Search Results (147)

The increasing frequency of extreme weather events, particularly hailstorms, driven by climate change, poses growing threats to the resilience, environmental sustainability, and long-term performance of photovoltaic (PV) systems. This study evaluates the environmental impacts of a 12 kWp rooftop PV installation in Brescia, northern Italy, through a comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of three system configurations: a standard unprotected system (Scenario A), one equipped with a retractable polycarbonate hail-protection panel with automated weather-sensor activation (Scenario B), and one using thicker reinforced front-glass modules (Scenario C). The analysis follows a cradle-to-gate plus operational maintenance phase (30-year horizon, excluding end-of-life) system boundary and employs the ReCiPe 2016 Midpoint (H) methodology across 18 environmental impact categories. A novel integration of the Social Discount Rate (SDR) to the LCA framework—constituting a Discounted LCA (D-LCA)—incorporates both temporal discounting and risk dimensions into the environmental evaluation. A structured PESTEL-based risk taxonomy is applied to derive scenario-specific SDRs, with the Environmental risk category as the key differentiator between configurations. The static LCA identifies Scenario A as the lowest-impact option, while the D-LCA framework reverses this ranking: Scenario C achieves the highest Net Present Value of Emissions, followed by Scenario A. A negative NPV-E for Scenario B reflects the temporal cost of a large, front-loaded construction debt rather than absolute environmental harm. D-LCA framework should be interpreted as a complement to the full 18-category static LCIA profile, not a replacement. These results demonstrate that risk-informed D-LCA provides a more policy-relevant environmental sustainability assessment than static LCA for long-lived energy infrastructure subject to climate-driven operational risks. Full article

Waste-to-energy (WtE) systems are frequently proposed as complementary waste-management strategies; however, their climate performance depends on the interaction between thermodynamic efficiency, material circularity, and electricity-system characteristics. Existing life-cycle assessments generally provide static comparisons between landfill and WtE but rarely identify the operating conditions under which WtE remains environmentally competitive. To address this gap, a parametric life cycle–energy framework was developed by integrating attributional LCA with an analytical energy model capable of evaluating critical efficiency thresholds under varying recovery rates and electricity-grid conditions. Four representative thermoplastics (PET, HDPE, PP, and LDPE) were evaluated using ReCiPe 2016 Midpoint (H) in SimaPro under Mexican electricity conditions ($E{F}_{\mathrm{grid}}=0.444$ kg CO₂eq/kWh). Results indicate that total life-cycle climate impacts are dominated by upstream polymer production, whereas end-of-life management contributes only marginally to overall GWP. Critical-efficiency analysis revealed strong sensitivity to both recovery rate and electricity-grid carbon intensity. For PET, the minimum efficiency required for WtE to outperform landfill increased from 13.1% to 73.5% across the evaluated scenarios, whereas HDPE remained competitive at efficiencies below 1.3%. Monte Carlo simulations (10,000 realizations) further demonstrated that avoided emissions decline systematically with increasing recovery rates, with LDPE exhibiting the highest mean avoided emissions (1735 kg CO₂eq) and PET the lowest (811 kg CO₂eq). These results demonstrate that WtE climate performance is governed primarily by residual waste availability and electricity-system evolution rather than thermodynamic efficiency alone. Consequently, WtE should be interpreted as a transitional residual-waste management strategy whose long-term climate relevance decreases as material circularity and electricity-grid decarbonization advance. Full article

Large-scale drinking water treatment plants contribute to environmental burdens through energy consumption, chemical use, and sludge generation. However, Life Cycle Assessment applications to full-scale drinking water treatment plants remain limited in Morocco and other Global South contexts, where site-specific operational data are often scarce. This study assesses the environmental performance of an existing conventional drinking water treatment plant in Al-Hoceima, northern Morocco, using full-scale operational data and a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach based on the ISO 14040/14044 framework. The assessment was performed using OpenLCA v1.11 and the ReCiPe 2016 Midpoint (H) method, with a functional unit of 1 m³ of treated drinking water. The results show that the operational phase dominates the environmental impacts, mainly due to sludge generation and electricity consumption. Two improvement scenarios were therefore evaluated: sludge recycling and the integration of a hydroelectric turbine as an on-site renewable energy option. Both scenarios showed potential to reduce environmental impacts while improving resource efficiency and long-term economic performance. By integrating environmental and techno-economic analyses, this study provides a practical decision-support framework for the sustainable transformation of conventional drinking water treatment plants in Morocco and comparable developing regions. Full article

