Environmental Impact - Life Cycle Impact Assessment - Case Study Example

Life Cycle impact Assessment (LCIA) Life Cycle Impact Assessment There has been increasing public concern about the associated environmental consequences that may result due to the production and usage of various products and material. This concerns ranges from the impact that such materials and products have on tropical forests and old-growth to issues of water and air quality, as well as the landfill disposal sites. Pressure has been mounting on governments to incorporate these concerns into their policy decisions, and to hold corporation accountable for such materials. Consumers are now informed that consuming manufactured goods has an impact, not only to the environment but also on the resources. This effect occur at all stages of a life cycle of a product. From the time a material is extracted from the source through to the processing, manufacturing, transportation, and finally recycling or disposal stage. This effect may be direct, involving emissions such as those produced by automobiles usage, or indirect involving impact of water ways from electricity production used during the manufacturing. One of the methodologies commonly used is life cycle assessment (LCA), which both involves direct and indict effect of processes and products. LCA has been confirmed to be useful in making consistent and objective environmental assessments. This concept has been broadened by the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry to include the environmental impact and improvement phases, and the inventory. Studies have demonstrated the use Life Cycle impact Assessment (LCA) methods to analyse potential impact of various process on the environment. LCA used in Identifying Benefits and Potential Environmental or Health Impacts of Lithium-ion Batteries for RVs (Abt Associates et al., 2013). Lithium (Li-ion) batteries, often used in hybrid and electric vehicles to power plug-in have shown some promise of “fuelling” these hybrid and electric vehicles and help reduce emitting of greenhouse gas. However, there are some few notable areas in these Li-ion batteries that need to be improved in order to reduce possible public health and environmental impact. This is according to the “cradle to grave” study, which was conducted by the Abt Associates for the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The study, which was conducted through a partnership involving the U.S. Department of Energy, EPA, academicians, and Li-ion battery industry, was the first LCA (Life circle assessment) to collect and use data given by Li-ion battery manufacturers, recyclers and suppliers. The main purpose was identifying materials and processes within the life cycle of Lion battery that could largely contribute impacts on environmental and public health so that the manufacturers of batteries could use such information in improving environmental profiles of their products when the technology is still emerging. The study further sought to ascertain the potential impact of nanotechnology innovation such as carbon nanotube anode that could help improve the performance of the battery. Among other findings, Amarakoon Shanika, the ABt associate and the co-leader of the LCA alongside Smith noted that global warming and other health and environmental impacts were found to be greatly influenced by electric grids used in charging the batteries when the vehicle were being driven. Reporting on battery performance, Smith noted that the assessed nanotechnology applications were basically single-walled carbon nanotubes were under investigation to ascertain if they could be serve as anodes as they were promisingly showing some improvement in energy density. What was revealed, however was that energy required to produce SWCNT anodes in the early stages of development was prohibitive. In another project, A Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) method was developed and used in evaluating environmental impacts of salinity on biodiversity on the Spanish coastal wetland (Amores et al., 2013). In this project, the developed characterization factor was constituted by an effect and fate factor equals 3.16x10-1 plus or minus 1.840x10-1 PAF-m-3-Yr-m-3 This indicated a potential loss of 0.33 m3 ecosystem for the rate of water consumption of 1m3-Yr-1. Because of the rate of groundwater consumption of 1 m3-yr-1, the Potentially Affected Fraction of species (PAF) in a lost cubic meter of an ecosystem equaled to 0.05, which is the prosed maximum tolerable effect for keeping an ecosystem intact. The wetland Albufera de Adra was used to calculate seasonal water balance. The potential curve for the potentially affected portion of the native wetland species provided the effect factor due to salinity. This can be used in other wetlands having similar composition of species. An assessment of greenhouse crops water consumption within the area was performed as a case study with a view to test the applicability of a characterization factor. The ReCiPe method was used to convert results into ecosystem quality damage. It was revealed that tomatoes have an impact on 30 percent and cause an increased salinity because of water consumption on an ecosystem quality. Melons were found to have the largest in terms of impact per tonne produced. Environmental science and Technology (http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es3045423) Sharaai, Mahmood, and Sulaiman (2010b) sought to find out the level of environmental impact that water treatment process that used electricity and chemicals in varying quantities had. The LCA method was used to ascertain the extent of damage. There were in total three classes of rivers, which were picked as the source of water: Class 1 Rivers, class II Rivers and class III rivers based on the Malaysia’s Department of Environment classification. In this study, Sharaai et al used the Ecoindicator 99 and ISO standards. Based on the Ecoindicator 99, the environmental damages were grouped into three: damage to Human health, resources, and Ecosystem Quality. This study was a streamlined LCA. Therefore, the only data required were the electricity consumption and the quantity of chemicals used in water treatment. The study acquired the background data for the electricity and chemicals from the databases of Simapro and Jemai-LCA Pro software. The study utilized LCI methodology to quantify the impact of portable water production at different classes of rivers. The study used Ecoindicator to classify and characterized data inventory. The Ecoindicator 99 was also used to identify notable system weaknesses. The results of this study indicate that Treatment of Class II Rivers contributed higher impact/effect to the environment. This was followed