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Search Results (202)

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19 pages, 2995 KB  
Article
Socio-Environmental Assessment of a Tailings Water Softening Technology for Reuse in Alternative Systems in Central Chile: An Approach to Industrial Ecology
by Marco A. Vargas, Luis A. Cisternas, Yasna Tapia and Ana Carvalho
Sustainability 2025, 17(20), 9269; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17209269 (registering DOI) - 19 Oct 2025
Abstract
In north-central Chile, water reuse is essential due to the arid climate. Mining tailings ponds offer a promising opportunity for water recovery; however, the water quality often fails to meet the environmental standards for discharging liquid waste into marine and inland surface waters. [...] Read more.
In north-central Chile, water reuse is essential due to the arid climate. Mining tailings ponds offer a promising opportunity for water recovery; however, the water quality often fails to meet the environmental standards for discharging liquid waste into marine and inland surface waters. This study proposes a bioreactor-based technology for softening tailings water while also addressing the need to quantify its sustainability impacts. To achieve that, an evaluation of the environmental and social performance of the bioreactor is conducted, comparing it with established softening methods, using an industrial ecology approach. This evaluation aims to explore scalable alternatives for sustainable water management. Environmental impacts are quantified using the ReCiPe 2016, with data sourced from Ecoinvent v3.8 and Agrifootprint databases. Social risks are assessed through the Social Hotspot Database modeling in SimaPro 9.5.0.2. The results indicate that the bioreactor demonstrates greater sustainability compared to membrane-based systems, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 95%. It also registers the lowest aggregated social risks due to its minimal energy intensity, lack of hazardous chemicals, and simplified infrastructure. In contrast, reverse osmosis, while delivering higher quality permeate, results in the highest environmental burdens and occupational hazards. This research validates the bioreactor as an enabler of industrial ecology, transforming tailings water into a circular resource. Full article
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19 pages, 1111 KB  
Article
Life Cycle Assessment of the Construction and Demolition Waste Recovery Process
by Mateusz Malinowski, Zuzanna Basak, Stanisław Famielec, Arkadiusz Bieszczad, Sabina Angrecka and Stanisław Bodziacki
Materials 2025, 18(20), 4685; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18204685 - 13 Oct 2025
Viewed by 309
Abstract
Effective recovery of materials from construction and demolition waste (CDW) remains a major problem and a real challenge in terms of implementing the circular economy. In many countries, this waste is landfilled due to the lack of modern technological lines for its recovery [...] Read more.
Effective recovery of materials from construction and demolition waste (CDW) remains a major problem and a real challenge in terms of implementing the circular economy. In many countries, this waste is landfilled due to the lack of modern technological lines for its recovery and recycling, including the sorting of materials suitable for reuse. Understanding the environmental impact of the CDW treatment process is important as it constitutes the final stage of building life cycle assessment and the basis for eco-design of construction processes. In addition, the recovered materials can be used as raw materials for construction, thereby closing the waste loop and aligning with the circular economy concept. The purpose of this study is to compare the environmental impact of three different CDW recovery technologies in order to identify the optimal option. The analysis was performed using the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, SimaPro 8.1 software, and the Ecoinvent v3.8 database. 1 Mg of processed CDW was adopted as the functional unit. It was found that the process of recovering materials from CDW allows for sorting over 13% of materials for recycling and approx. 40% of raw materials for reuse (stone aggregates). The conducted analyses showed that all three installations exert a negative impact on the environment. Solution No. 2 had the lowest total environmental impact (15.96 Pt) under the assumptions and datasets used in this study, presenting average electricity and fuel consumption and average weight of sorted materials for recycling. Installation No. 3, which sorts the largest volume of materials for recycling, also used the most electricity; therefore, it could not be considered as the solution with the minimal overall environmental impact. The research revealed that the treatment of CDW in a crusher, applied at all installations, is the process stage resulting in the greatest environmental pressure (16.92 Pt). The high level of sorted recyclable waste enabled a relatively low carbon footprint for processes No. 2 and No. 3, 18.7 and 17.6 kg CO2 eq, respectively (more than four times lower than for installation No. 1). Future analyses should focus on optimizing the CDW recovery process by avoiding the use of impact crushers, as adding more waste sorting equipment does not significantly enhance environmental benefits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Construction and Building Materials)
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19 pages, 850 KB  
Article
Carbon Footprint Comparison and Environmental Impact Analysis of Ternary Lithium-Ion and Lithium Iron Phosphate Power Batteries
by Hao Zhang, Zhilong Wei and Haisheng Zhen
Energies 2025, 18(18), 4914; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18184914 - 16 Sep 2025
Viewed by 583
Abstract
Ternary lithium-ion and lithium iron phosphate power batteries are widely used on electric vehicles in China. However, the development of their carbon footprint assessment systems is still in its initial stage. This paper calculates the carbon footprints of commonly used ternary lithium-ion and [...] Read more.
