Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of MWool® Recycled Wool Fibers
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. MWool® Supply Chain
- MWool® produced from 100% pre-consumer waste by spinning (which is not further treated)
- MWool® produced from pre-consumer waste, 100% frayed
- MWool® produced from pre-consumer waste, 100% shredded
- MWool® produced from post-consumer waste, 100% frayed
- MWool® produced from post-consumer waste, 100% shredded
- R1 is the proportion of material in the input to the production that has been recycled (equal to 1 in this case study);
- EV are the specific emissions and resources consumed arising from the acquisition and pre-processing of virgin material (virgin wool in this case study);
- A is the allocation factor of burdens and credits between supplier and user of recycled materials (equal to 0.5 in this case study, as indicated in [30]);
- Erecycled are the specific emissions and resources consumed arising from the recycling process of the recycled material (in this case study, impacts from collection of pre- and post-consumer textiles until the final the MWool® fiber);
- Qsin/Qp is the quality of the input secondary material divided by the quality of the primary material (equal to 0.8 in this case study, as indicated in [30]).
2.2. Virgin Wool Fibres’ Supply Chain
3. Results
3.1. Potential Impacts of MWool®
3.2. Potential Impacts of Virgin Wool Fibers
3.3. Comparison of MWool® and Virgin Wool Fibers
4. Discussion and Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Conflicts of Interest
Appendix A
Flow [Unit of Measure] | Quantity | Proxy in Ecoinvent |
---|---|---|
Output | ||
Post-consumer garments, at sorting centre (India/Pakistan) [t] | 1 | - |
Inputs | ||
Plastic bags [kg] | 1.6 | Packaging film, low-density polyethylene {GLO}| market for|Cut-off, S |
Transport with small lorry [tkm] 1 | 100 | Transport, freight, light commercial vehicle {Europe without Switzerland}|market for transport, freight, light commercial vehicle|Cut-off, S |
Electricity in USA [kWh] | 2.6 | Electricity, medium voltage {US}|market group for|Cut-off, S |
Electricity in North Europe [kWh] | 2.6 | Electricity, medium voltage {NL}|market for|Cut-off, S |
Big bales [kg] | 1.1 | Polyethylene, high density, granulate {GLO}|market for|Cut-off, S + Extrusion, plastic film {GLO}|market for|Cut-off, S |
Transport with 16–32 t lorry [tkm] 2 | 92 | Transport, freight, lorry 16–32 metric ton, euro5 {RoW}|market for transport, freight, lorry 16–32 metric ton, EURO5|Cut-off, S |
Transport with transoceanic ship [tkm] 2 | 14,798 | Transport, freight, sea, container ship {GLO}|transport, freight, sea, container ship|Cut-off, S |
Waste: plastic [kg] | 2.7 | Waste plastic, mixture {RoW}|treatment of waste plastic, mixture, municipal incineration|Cut-off, S |
Flow [Unit of Measure] | Quantity | Proxy in Ecoinvent |
---|---|---|
Output | ||
Post-consumer textile, accessories removed, transported to Italy [t] | 1 | - |
Inputs | ||
Post-consumer garments, at sorting centre [t] | 1 | |
Electricity in Pakistan [kWh] | 1.84 | Electricity, low voltage {PK}|market for electricity, low voltage|Cut-off, S |
Electricity in India [kWh] | 10.4 | Electricity, low voltage {IN-Western grid}|market for electricity, low voltage|Cut-off, S |
Big bales [kg] | 1.1 | Polyethylene, high density, granulate {GLO}|market for|Cut-off, S + Extrusion, plastic film {GLO}|market for|Cut-off, S |
Transport with >32 t lorry [tkm] 1 | 201 | Transport, freight, lorry > 32 metric ton, euro5 {RoW}|market for transport, freight, lorry > 32 metric ton, EURO5|Cut-off, S |
Transport with transoceanic ship [tkm] 1 | 8837 | Transport, freight, sea, container ship {GLO}|transport, freight, sea, container ship|Cut-off, S |
Flow [Unit of Measure] | Quantity | Proxy in Ecoinvent |
---|---|---|
Output | ||
Pre-consumer textile, at Italian trading company (Prato) [t] | 1 | - |
Inputs | ||
Pre-consumer textile [t] | 1 | |
Big bales [kg] | 1.1 | Polyethylene, high density, granulate {GLO}|market for|Cut-off, S + Extrusion, plastic film {GLO}|market for|Cut-off, S |