This study presents a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) of the modernization of an existing 460 MW coal-fired power unit into a hybrid system incorporating a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR). The analysis was conducted from a cradle-to-grave perspective using a functional unit of 1 MWh of net electricity, based on the ecoinvent 3.9 database and the ReCiPe 2016 Midpoint method. The results indicate that the modernized system achieves a global warming potential (GWP) of 18.2 g CO₂-eq/kWh, representing a 93.5% reduction compared to a supercritical coal-fired unit. The largest contribution to the total environmental burden is associated with the upstream uranium supply chain, accounting for approximately 42% of GWP. In contrast, the operational phase exhibits a negative contribution due to the application of environmental credits resulting from the avoidance of emissions related to coal combustion. The findings also confirm a significant improvement in resource efficiency, including reduced primary energy demand and waste generation compared to the reference system. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated the robustness of the results with respect to variations in key economic and thermodynamic parameters, particularly CAPEX (capital expenditures) and operating temperature. Overall, the results suggest that hybrid retrofitting of coal-fired power plants with HTGR technology may serve as a viable transitional pathway supporting the decarbonization of the Polish energy sector. Full article

Steel slag is a major high-temperature by-product of steelmaking. Stockpiling can cause persistent burdens. Cr(VI) leaching, particulate emissions, and land occupation are key concerns. Many treatment and utilization processes exist. Most studies still assess them one by one. This study compares five representative processes in a consistent life-cycle framework: hot slag splashing (HS), heat recovery (HR), molten slag reconstruction (MSR), mineral carbonation (MC), and cement co-processing (CP). This study applies ReCiPe 2016 and USEtox. This study reports midpoint impacts, endpoint damages, normalization, and sensitivity analysis. The endpoint results show that HS has the largest human-health damage (5.2 × 10⁻⁶ DALY·t⁻¹). The endpoint results show that HS also has the largest ecosystem damage (3.4 × 10⁻⁶ species·t⁻¹). The endpoint results show that CP and MC have the lowest human-health damages (0.5–0.7 × 10⁻⁶ DALY·t⁻¹). The endpoint results show that CP and MC provide net resource credits (−0.9 to −1.2 USD2013·t⁻¹). MSR reduces toxicity through high-temperature immobilization. MSR also increases resource damage (4.5 USD2013·t⁻¹) because the process requires high energy input. MC can achieve net-negative greenhouse-gas results when CO₂ fixation exceeds ~80%. CP shows stable benefits through clinker substitution. Sensitivity analysis identifies process-specific parameters as dominant drivers. The results support process selection and process improvement, and the results help limit burden shifting. Full article

Türkiye possesses significant marble reserves, making marble mining a crucial industry with notable environmental effects due to high energy and fuel consumption. This study assesses the environmental impacts of marble production through a life cycle assessment (LCA) focused on a quarry in Burdur and a cutting plant in Denizli, Türkiye. The analysis covers quarry operations, on-site transport, transportation to the plant, and final processing. Following the cradle-to-gate approach, it includes A1 (raw material sourcing), A2 (transportation), and A3 (production) stages as specified in EN 15804. The LCA was performed using GaBi Education 8.0 software, applying the ReCiPe 2016 v1.1 impact assessment method. Besides evaluating the current system, three scenarios were devised to lessen environmental impacts: solar energy (Scenario A), biodiesel (Scenario B), and a combination of solar and biodiesel (Scenario C). These were compared to the baseline system. The findings reveal that the current system’s climate change impact is 43.97 kg CO₂-eq, while Scenario C’s impact drops to 32.72 kg CO₂-eq, a reduction of about 25.6%. Scenario C achieved the greatest reduction in climate impact, with electricity and diesel consumption, water, and chemicals used in processing being the main contributors to environmental impacts. Full article