Ternary lithium-ion and lithium iron phosphate power batteries are widely used on electric vehicles in China. However, the development of their carbon footprint assessment systems is still in its initial stage. This paper calculates the carbon footprints of commonly used ternary lithium-ion and lithium iron phosphate power batteries and analyzes their ecological impacts on the environment. Life cycle of the power batteries are divided into production and usage, and the inventory data of the battery in two stages are collected according to 1 kWh unit. The software Simapro and the IPCC 2021 GWP 100 carbon footprint calculation method are used to calculate the carbon footprint. The results show that the carbon footprint contribution of ternary lithium-ion batteries is the largest in the production stage, accounting for 75.8% of the total carbon footprint. This is because three precious metals (cobalt, nickel and manganese) account for a large proportion of the carbon footprint. For lithium iron phosphate batteries, the carbon footprint contribution is the largest in the usage stage, accounting for 59% of the total carbon footprint, mainly due to the low proportion of green power in China’s power system. A comparison of the total carbon emissions of two types of batteries shows that the total emissions of lithium iron phosphate batteries are generally half of those of ternary lithium-ion batteries, indicating that lithium iron phosphate batteries are superior to ternary lithium-ion batteries in terms of ecological impact on the environmental. Full article
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19 pages, 1707 KB  
Article
Life Cycle Assessment of Swimming Goggles: Evaluating Environmental Impact and Consumer Awareness
by Vasilissa Nikonova, Veronica Bortolotto, Costanza Bebber, Irene Presti, Gabriele Angelo Valtorta, Serena Biella and Claudia Letizia Bianchi
J. Exp. Theor. Anal. 2025, 3(3), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/jeta3030027 - 11 Sep 2025
Viewed by 404
Abstract
This study evaluates the environmental impact of swimming goggles through a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), comparing virgin and recycled polycarbonate models. It identifies key hotspots, assesses circular economy benefits, and examines barriers to sustainable disposal, aligning with European Union’s (EU) 2050 sustainability objectives. [...] Read more.
This study evaluates the environmental impact of swimming goggles through a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), comparing virgin and recycled polycarbonate models. It identifies key hotspots, assesses circular economy benefits, and examines barriers to sustainable disposal, aligning with European Union’s (EU) 2050 sustainability objectives. The LCA was modeled using SimaPro, with the Environmental Footprint (EF) 3.1 method to analyze 16 impact categories (e.g., climate change, human toxicity, resource depletion). Two scenarios were assessed: (1) virgin polycarbonate production and (2) a closed-loop system (80% recycled content, 30% reintegration). Primary data from a survey of 150 competitive swimmers quantified disposal behaviors. The lens production phase (bisphenol A processing) dominated impacts, contributing to 62% of climate change and 75% of human toxicity. The recycling scenario reduced total impact by 23.1% (119 → 91.5 mPt), with significant declines in freshwater ecotoxicity (−28.6%) and marine eutrophication (−25.1%). Survey data highlighted critical gaps: low consumer participation in recycling due to lack of awareness and inadequate disposal infrastructure. Recycled polycarbonate can substantially mitigate environmental impacts, but systemic barriers (consumer behavior, collection gaps) limit progress. Future work should explore bio-based polymers and policy incentives to accelerate circularity. Full article
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24 pages, 3365 KB  
Article
A Comparative Study of Standardised Inputs and Inconsistent Outputs in LCA Software
by Joseph Gong, Vishnupriya Vishnupriya and Suzanne Wilkinson
Buildings 2025, 15(17), 3174; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15173174 - 4 Sep 2025
Viewed by 630
Abstract
Motivation: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a valuable tool for quantifying environmental impacts in construction. However, inconsistencies between software outputs may compromise effective decision-making. Knowledge Gap: In New Zealand’s construction sector, practitioners have limited guidance in selecting suitable LCA tools due to gaps [...] Read more.