Transport with >32 t lorry [tkm] 1 | 848 | Transport, freight, lorry > 32 metric ton, euro5 {RoW}|market for transport, freight, lorry > 32 metric ton, EURO5|Cut-off, S |
Transport with transoceanic ship [tkm] 1 | 1144 | Transport, freight, sea, container ship {GLO}|transport, freight, sea, container ship|Cut-off, S |
Flow [Unit of Measure] | Quantity | Proxy in Ecoinvent |
---|---|---|
Output | ||
Textile sorted, at Italian trading company (Prato) [t] | 1 | - |
Inputs | ||
Post-consumer textile, at Italian trading company (Prato) [t] | 1.03 × 0.85 = 0.876 | |
Pre-consumer textile, at Italian trading company (Prato) [t] | 1.03 × 0.15 = 0.155 | |
Electricity [kWh] | 42.11 | Electricity, medium voltage {IT}|market for|Cut-off, S |
Natural gas [MJ] | 42 | Heat, district or industrial, natural gas {Europe without Switzerland}|heat production, natural gas, at industrial furnace low-NOx > 100 kW|Cut-off, S |
Diesel [MJ] | 168 | Diesel, burned in building machine {GLO}|market for|Cut-off, S |
Water [m3] | 0,27 | Tap water {RER}|market group for|Cut-off, S |
Transport with >32 t lorry [tkm] | 300 | Transport, freight, lorry > 32 metric ton, euro5 {RER}|market for transport, freight, lorry > 32 metric ton, EURO5|Cut-off, S |
Transport with transoceanic ship [tkm] | 10,000 | Transport, freight, sea, container ship {GLO}|transport, freight, sea, container ship|Cut-off, S |
Waste: plastic [kg] | 1.1 | Waste plastic, mixture {CH}|treatment of, municipal incineration|Cut-off, S |
Waste: textile [kg] | 32 | Municipal solid waste {CH}|treatment of, sanitary landfill|Cut-off, S |
Flow [Unit of Measure] | Quantity | Proxy in Ecoinvent |
---|---|---|
Output | ||
Wool fibres, from shredding process [t] | 1 | - |
Inputs | ||
Textile sorted, at Italian trading company [t] | 1.03 | |
Electricity [kWh] | 391 | Electricity, medium voltage {IT}|market for|Cut-off, S |
Natural gas [MJ] | 1729 | Heat, district or industrial, natural gas {Europe without Switzerland}| heat production, natural gas, at industrial furnace low-NOx > 100 kW|Cut-off, S |
Diesel [MJ] | 141 | Diesel, burned in building machine {GLO}|market for|Cut-off, S |
Water [m3] | 1.33 | Tap water {RER}| market group for|Cut-off, S |
No foam agent | 3.83 | Silicone product {RER}| market for silicone product|Cut-off, S |
Transport with >32 t lorry [tkm] | 300 | Transport, freight, lorry > 32 metric ton, euro5 {RER}|market for transport, freight, lorry > 32 metric ton, EURO5|Cut-off, S |
Transport with transoceanic ship [tkm] | 10,000 | Transport, freight, sea, container ship {GLO}|transport, freight, sea, container ship|Cut-off, S |
Waste: plastic [kg] | 1.1 | Waste plastic, mixture {CH}|treatment of, municipal incineration|Cut-off, S |
Waste: textile [kg] | 32 | Municipal solid waste {CH}|treatment of, sanitary landfill|Cut-off, S |
Flow [Unit of Measure] | Quantity | Proxy in Ecoinvent |
---|---|---|
Output | ||
Wool fibres, from faying process [t] | 1 | - |
Inputs | ||
Textile sorted, at Italian trading company [t] | 1.02 | |
Electricity [kWh] | 0.19 | Electricity, medium voltage {IT}|market for|Cut-off, S |
Transport with lorry [tkm] | 20 | Transport, freight, lorry 7.5–16 metric ton, euro5 {RER}|market for transport, freight, lorry 7.5–16 metric ton, EURO5|Cut-off, S |
Waste: iron [kg] | 7.09 | Iron scrap, sorted, pressed {RER}|sorting and pressing of iron scrap|Cut-off, S + Avoided product: Pig iron {RoW}|pig iron production|Cut-off, S |
Waste: textile [kg] | 22.83 | Municipal solid waste {CH}|treatment of, sanitary landfill|Cut-off, S |
Flow [Unit of Measure] | Quantity | Proxy in Ecoinvent |
---|---|---|
Output | ||
Wastewater treated [m3] | 1 | - |
Inputs | ||
Wastewater [m3] | 1 | |
Electricity [kWh] | 0.699 | Electricity, medium voltage {IT}|market for|Cut-off, S |
Natural gas [Sm3] | 0.041 | Heat, district or industrial, natural gas {Europe without Switzerland}| heat production, natural gas, at industrial furnace low-NOx > 100 kW|Cut-off, S |
Diesel [MJ] | 0.098 | Diesel, burned in building machine {GLO}|market for|Cut-off, S |