by the Class II rivers with the Class I rivers contributing the least. The study identified the use of large quantity of chlorine as the key contributor to the environmental impact. Weighting analysis revealed that the major impact categories were eutrophication/acidification, fossil fuels and respiratory inorganics. The identified key chemical substances to eutrophication/acidification and respiratory inorganics impact categories were sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. The two substances as found by this study are released during the polyaluminum chloride production. Within the EU-projects LC-IMPACT and Prosuite, developed methods for addressing damages to fish species and plant species due to ground water extraction. To achieve this, the available water modelled and substantially modelled non-occurrences of species due to changing of the water availability. Sharaai, Mahmood, and Sulaiman (2010a) yet again investigated utilized the Life Cycle Impact Assessment to analyse the extent of environmental impact. This study utilized three different water treatment plants: Conventional plant, in which Pulsatube & Clarifier Technology, and Dissolved Air Floatation (DAF) was used. For the treatment process, standard systems of coagulation, screening, sedimentation, floatation, disinfection and flocculation processes were used. To review water treatment processes, LCA procedures alongside detailed information for every process was used. This included acquiring material consumed and energy information used in the treatment process. The LCA procedure, which was applied in this study used ISO 14040 series. The study analysed data inventory from a number of selected months. Eco-indicator 99 method was used to ascertain the impact of on the environment. The study revealed that high consumption of electricity in DAF and EF technologies was the key contributing factor to the depletion of the available natural resources. Further, Clarifier technology was found to be efficiently used. However, the usage of PAC chemical was seen as the key contributor to the reduction of human health and environmental quality. Land Use in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): Global Characterization Factors Based on Global and Regional Potential Species Extinction (Laura et al., 2013). Despite land use being one of the key drivers of biodiversity loss, few LCA had not been use to assess such an effect just because of lacking reliable operational methods. In this project, LCA was used to ascertain the impact of regional land use on birds, animals, plants, reptiles, mammals, and amphibians. The used modelled LCA analysis helps to calculate the potential damages that were caused by land uses in each of the WWF ecoregion. It then allocated the total damage to various types of land use according to each ecoregion. The adapted matrix-calibrated species-area relationship was used in modelling potential regional extinction of the nonendamic specials, which were caused by land use changes impacts and reversible land use. To assess the irreversible and permanent impacts, potential global extinction on the endemic species was used. It was revealed that the overall impact of land use upon the biodiversity strongly varied across the ecoregions. This showed clearly the highest values within the area that most of the natural habitats had in the past been converted. This approach was therefore, considered retrospective as it highlighted the impacts regions that were highly disturbed. Sharaai, Mahmood, and Sulaiman (2010a) yet again investigated utilized the Life Cycle Impact Assessment to analyse the extent of environmental impact. This study utilized three different water treatment plants: Conventional plant, in which Pulsatube & Clarifier Technology, and Dissolved Air Floatation (DAF) was used. For the treatment process, standard systems of coagulation, screening, sedimentation, floatation, disinfection and flocculation processes were used. To review water treatment processes, LCA procedures alongside detailed information for every process was used. This included acquiring material consumed and energy information used in the treatment process. The LCA procedure, which was applied in this study used ISO 14040 series. The study analysed data inventory from a number of selected months. Eco-indicator 99 method was used to ascertain the impact of on the environment. The study revealed that high consumption of electricity in DAF and EF technologies was the key contributing factor to the depletion of the available natural resources. Further, Clarifier technology was found to be efficiently used. However, the usage of PAC chemical was seen as the key contributor to the reduction of human health and environmental quality. Conclusion As demonstrated in this study Life Cycle impact Assessment (LCA) has been widely used in various projects to analyse potential impact of various process on the environment. Sharaai, Mahmood, and Sulaiman (2010b) used LCA to find out the level of environmental impact that water treatment process that used electricity and chemicals in varying quantities had. The In this project, LCA method was used to ascertain the extent of damage. Abt Associates et al (2013) used LCA to identify benefits and potential environmental or health Impacts of Lithium-ion Batteries for RVs. References Amores M,,Verones F., Raptis, C., Juraske R., Pfister S.,Stoessel F., Antón A., Castells F & Hellweg S. (2013). Biodiversity Impacts from Salinity Increase in a Coastal Wetland. Environ. Sci. Technol. 47 (12), pp 6384–6392.DOI: 10.1021/es3045423 Abt Associates, automotive, Bethesda, electric vehicle, Li-ion, Life Cycle Assessment, (2013). Life Cycle Impact Assessment, lithium-ion batteries, Maryland, North America, Press Release, US DOE, US EPA. Laura d, Christopher L. Curran M, Hellweg S, and Koellner T. (2013). Land Use in Life Cycle Assessment: Global Characterization Factors Based of regional and Global Potential Species Extinction. Institute for Environmental Decisions, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland. Environ. Sci. Technol. 47 (16), pp 9281–9290 Sharaai A. H, Mahmood N. Z. & Sulaiman A.H. (2009). Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) of Potable Water Treatment Process in Malaysia: Comparison Between Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) and Ultrafiltration (UF) Technology. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 3(4): 3625-3632. Sharaai A. H, Mahmood N. Z. & Sulaiman A.H. (2010b). Decrypting the Influence of River Classes on the Effects on the Environment through Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) of Water Treatment Processes in Malaysia. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 4(9): 4294-4303. Read More