Motivation: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a valuable tool for quantifying environmental impacts in construction. However, inconsistencies between software outputs may compromise effective decision-making. Knowledge Gap: In New Zealand’s construction sector, practitioners have limited guidance in selecting suitable LCA tools due to gaps in software scope, data transparency, and the quality of result interpretation. Aim and Objectives: This study investigates inconsistencies in results produced by eight widely used LCA software tools and identifies the key factors contributing to these variations. Research Method: This study uses a comparative analysis with data from a timber-framed warehouse project in Auckland, New Zealand. Eight software tools (SimaPro V9.0, openLCA V2.0, LCAQuick V3.5, Building Carbon Calculator V1.0, CCaLC2 V3.1, eTool V5.0, One Click LCA, and Athena Impact Estimator for Buildings V5.4) were evaluated across 14 environmental impact categories using standardised inputs. Preliminary Findings: Substantial inconsistencies were observed even with standardised inputs, although SimaPro V9.0 and openLCA V2.0 provided the most consistent results. These findings highlight the importance of software selection for reliable environmental assessments. Research Significance: This study aids industry practitioners in selecting effective LCA tools for sustainable construction practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Life Cycle Management of Building and Infrastructure Projects)
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14 pages, 1300 KB  
Article
Life Cycle Assessment of Industrial Glass Cullet Recycling Process Based on Alkaline Activation
by Elena Battiston, Francesco Carollo, Giulia Tameni, Enrico Bernardo and Anna Mazzi
Ceramics 2025, 8(3), 109; https://doi.org/10.3390/ceramics8030109 - 29 Aug 2025
Viewed by 1151
Abstract
To mitigate the issue of accumulating glass waste, an advanced process has been developed for the production of glass foams via alkaline activation, employing industrial glass cullet as the primary raw material. This method contributes to circular economy strategies by enabling high-value upcycling [...] Read more.
To mitigate the issue of accumulating glass waste, an advanced process has been developed for the production of glass foams via alkaline activation, employing industrial glass cullet as the primary raw material. This method contributes to circular economy strategies by enabling high-value upcycling of secondary raw materials. The aim of the study is to conduct an environmental assessment of this recycling process using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The analysis is performed with SimaPro software, adopting the ReCiPe impact assessment method, which allows for the quantification of 18 impact categories. Four distinct foaming processes were compared to determine the most environmentally preferable option and a sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess how variations in energy sources influence the environmental performance. The findings indicate that the scenario involving hardening at 40 °C for seven days results in the highest environmental burdens. Specifically, in the Human Carcinogenic Toxicity category, the normalized impacts for this process are approximately an order of magnitude greater. Electricity consumption is identified as the primary contributor to the overall impact. The sensitivity analysis underscores that utilizing photovoltaic panels reduces impacts. Future developments will focus on expanding the system boundaries to provide a more comprehensive understanding and supporting informed decision-making. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ceramics in the Circular Economy for a Sustainable World)
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20 pages, 1646 KB  
Review
A Systematic Review of Nutraceuticals from the Perspective of Life-Cycle Assessment
by Ilija Djekic, Nada Smigic and Dubravka Vitali Čepo
Pharmaceuticals 2025, 18(9), 1278; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18091278 - 27 Aug 2025
Viewed by 893
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Despite its growing application, life-cycle assessment (LCA) in the nutraceutical sector has not been systematically studied, leaving a gap in our understanding of the unique challenges of assessing its environmental footprint. The main objective of this study was to provide an [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Despite its growing application, life-cycle assessment (LCA) in the nutraceutical sector has not been systematically studied, leaving a gap in our understanding of the unique challenges of assessing its environmental footprint. The main objective of this study was to provide an overview of scientific publications related to nutraceuticals from the LCA perspective. Methods: This review combined bibliometric analysis, using VOSViewer as an analytic tool, with the search of the Web of Science database, aiming to identify the most relevant papers associated with nutraceuticals and life-cycle assessment. Results: The final selection of the most relevant publications was set at 65, analyzing 78 different nutraceuticals. Results reveal that the main sources of raw materials for extraction of nutraceuticals are marine-based, plant-based, and from agri-food waste. Polyphenols were analyzed 34 times and were predominantly sourced from plants, while carotenoids, analyzed 17 times, were mainly linked with marine-based and food waste-derived sources. The main environmental footprints were focused on climate change, covering most of the nutraceuticals analyzed (97.4%), followed by acidification (78.2%) and eutrophication (74.4%). SimaPro was the prevailing software used for 43.6% nutraceuticals, while the prevailing database was Ecoinvent, used in two thirds of the cases (66.7%). ReCiPe, as a life-cycle inventory assessment method, was used for calculating 34.6% of analyzed cases, followed by CML (33.3%). Conclusions: This systematic review highlights the main challenge in LCA studies, outlining great variability in study boundaries, functional units, and reported environmental footprints, and making it difficult to compare the environmental impacts of similar nutraceutical groups from a life-cycle perspective. This underscores the urgent need to improve input-data quality and develop standardized methodologies to validate sustainability claims using LCA. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Natural Products)
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14 pages, 2449 KB  
Article
Improving Environmental Sustainability of Food-Contact Polypropylene Packaging Production
by Alberto Pietro Damiano Baltrocchi, Francesco Romagnoli, Marco Carnevale Miino and Vincenzo Torretta
Clean Technol. 2025, 7(3), 70; https://doi.org/10.3390/cleantechnol7030070 - 12 Aug 2025
Viewed by 846
Abstract
Most types of packaging that are in contact with food are made of polypropylene (PP), and the environmental impacts of their production and use are still high. Currently, incorporating recycled PP in the food industry is not a viable solution for reducing environmental [...] Read more.
