is essential but under-used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generation of goods and services are highly dependent on the use of natural resources. Until very recently, there was an implicit belief that the physical expansion of the economic system could be unlimited, as if the planet would have conditions and time enough to recover and continue to supply resources. This belief implies a confidence in an economic system that would provide whatever is necessary for a continuous growing production and consumption. Even believing that technology alone is not enough to solve the current environmental problems, it is certain that it can collaborate to mitigate climate change and to adaptation to changes in the environment. By bringing environmental aspects into discussions, eco-innovations can affect and transform the innovation system in order to create sustainable processes. However, the main challenge towards the transition to a more sustainable, cleaner and more equitable society is to set innovation in a new context, as until very recently it only considered the economic variables. This change means to value the social and environmental dimension of the innovation. In addition to eco-innovation, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is spreading in the industrial environment, offering promising perspectives. LCA is considered a valuable methodology in the environmental sustainability of industry. In this context, the present study addresses LCA and its relationship with the generation of eco-innovations. Drawing on contributions from literature on eco-innovation and LCA, the paper analyses available evidence on this relationship in a context of the transition towards sustainable development. To structure the debate, the paper offers a conceptual approach and an illustrative case on international researchers' and practitioners’ perceptions on the potentially positive relationship between eco-innovation and LCA. The study gathers data in the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection and in Scopus, in order to provide a picture of the distribution of documents retrieved from these databases, dealing with both eco-innovation and LCA topics. The paper concludes that the convergence of the eco-innovation and LCA studies is quite plausible, but at least in its initial phase, the literature that unites both themes is scarcely found in publications in the area of innovation, being more frequent in the area of engineering and management that usually addresses LCA studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food Waste (FW) is increasingly viewed as a resource to be diverted from landfilling. In a circular economy where FW management is developed sustainably, FW has great potentials to be recovered, through a set of technologies like Anaerobic Digestion (AD), into high-value energy, fuel, and natural nutrients. In this context, a comprehensive review of existing life cycle environmental assessments of FW recovery through AD was made and discussed in this paper, with the aim of finding key aspects related to plant operation, as well as to methodology application and Climate Change (CC) impact. Based upon the papers reviewed, AD resulted to be characterised by a biogas yield being equal to an average of around 120 m 3  t −1 FW which increases to around 480 m 3  t −1 FW in the case of co-digestion of FW with other biomasses, so underscoring the influence played by the feedstock used. CC-impact values were found as ranging between nearly −860 and 290 kg CO 2 eq per ton of FW treated in AD, depending upon: the amount of feedstock treated; the amounts of products and by-products and the way they are modelled; and the method used for development of life cycle impact assessment phase. Results are highly affected by the methodological choices and assumptions that are made as part of the environmental assessment. Finally, negative CC-impact values were documented to be due to the environmental benefits resulting from the modelling of energy and material substitutes being greater than the environmental impacts associated with the actual treatment system. This can be considered as part of the substitution effect which is often considered and recommended in attributional LCAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water issues have become increasingly critical throughout the world, especially in the developing countries. Methodologies and analytical tools, such as water footprint assessment (WFA) have become more and more important for sustainable water resources management. This paper presents a comprehensive WFA for a typical large-scale intensive hog farming company located in Henan province, China. Two widely used global water footprint standards — established by the Water Footprint Network (WFN) and the International Standardization Organization (ISO) — were applied to study the water footprints of the hog farming company at both organizational and product levels. The study looks at a full value-chain in this hog farming company's operations, including one feed mill, two hog farms, one bio-fertilizer mill, and one neutralization plant. Results show that: 1) results using WFN and ISO 14046 standards present a basically consistent trend; 2) the total product (finishing hog) water footprint (WF) based on WFN standards is 3868 m 3 /tonne of which the blue WF is 455 m 3 /tonne, the green WF is 2452 m 3 /tonne and the grey water footprint is 961 m 3 /tonne; The water scarcity footprint (WSF) and water degradation footprint (WDF) based on the ISO 14046 standards is 353.67 m 3 H 2 O-eq/tonne and 26 000 m 3 H 2 O-eq/tonne, respectively; 3) the indirect WF generated during the crop cultivation stage, as raw materials for feed production, contributes more than 90% to the total WF; 4) WF produced during the hog farming stage has the greatest impact on water pollution to the water bodies in the vicinity of the farming sites; 5) the studied hog farm has relatively high water use efficiency in its direct operations than the global average, compared with the other studies' results. This paper also analyzes the pros and cons of the two standards and provides references for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a robust methodology that assesses the environmental impacts of product systems. However, assessing its outcomes is not always easy. When decision-making must be carried out in such complex situations, Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) may be applied. In this paper, the way in which MCDA techniques are being applied within the LCA context to aid results interpretation was assessed. The aim is to investigate the current framework of this integration and to map the application of MCDA and LCA according to the LCA steps, references and criteria. Thus, a research was made in SCOPUS and Web of Science databases through a specific set of key-words. As a result, 109 papers were identified. The survey demonstrate that MCDA is applied at three different times in LCA steps: at Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) to analyze trade-offs between impact categories, damage categories, or the LCA score with other dimensions; at the Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) step, to interpret aspects from inventory (such as waste generation); and at the Goal and Scope definition step to identify impact categories and aspects of LCI. MCDA is also used for LCIA development, to attribute significance to impact categories. In general, the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) dimension was more recurrent, followed