Steven B. Young

Applying environmental life-cycle analysis to materials

The life-cycle analysis (LCA) of products is essentially the LCA of materials: both are concurrently and interdependently analyzed and assessed according to their environmental effects. This approach provides a framework to measure the extrinsic environmental properties of materials. In the following, three properties—gross energy requirement, global-warming potential, and solid-waste burden—are broadly discussed for steel, aluminum, and polyethylene. The environmental profiles are then applied to assess the use of alternative materials in terms of the LCA of an automotive component. Given the possibility of a substantial variation in results, one must be careful with the scoping and assessment of LCA. Despite the limitations, it provides a useful map for improving environmental compatibility and performance.

Report from the EPA conference on streamlining LCA

As part of a comprehensive research program on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology and practices, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hosted a meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio, on June 12 & 13, 1995, on Streamlining LCA. Organized by Research Triangle Institute’s Center for Environmental Analysis for the EPA, the conference provided a forum where practitioners and researchers could present the most up-to-date information on streamlined approaches. Time was also allotted for facilitated discussion which allowed the participants to express their thoughts and experiences with streamlined LCA applications, leading to butter understanding of the subject.

Principles for responsible metals supply to electronics

Purpose - This paper seeks to critically analyse the list of principles on the extractive phase of the electronics supply chains, proposed for consumer electronic companies, by the non-governmental campaign MakeITfair. The purpose is to understand whether conformance with these principles could positively influence the socio-environmental conditions at the mining level. Design/methodology/approach - The paper reviews the literature on incorporation of corporate social responsibility in supply chain management. It then examines how metals are mined, traded and used in electronics, as well as how the mining industry has been managing its own socio-environmental problems. This information underpins the qualitative discussion of the principles. Findings - MakeITfairs principles were found to be constructive insofar as they draw the attention of electronic companies to their shared responsibility for the problems of distant-tier suppliers. Nevertheless, some principles may lead to potentially undesired outcomes such as biased prioritization of mining companies or regions, adoption of contentious “standards”, and conflicts concerning the sovereign rights of nations over their natural resources. Overall, the principles stress traceability mechanisms as means of influencing the mining phase of supply chains without considering the costs and benefits of overcoming the complexities involved in the metal trade and other barriers. The paper concludes by highlighting the need to consider additional ways of positively influencing metals supply. Research limitations/implications - The paper points out specific research priorities in the value chains of metals. Originality/value - The paper provides a critical analysis of intricate responsibility issues in the supply chain of the worlds top electronic companies.

Geopolitical-related supply risk assessment as a complement to environmental impact assessment: the case of electric vehicles

PurposeIntroducing a geopolitical-related supply risk (GeoPolRisk) into the life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) framework adds a criticality aspect to the current life cycle assessment (LCA) framework to more meaningfully address direct impacts on Natural Resource AoP. The weakness of resource indicators in LCA has been the topic of discussion within the life cycle community for some time. This paper presents a case study on how to proceed towards the integration of resource criticality assessment into LCA under the LCSA. The paper aims at highlighting the significance of introducing the GeoPolRisk indicator to complement and extend the established environmental LCA impact categories.MethodsA newly developed GeoPolRisk indicator proposed by Gemechu et al., J Ind Ecol (2015) was applied to metals used in the life cycle of an electric vehicle, and the results are compared with an attributional LCA of the same resources. The inventory data is based on the publication by Hawkins et al., J Ind Ecol 17:53–64 (2013), which provides a current, transparent, and detailed life cycle inventory data of a European representative first-generation battery small electric vehicle.Results and discussionFrom the 14 investigated metals, copper, aluminum, and steel are the most dominant elements that pose high environmental impacts. On the other hand, magnesium and neodymium show relatively higher supply risk when geopolitical elements are considered. While, the environmental indicator results all tend to point the same hotspots which arise from the substantial use of resources in the electric vehicle’s life cycle, the GeoPolRisk highlights that there are important elements present in very small amounts but crucial to the overall LCSA. It provides a complementary sustainability dimension that can be added to conventional LCA as an important extension within LCSA.ConclusionsResource challenges in a short-term time perspective can be better addressed by including social and geopolitical factors in addition to the conventional indicators which are based on their geological availability. This is more significant for modern technologies such as electronic devices in which critical resources contribute to important components. The case study advances the use of the GeoPolRisk assessment method but does still face certain limitations that need further elaboration; however, directions for future research are promising.

A Materials Life Cycle Framework for Preventive Engineering

reventive engineer ing [ 1]-[3] uses information about how technology affects -human life, society, and the natural ecology in order to adjust engineering methods and approaches to achieve the best possible compatibility between technology and its contexts. It constitutes a different engineering paradigm, aspects of which are emerging in industry and universities. One area of application, pollution prevention, considers the design and selection of processes, products, and materials to reduce negative impacts on the natural ecology. The materials life cycle approach is a conceptual framework with which to examine flows of materials from “cradle to grave,” and a component of the product cycle of design, production, use and discard. These concepts are related to the demands placed on engineers resulting from the rapidly changing setting in which we practice. P

The Food System and Climate Change: An Exploration of Emerging Strategies to Reduce GHG Emissions in Canada