Most types of packaging that are in contact with food are made of polypropylene (PP), and the environmental impacts of their production and use are still high. Currently, incorporating recycled PP in the food industry is not a viable solution for reducing environmental impacts due to its complexity and high costs. For this reason, understanding how to reduce the environmental impacts derived from the production process of plastic food packaging is essential. This study aims to analyze the environmental performance of the production of single-use PP food-contact packaging using the Life Cycle Assessment approach in order to estimate the effectiveness of proposed solutions to mitigate its impacts. Furthermore, the economic savings from the avoided CO2 emissions were estimated. To achieve these goals, three diverse scenarios with different energy source mixes were studied. The analysis was carried out using SimaPro v9.5 software, the Ecoinvent v3.8 database, and a ReCiPe 2016 impact assessment. The findings show that upstream processes are the main contributors to the environmental profile, with 67% of the total impact, followed by core processes, with 32% of the total impacts. An increase in the use of renewable energy can lead to environmental benefits, with an impact reduction ranging from 13% to 61% depending on the energy source mix. Furthermore, up to EUR 12,458 per 100 tons of units produced was saved due to the lack of CO2 emissions. The results of this research will be useful to encourage the use of renewable energy in the processes of PP packaging production as an alternative when polymer replacement is difficult. Full article
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18 pages, 629 KB  
Article
Bridging Nutritional and Environmental Assessment Tools: A One Health Integration Using Zinc Supplementation in Weaned Pigs
by Jinsu Hong, Joel Tallaksen and Pedro E. Urriola
Environments 2025, 12(8), 279; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments12080279 - 12 Aug 2025
Viewed by 950
Abstract
Zinc is an essential trace mineral for livestock, but excessive use can contribute to ecotoxicity and antimicrobial resistance. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of different zinc oxide (ZnO) levels in diets for weaned pigs on growth performance, mortality, [...] Read more.
Zinc is an essential trace mineral for livestock, but excessive use can contribute to ecotoxicity and antimicrobial resistance. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of different zinc oxide (ZnO) levels in diets for weaned pigs on growth performance, mortality, dietary zinc flow, and environmental impacts. A 6-week feeding trial with 432 weaned pigs assessed three dietary treatments: high ZnO (pharmaceutical levels), intermediate ZnO, and low ZnO (EU recommendation). Growth performance for the growing–finishing period was modeled using the NRC (2012), and dietary Zn intake and fecal Zn excretion were estimated. Environmental impacts were analyzed via life cycle assessment (LCA) using SimaPro LCA software. High ZnO improved growth performance and reduced mortality (p < 0.05), but increased nursery fecal zinc excretion, resulting in a total fecal Zn excretion per pig of 54,125 mg, 59,485 mg, and 106,043 mg for low-, intermediate-, and high-ZnO treatments, respectively. In the nursery phase, high-ZnO treatment had the greatest impact on environmental footprint, increasing freshwater ecotoxicity and marine ecotoxicity indicators by 59.6% and 57.9%, respectively. However, high-ZnO-fed pigs had a greater body weight at the end of the nursery phase and were predicted to achieve a higher growth rate per 130 kg market pig, with fewer days to market and by sparing feed. Therefore, high-ZnO-fed pigs had reduced environmental burdens, including global warming potential, ozone depletion, land use, and mineral resource depletion. These findings demonstrate how livestock nutritionists can apply integrated modeling approaches to link animal performance with environmental outcomes within a One Health framework. Full article
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21 pages, 5122 KB  
Article
Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Solar Thermal, Solar PV, and Biogas Energy Systems: Insights from Case Studies
by Somil Thakur, Deepak Singh, Umair Najeeb Mughal, Vishal Kumar and Rajnish Kaur Calay
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(14), 8082; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15148082 - 21 Jul 2025
Viewed by 1801
Abstract
The growing imperative to mitigate climate change and accelerate the shift toward energy sustainability has called for a critical evaluation of heat and electricity generation methods. This article presents a comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) of solar and biogas energy systems on a [...] Read more.
