Comparative analysis of the life cycle impact assessment of available cement inventories in the EU

Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) is one of basic steps in life cycle assessment methodology (LCA). This paper presents a comparative study of the LCIA of different life cycle inventories (LCI) for EU cements. The analysis unit used is the manufacture of 1 kg of cement, from “cradle to gate”. The impact categories considered are those resulting from the manufacture of cement and include greenhouse effects, acidification, eutrophication and summer and winter smog, amongst others.The results of the study highlighted some inconsistencies in existing inventories. As for the LCIA, the main environmental interventions related to cement manufacture were classified and characterised and their effect on different impact categories analysed. Differences observed in evaluation of the impact of cement type were essentially related to their clinker content.     

LCA tool for the environmental evaluation of potable water production

Environmental impact assessment will soon become a compulsory phase in future potable water production projects, especially when alternative treatment processes such as desalination are considered. An impact assessment tool is therefore developed for the environmental evaluation of potable water production. The evaluation method used is the life cycle assessment (LCA) method. The quick and easy assessment of energetic and environmental performances contributes to determine the weak points of potable water production processes or the best suited treatment in a specific context. Studies of some potable water supply scenarios (groundwater treatment, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, seawater reverse osmosis and thermal distillation associated to water transfer) are presented in order to illustrate the environmental information drawn from this tool. The main source of impacts is shown to be electricity production for plant operation. Improvement levers are presented for impact reduction and for the objective comparison between alternative and conventional water treatment processes.     

生物质型煤与褐煤的生命周期评价对比研究

为了研究生物质型煤对环境的影响和能耗情况,利用生命周期评价方法,与褐煤进行对比评价,从型煤与褐煤的生产到燃烧进行全面分析。结果表明,生物质型煤生命周期的环境负荷指数是0.30,褐煤的潜在环境影响负荷指数为0.48,生物质型煤的环境影响明显低于褐煤;环境影响类型主要是全球变暖,主要影响因子是CO2;生命周期各阶段的环境排放量主要集中于燃烧使用阶段,因此,降低燃烧使用阶段的环境影响是生物质型煤技术改进的重要途径。     

生命周期评价在塑料研究中的应用进展

简要介绍了生命周期评价(LCA)的起源及定义,分析了国内外塑料生命周期的评价实例,指出了LCA在应用中的局限性,提出我国生命周期评价与国外的差距,建议建立塑料行业数据库。     

Long-term fate of PVC products and their additives in landfills

The development of sustainable products requires not only the consideration of production processes. Rather, strategies and concepts for the end-of-life management of post-consumer products play an important role for their legal compliance, public acceptance and commercial competitiveness as well. With respect to the waste management options for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products, the currently prevalent disposal in landfills was among the subjects of debate about environmental issues. A material and substance flow analysis was conducted to estimate the quantitative relevance of PVC products and their constituents in municipal solid waste. Landfill simulation assays demonstrated the long-term behaviour of PVC products and the fate of additives under landfill conditions. The methods of an integrated assessment and possible approaches towards life cycle management are discussed.