Gasoline [MJ] | 0.0017 | Petrol, unleaded, burned in machinery {GLO}|market for petrol, unleaded, burned in machinery|Cut-off, S |
LPG [MJ] | 0.00032 | Heat, central or small-scale, natural gas {GLO}|propane extraction, from liquefied petroleum gas|Cut-off, S |
Aluminium trichloride [g] | 25.60 | Aluminium chloride {GLO}|market for aluminium chloride|Cut-off, S |
Citric acid [g] | 0.33 | Citric acid {RER}|production|Cut-off, S |
Sulfuric acid 50% [g] | 0.43 | Sulfuric acid {RER}| market for sulfuric acid|Cut-off, S + Tap water {RER}|market group for|Cut-off, S |
Sulfuric acid 96% [g] | 0.07 | Sulfuric acid {RER}|market for sulfuric acid|Cut-off, S + Tap water {RER}|market group for|Cut-off, S |
Hydrogen peroxide [g] | 0.25 | Hydrogen peroxide, without water, in 50% solution state {RER}| hydrogen peroxide production, product in 50% solution state|Cut-off, S + Tap water {RER}|market group for|Cut-off, S |
No foam agent [g] | 1.13 | Silicone product {RER}|market for silicone product|Cut-off, S |
Ferric chloride [g] | 24.60 | Iron (III) chloride, without water, in 40% solution state {GLO}|market for|Cut-off, S |
Bleaching agent [g] | 5.71 | Sodium dithionite, anhydrous {RER}|market for sodium dithionite, anhydrous|Cut-off, S |
Sodium hydroxide 50% [g] | 1.57 | Sodium hydroxide, without water, in 50% solution state {GLO}|market for|Cut-off, S + Tap water {RER}|market group for|Cut-off, S |
Sodium hypochlorite 15% [g] | 2.37 | Sodium hypochlorite, without water, in 15% solution state {RER}|market for sodium hypochlorite, without water, in 15% solution state|Cut-off, S + Tap water {RER}|market group for|Cut-off, S |
Oxygen [g] | 0.12 | Oxygen, liquid {RER}|market for|Cut-off, S |
Anionic polyelectrolyte [g] | 1.34 | Polyacrylamide {GLO}|market for|Cut-off, S |
Cationic polyelectrolyte [g] | 5.03 | Polyacrylamide {GLO}|market for|Cut-off, S |
Urea [g] | 0.05 | Urea {RER}|market for urea|Cut-off, S |
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Impact Category | Unit | MWool® |
---|---|---|
Climate change | kg CO2 eq | 6.27 × 10−1 |
Ozone depletion | kg CFC11 eq | 1.10 × 10−7 |
Photochemical ozone formation | kg NMVOC eq | 6.41 × 10−3 |
Particulate matter | disease inc. | 3.47 × 10−8 |
Acidification | mol H+ eq | 8.30 × 10−3 |
Eutrophication, freshwater | kg P eq | 6.24 × 10−5 |
Eutrophication, terrestrial | mol N eq | 2.37 × 10−2 |
Eco-toxicity, freshwater | CTUe | 6.31 |
Land use | Pt | 2.95 |
Water use | m3 depriv. | 9.30 × 10−2 |
Resource use, fossils | MJ | 8.39 |
Resource use, minerals and metals | kg Sb eq | 3.32 × 10−3 |
Impact Category | Unit | Virgin Wool Fibers |
---|---|---|
Climate change | kg CO2 eq | 7.58 × 10 |
Ozone depletion | kg CFC11 eq | 1.17 × 10−6 |
Photochemical ozone formation | kg NMVOC eq | 7.31 × 10−2 |
Particulate matter | disease inc. | 1.19 × 10−5 |
Acidification | mol H+ eq | 1.69 |
Eutrophication, freshwater | kg P eq | 1.83 × 10−2 |
Eutrophication, terrestrial | mol N eq | 7.43 |
Eco-toxicity, freshwater | CTUe | 1.20 × 103 |
Land use | Pt | 7.74 × 103 |
Water use | m3 depriv. | 1.39 × 101 |
Resource use, fossils | MJ | 1.25 × 102 |
Resource use, minerals and metals | kg Sb eq | 1.38 × 10−4 |
Virgin Wool | MWool® (with CFF) | |
---|---|---|
MIN (kg CO2 eq./kg) | 19.8 | 8.2 |
MAX (kg CO2 eq./kg) | 103.0 | 41.5 |
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Bianco, I.; Gerboni, R.; Picerno, G.; Blengini, G.A. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of MWool® Recycled Wool Fibers. Resources 2022, 11, 41. https://doi.org/10.3390/resources11050041
Bianco I, Gerboni R, Picerno G, Blengini GA. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of MWool® Recycled Wool Fibers. Resources. 2022; 11(5):41. https://doi.org/10.3390/resources11050041
Chicago/Turabian StyleBianco, Isabella, Raffaella Gerboni, Giuseppe Picerno, and Gian Andrea Blengini. 2022. "Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of MWool® Recycled Wool Fibers" Resources 11, no. 5: 41. https://doi.org/10.3390/resources11050041