by Environmental and Eco-efficiency (environmental-economical) dimensions. The most common criteria were global warming, acidification and eutrophication in environmental prisms, costs and profits in economic aspects and job creation and labor security in social aspects. Results have shown mutual benefits and a clear and growing interest from the scientific community in relation to MCDA/LCA. Specific subjects to be further studied are: MCDA supporting other methodological choices, such as the allocation approach; MCDA to elicit meanings for impact categories in a way to compel stakeholders and verify geographical conditions for decision-making, and; Economic and social criteria used may contribute to Life Cycle Costing and Social LCA development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water utilities draw different water sources (surface and groundwater), including increased use of alternative sources (e.g. desalinated water, reused water, inter-basin water transfers) to supply freshwater to different users (domestic, agriculture, etc.). The combination of water sources and technologies (including infrastructures and energy) results in a regional water supply mix (WSmix) for each specific use. Existing Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) databases used in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), do not include these mixes when modelling processes, leading to a poor representation of water supply systems and related environmental impacts. To fill this gap, this paper proposes a consistent framework for modelling a regional WSmix at worldwide scale. The WSmix framework includes the scope and system boundaries definition as well as a standardisation of terminology and classification of water sources and users. To facilitate implementation of the WSmix, this paper provides a worldwide database of water source mixes per user and a technology matrix linking water sources to water production technologies, including the connection with the local electricity mix. The relevance of including the WSmix in LCI databases for proper water-use impact assessment is demonstrated with an illustrative case study. The paper finally concludes on the need of using the regionalized WSmix in routine LCA, which is just as straightforward as the use of the regionalized electricity supply mix. Besides, the developed WSmix provides interesting insights beyond the LCA scope to support the strategic management of water sources at various scales including the global scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID–19 has disrupted human life considerably since the beginning of 2020. The transport sector is one of the most affected sector due to restrictions imposed to curb COVID–19 pandemic. This paper evaluates the environmental impacts of COVID–19 response scenarios using life cycle assessment approach. Six regions selected for the study are Australia, China, European Union (EU), India, United Kingdom (UK), and United States of America (USA). Data for vehicle population, vehicle kilometers travelled, fleet type, and fuel efficiency were used for 2015–2020. The environmental impacts were calculated for five scenarios; Baseline–2019, Business As Usual (BAU) and COVID–19 Response Scenario (CRS) for 2020 and 2030 namely, 2020–BAU, 2020–CRS, 2030–BAU, and 2030–CRS. The results indicate that COVID–19 occurrence and related response measures did not contribute to significant environment benefits in terms of Global Warming Potential (GWP) and other pollutants in short term and long term. This implies that although immediate reductions in emissions were observed in many studies, the long term effects were minimal due to irregular policies and unmanaged demand. Further, to achieve environment benefits sustained measures should be implemented in long term with proper planning and supporting infrastructure. Although electric vehicle strategies will provide benefits; emphasis on vehicle production and fuel production technologies is also needed to achieve the emission reduction targets. The findings are relevant for policy makers while devising policies to achieve the targets. • Vehicle stock will grow significantly in 2030 for developing countries • China's 2030 transport sector GWP will be highest, 1772 MT CO 2 eq, surpassing USA • Only USA showed reductions for all pollutants in 2030 COVID-19 response scenario • All countries had similar trends for most pollutants at different life cycle stages • COVID–19 occurrence didn't contribute to significant benefits in short & long term [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental managers attempt to increasingly incorporate precautionary principles into decision making. The literature lacks Machine Learning -based approaches for forewarning lifecycle environmental impacts. This paper proposes a method to support electric vehicle design. The main innovation of the work lays in merging Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Machine Learning foundations to provide support and awareness to designers. The present approach overcomes the present literature because it provides a method for the design phase, is based on a well-established methodology (LCA) and provides quantitative results from little inputs. The approach exploits machine Learning Methods to develop models with the design features of a generic electric vehicle (such as vehicle mass and distance traveled) in six phases (Problem definition; Data collection; Data Preparation; Modeling; Model evaluation; Model interpretation). Differently from existing environmental analyses, all stages of the product life cycle have been considered in building the database; moreover, the model provides quantitative results. Regression models and supervised algorithms were used. The obtained model can be used by product engineers, as well as those not experts on LCA. Moreover, the model guarantees the database and hypothesis's uniqueness, ensuring the results coherence and comparability. The level of accuracy obtained in the case study (error or 17%) is comparable with studies handling full environmental analysis (that should be more accurate), and outstanding, as the present case is for the design phase. Future works will focus on additional significative indicators, similar electric vehicle design and integration with prospective LCA approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the aviation industry strives to minimise its environmental footprint, understanding the full life cycle impacts, including maintenance, becomes essential for sustainable development. This paper addresses the critical research gap in the environmental assessment of aircraft maintenance by conducting a comprehensive life cycle assessment based on an Airbus A320 aircraft. By combining a top-down check-level analysis and a detailed examination of the aircraft manufacturer's maintenance planning document, this study provides significant insights into the environmental implications of maintenance activities. The check-level analysis provides a general overview, while the analysis of the maintenance planning document delves into individual tasks, enabling the identification of components with the highest ecological impacts. This research emphasises the importance of including aircraft maintenance activities in life cycle assessment studies and provides valuable guidance for researchers, industry practitioners, and policy makers in prioritising sustainability measures and enhancing the environmental performance of aircraft throughout their life cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]