Food insecurity persists in Ecuador, and organizations like the Quito Food Bank (BAQ) are key to mitigating it. This study evaluatesBAQ’s management from a sustainability perspective, analyzing its social, economic, and environmental impacts in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A mixed, exploratory, and descriptive case study approach was employed. Data collection included direct observation, a review of internal records, and semi-structured surveys administered to 240 volunteers. The environmental impact was quantified using a “gate-to-gate” Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) with OpenLCA software and the ReCiPe 2016 methodology, while The social and economic analysis was conducted in R, using non-parametric statistical tests. The LCA identified storage as the main critical environmental, responsible for over 80% of the impacts due to high-energy consumption for refrigeration. Socially and economically, the BAQ’s food basket provides significant savings for beneficiary households, allowing them to redirect resources to other essential needs. However, this assistance is only partial and does not generate full economic security. The study highlights the duality of the BAQ’s operations: while food redistribution generates social and environmental benefits by reducing waste, it has its own environmental footprint due to the use of energy resources. A more holistic perspective is therefore proposed to ensure these interventions are truly sustainable in the long term. Full article

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is an important analytical method used to evaluate the environmental impacts of products, services, or processes throughout their entire life cycles—from the extraction of raw materials and production to use and end-of-life treatment. LCA enables the identification of stages with the highest environmental impact burden (hotspots) and supports strategic environmental initiatives, the circular economy, standards, and policies aimed at improving sustainability. This paper analyses the application of LCA in metallurgy, with a focus on primary aluminium production. It outlines the principles of life cycle thinking and explores decarbonisation opportunities within the aluminium industry. This study includes a life cycle impact assessment case study comparing the most significant environmental impacts of primary aluminium production in different regions of the world, including Europe and Asia. The analysis was performed using openLCA software 2.5 with the OzLCI2019 database. Environmental impacts were calculated using the ReCiPe 2016 Midpoint (H) method. The results indicate that primary aluminium production mainly affects impact categories related to high energy consumption, the use of carbon anodes, and associated emissions. The highest impacts were identified in ecotoxicity, followed by global warming, land use, ozone formation, and fossil resource scarcity. No significant regional differences were observed. Full article

The European woodworking and furniture sector faces increasing sustainability challenges, including dependence on virgin raw materials and low recycling rates of furniture waste, highlighting the need for integrated environmental and economic assessments to support circular solutions. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare the environmental and economic performance of boards produced with different proportions of Polyethylene Recycling Waste (PRW) sourced from a Portuguese plastic recycling company, using an integrated Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Costing approach. The environmental performance was assessed following ISO standards using the ReCiPe 2016 Midpoint (H) method, while the economic analysis included internal and external costs. First, the environmental and economic performance of PRW was assessed per 1 kg of material. Subsequently, four board formulations produced at pre-industrial scale, in a Portuguese company, were compared per 1 m³ of board: 100PRW; 80PRW20FW (with 20% furniture waste, FW); 80PRW20PE (with 20% virgin polyethylene, PE); and 80PRW20PU (with 20% virgin polyurethane, PU). Results show that waste-based boards (100PRW and 80PRW20FW) consistently present lower environmental impacts and improved cost-efficiency compared to formulations incorporating virgin polymers, particularly PU. Global warming and terrestrial ozone formation were the main contributing impact categories, largely driven by energy consumption. The dominant impact stage varied by formulation, with pressing prevailing in waste-based options and raw material production in virgin-polymer-based boards. These findings demonstrate that increasing the share of waste materials can significantly improve both environmental and economic performance, supporting the transition towards circular material solutions in the furniture sector. This study provides a novel contribution by integrating LCA and LCC in the assessment of pre-industrial PRW boards, offering practical insights for industry decision-making and sustainable material design. Full article