Using existing literature and a modified lifecycle assessment (LCA) approach, we analyzed production, processing, distribution, and cooling stages of food production. Looking at a range of current initiatives related to food system change, we suggest potential solutions to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the food system and strategic priorities for firms, nongovernmental organizations, and policymakers. We conclude that focusing on food system localization, transport, and modal issues alone will not generate significant GHG reductions relative to other opportunities. Our analysis shows a potential for emissions reductions in various food system subsectors, particularly sustainable production, cooling and refrigeration, and food waste minimization. Localization savings will be modest unless combined with other changes in these sub-sectors. On the transportation front, only modal shifts from truck to rail or truck to ship, and improving trucking load efficiencies, appear promising, although potentially challenging. Notably, results highlight a possible differentiated strategy: Locally sourced seasonal fruits and vegetables show greater GHG reduction possibilities than do locally sourced animal products. Organic production appears to generate sufficient reductions to warrant strategic attention, but integrated pest management does not sufficiently reduce agrichemical use, while the heating requirements of greenhouses do not make them energy-competitive with long-distance field production imports.

Life cycle assessment in Canada

In Canada LCA is enjoying something of a renaissance. This is being led on two fronts: by government agencies seeking more integrated systems approaches to evaluating and managing environmental issues; and by academics who have found that LCA occupies an intellectual territory rich in theory, methodology, data and application. Both these trends are expected to encourage greater use of life-cycle approaches in industry. Before discussing present day activities, it is worth considering some of the historical highlights in evolution of the tool in Canada, albeit from a personal point of view. Thanks are given to those who contributed; apologies are offered to any individuals, organizations or projects that may have been overlooked.

Critical review: a summary of the current state-of-practice

PurposeMuch collective wisdom and experience have been gained as an increasing number of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) reviews are conducted. However, specifics on how and when to conduct critical review of LCA studies are still lacking. Toward this need, a technical session entitled “LCA Critical Review” was held during the Life Cycle Management (LCM) conference in Gothenburg, Sweden, 26 August 2013. The goal of the session was to have experts address LCA critical review as well as engage attendees in discussing gaps in the current guidance and how the review process can be improved.MethodsThe LCM session consisted of six presentations followed by open discussion with all session attendees. This paper begins with a review of the current state-of-the-practice in LCA critical review (CR) followed by a summary of the LCM session. It concludes with suggestions for how the newly drafted technical specification, ISO TS 14071 Critical review processes and reviewer competencies, can be improved as it is being developed.Results and discussionISO TS 14071 promises to provide additional guidance to move the practice forward. But at only eight pages in length, its potential effectiveness appears moderate. Additional detailed guidance is needed to move the critical review process toward increased uniformity and clarity of practice, for example, when critical review is necessary.ConclusionsA session on LCA critical review is planned to be held during the Life Cycle Management 2015 conference which will occur in Bordeaux, France (http://lcm2015.org/). Discussion on these issues related to LCA review will be continued.

Life cycle assessment of a business telephone

This joint study between Environment Canada and Northern Telecom aimed at carrying out an LCA on a manufactured product, the Nortel M7310 business telephone, in order to identify improvement strategies. The telephone, invented a century ago, by Alexander Graham Bell in Canada, is emblematic of a sophisticated but common everyday product. As such, this study provides an excellent demonstration of the benefits of design-for-environment. This paper describes the details of the methodology.

Extending the geopolitical supply risk method: material “substitutability” indicators applied to electric vehicles and dental X-ray equipment

PurposeWhile environmental LCA is relatively well developed, impact assessment methods for the “natural resources” AoP are weak. In particular, resource “criticality” is not addressed in conventional environmental impact assessment methods, though it could be captured within life cycle sustainability assessment. In that regard, the present article extends the previously developed geopolitical supply risk (GPSR) method by demonstrating the connection of criticality to a functional unit while incorporating measures of material substitutability to reflect the “vulnerability” dimension of criticality.MethodsThe GPSR method developed by Gemechu et al. (J Ind Ecol 20:154–165, 2015a) and subsequently extended by Helbig et al. (J Clean Prod 137:1170–1178, 2016a), and Cimprich et al. (J Clean Prod, 2017) is integrated into an LCIA characterization model. Further, semi-quantitative material substitutability indicator values based on a study by Graedel et al. (PNAS 112:6295–6300, 2015) are incorporated to represent the vulnerability dimension of criticality. The method is demonstrated with an update of a previously published case study of a European-manufactured electric vehicle by Gemechu et al. (Int J Life Cycle Assess 22:31–39, 2015b), along with a new case study of dental X-ray equipment. Due to novel aspects of the GPSR method, the latter case involves constructing an unusually comprehensive bill of materials by tracing unit processes to input commodities with identification codes for collecting commodity trade data.Results and discussionSupply risk “hotspots” are often associated with “minor” commodities such as neodymium in an electric vehicle and cesium iodide in a dental X-ray system. Though difficult to measure, material substitutability can mitigate supply risk. Environmental loads of a dental X-ray system are dominated by production of relatively small specialized functional components like capacitors and printed circuit boards, which are far more environmentally intensive per unit of mass than common structural and mechanical components. Thus, small components comprised of minor materials can “pack a punch” from a supply risk and environmental perspective.ConclusionsThe GPSR method presented in the present article brings resource criticality assessment to a product-level while addressing a gap in conventional LCIA methods regarding short-run, socioeconomic availability of natural resources. Further, the case studies illustrate the significance of material substitutability in supply risk assessment. Several complications and limitations of the GPSR method offer directions for future research. Nonetheless, the GPSR method complements environmental LCA to better inform design and management decisions on a product-level.