Hybrid-electric propulsion and alternative energy carriers are being considered to mitigate the climate impact of short-range regional aviation. Within this framework, the HERA (Hybrid Electric Regional Architecture) project investigates advanced propulsion architectures for a next-generation 72 passenger regional platform. This work presents a cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Assessment of two HERA reference configurations and compares them with a conventional 70 passenger turboprop representative of current service aircraft. The analysis focuses on lithium–sulphur batteries, proton exchange membrane fuel cells, liquid hydrogen storage tanks, and electric motors. The assessment is implemented through a parametric LCA tool supported by a detailed Life Cycle Inventory based on Ecoinvent v3.8 and evaluated using ReCiPe 2016 midpoint indicators. The system boundary includes raw material extraction, manufacturing and assembly, operation under defined mission profiles, maintenance with component replacement, and End-of-Life (EoL) treatment. Results show that the operational phase remains the main driver of climate change impacts, exceeding 95% of total CO₂ equivalent emissions across configurations. The battery-based hybrid reduces fuel consumption but increases manufacturing and maintenance burdens. The fuel cell configuration shows a more balanced life cycle profile, with platinum identified as a critical hotspot. Full article

Morocco’s recent legalization of industrial and medicinal cannabis has created a rapidly expanding seed-oil sector whose sustainability has yet to be fully assessed. This study applies an environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) in accordance with ISO 14040:2006 and ISO 14044:2006, complemented by a qualitative social responsibility assessment based on ISO 26000:2010, aiming to evaluate the life cycle sustainability of Moroccan cannabis seed oil. Three representative processing chains, traditional artisanal presses, producer cooperatives and regulated industrial plants are compared using a functional unit of 1 kg of cold-pressed oil packaged for local distribution. Inventory data were drawn from field measurements and interviews and were modeled in OpenLCA with background datasets from Ecoinvent 3.8 and Agribalyse v3.1. Impact assessment used the ReCiPe 2016 (H) method at the midpoint level across nine categories (climate change, fossil resource scarcity, water use, freshwater eutrophication, terrestrial acidification, land occupation, carcinogenic, non-carcinogenic human toxicity, and fine particulate matter formation). Sensitivity analyses varied seed yield, electricity mix and transport distances by ±20% to gauge uncertainty. Results show that the cooperative scenario achieves the lowest impacts across nearly all categories because of higher extraction yields (3 kg seed per kg oil), lower energy use (0.54 kWh kg⁻¹ oil) and more effective co-product recovery. In contrast, artisanal extraction requires approximately 1 kg of additional seed input per functional unit compared to optimized scenarios, significantly increasing upstream environmental burdens and causing upstream agricultural burdens to multiply. Industrial facilities perform comparably to cooperatives if powered by renewable electricity. Integrating a semi-quantitative social responsibility assessment reveals that legalization has markedly improved organizational governance, labor conditions, consumer protection and community involvement. Cooperatives display the most balanced social performance, whereas industrial plants excel in governance and quality control. A set of recommendations, including drip irrigation, cultivar improvement, co-product valorisation, renewable energy adoption, eco-designed packaging and cooperative governance, is proposed to enhance the environmental and socio-economic sustainability of Morocco’s emerging cannabis seed-oil industry. Full article

The rapid growth of the population, industrialisation, and technological advancement has increased waste generation in many economies, including South Africa (SA). In 2019, 2020, and 2021, SA generated approximately 11.22 million, 5.90 million, and 10.42 million waste tyres, respectively. As general waste, tyres require proper disposal due to their environmental impact. This study identifies and quantifies traditional waste tyre management strategies in SA and assesses their environmental impacts using life cycle assessment (LCA). The SimaPro software (v9.4.0.2) and ReCiPe 2016 (v1.07) midpoint and endpoint methods were used to evaluate environmental consequences of tyre landfilling, open-air combustion, and exporting. In 2019, an estimated 163,375 tons of uncollected waste tyres was managed through landfilling (51%), open-air burning (4%), and exporting (1%). LCA findings showed that open-air combustion had the highest intermediate and long-term damaging effects on the atmosphere, releasing harmful gases and particulate matter linked to human health carcinogenic risks. Landfilling contributed significantly to long-term human carcinogenic toxicity and freshwater pollution, while exporting posed high resource depletion impacts. This study suggests that addressing waste tyre management challenges in SA requires a shift from traditional disposal methods toward reuse, recycling, and material and energy recovery to ensure more sustainable and ecologically responsible solutions. Full article

In municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), anaerobic digestion of municipal mixed sludge (MMS) often yields low energy recovery and operational instability due to imbalances between primary and secondary sludges. Anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD) with readily biodegradable wastes, such as fruit and vegetable waste (FVW), can enhance process stability and biogas production. Life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology is used in this study to evaluate the environmental performance of implementing AcoD of MMS and FVW in a municipal WWTP, compared with a business-as-usual scenario combining mono-digestion of MMS and incineration of FVW. The LCA was modelled in openLCA 2.5 using the ecoinvent 3.9.1 database (cut-off allocation approach), and impacts were assessed with the ReCiPe 2016 Midpoint (H) method, focusing on climate change, terrestrial acidification, fossil fuel depletion, and marine eutrophication. Results indicate that AcoD reduces impacts across all environmental categories, mainly due to higher biogas yields that increase on-site electricity generation and decrease reliance on grid electricity. Improved total solids removal also lowers digestate production and composting-related burdens. Electricity consumption remains the main hotspot in both scenarios, highlighting the importance of energy efficiency and electricity mix. Sensitivity analysis on methane content (61–65% v/v) confirms the robustness of AcoD’s environmental benefits. Full article

Background/Objectives: Healthcare activities contribute significantly to climate change and environmental pollution. The demand for bone grafting is increasing, and the biological properties of bone substitute materials are critically important. A methodology aimed at preserving BMPs may offer an opportunity to improve the biological properties of donor cadaver-derived bone grafts. The aim of this study was to conduct a life cycle assessment of the BMP-preserving approach used in allograft production in order to enhance the environmental sustainability of bone grafting. Methods: Following primary data collection at the West Hungarian Regional Tissue Bank, environmental impacts were assessed using the OpenLCA software and the ReCiPe v1.03 (2016) midpoint and endpoint impact categories. A sensitivity analysis was also conducted under six alternative scenarios to evaluate which changes would have the greatest beneficial effect on environmental impacts. Results: The greatest environmental impacts of allograft production were observed in the categories of material resources: metals and minerals, terrestrial ecotoxicity, and climate change. The climate change impact was 66.759 kg CO₂-eq. The environmental impacts of the production process also had a significant influence on human health, with a total DALY value of 6.58 h. The impacts were primarily driven by electricity consumption and the chemicals used; however, in several impact categories, waste management also contributed substantially. Conclusions: Transitioning to more sustainable energy sources (e.g., wind power) would substantially improve the environmental performance of allograft production. Further research is needed to identify more sustainable alternatives for the chemical agents used during processing. Full article

We investigated the synthesis and characterization of biodegradable films composed of poly (lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), with lignin as a natural additive and dicumyl peroxide (DCP) as a compatibilizer. The PLA/PBAT ratio of 70:30 was optimized and the DCP was incorporated at different concentrations to enhance interfacial adhesion. The effects of lignin addition (0.005–0.02%) on the mechanical, thermal, and biodegradation properties were evaluated using SEM, FTIR, XRD, and TGA analyses. The optimal formulation had improved tensile strength, elongation at break, and thermal stability, with the highest degradation rate of 44.22% after 90 days of soil burial. Life cycle assessment using SimaPro software (SimaPro 9.1.1.1) and ReCiPe 2016 Midpoint indicated that the film containing 0.005% lignin had the lowest environmental impact. The primary environmental concerns were marine and freshwater ecotoxicity, associated with solvent use. Based on the results, incorporating small amounts of lignin enhanced the biodegradability and reduced the environmental footprint of the PLA/PBAT films, highlighting their potential for sustainable packaging applications. Full article