The growing imperative to mitigate climate change and accelerate the shift toward energy sustainability has called for a critical evaluation of heat and electricity generation methods. This article presents a comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) of solar and biogas energy systems on a common basis of 1 kWh of useful energy using SimaPro, the ReCiPe 2016 methodology (both midpoint and endpoint indicators), and cumulative energy demand (CED) analysis. This study is the first to evaluate co-located solar PV, solar thermal compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) and biogas combined heat and power (CHP) systems with in situ data collected under identical climatic and operational conditions. The project costs yield levelized costs of electricity (LCOE) of INR 2.4/kWh for PV, 3.3/kWh for the solar thermal dish and 4.1/kWh for biogas. However, the collaborated findings indicate that neither solar-based systems nor biogas technology uniformly outperform the others; rather, their effectiveness hinges on contextual factors, including resource availability and local policy incentives. These insights will prove critical for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and local communities seeking to develop effective, context-sensitive strategies for sustainable energy deployment, emissions reduction, and robust resource management. Full article
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42 pages, 1835 KB  
Article
Social Life Cycle Assessment of Multifunctional Bioenergy Systems: Social and Socioeconomic Impacts of Hydrothermal Treatment of Wet Biogenic Residues into Intermediate Bioenergy Carriers and Sustainable Solid Biofuels
by Marco Ugolini, Lucia Recchia, Ciro Avolio and Cristina Barragan Yebra
Energies 2025, 18(14), 3695; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18143695 - 12 Jul 2025
Viewed by 658
Abstract
This study presents a social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) of the F-CUBED Production System (FPS), an innovative process that converts wet biogenic residues—specifically paper biosludge, virgin olive pomace, and fruit and vegetable residues—into intermediate bioenergy carriers via hydrothermal treatment (TORWASH®), pelletization, [...] Read more.
This study presents a social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) of the F-CUBED Production System (FPS), an innovative process that converts wet biogenic residues—specifically paper biosludge, virgin olive pomace, and fruit and vegetable residues—into intermediate bioenergy carriers via hydrothermal treatment (TORWASH®), pelletization, and anaerobic digestion. The hydrothermal carbonization of these low-grade, moisture-rich biogenic residues enhances the flexibility and reliability of renewable energy systems while also offering the potential to reduce environmental burdens compared to conventional disposal methods. Through this S-LCA, the study aims to evaluate the cradle-to-gate socioeconomic impacts of the FPS in three European contexts—Sweden, Italy, and Spain—using the 2020 UNEP Guidelines and the Social Hotspots Database (SHDB) and applying quantitative modeling via SimaPro. The functional unit is defined as 1 kWh of electricity produced. The assessment combines SHDB-based modeling with primary data from stakeholder surveys conducted in the three countries. Impact categories are harmonized between SHDB and UNEP typologies, and the results are reported in medium-risk-hour equivalents (mrheq). The results show a heterogeneous social impact profile across case studies. In Sweden, the treatment of paper biosludge delivers substantial benefits with minimal risk. In Spain (orange peel), the introduction of the FPS demonstrated a strong social benefit, particularly in health and safety and labor rights, indicating high institutional performance and good integration with local industry. Conversely, in Italy (olive pomace), the FPS revealed significant social risks, especially in the biopellet production and electricity generation sectors, reflecting regional vulnerabilities in labor conditions and governance. This suggests that targeted mitigation strategies are recommended in contexts like Southern Italy. These findings highlight that the social sustainability of emerging bioenergy technologies is context-dependent and sensitive to sectoral and regional socioeconomic conditions. This S-LCA complements prior environmental assessments and emphasizes the importance of integrating social performance considerations in the deployment and scaling of innovative bioenergy systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Bioenergy and Waste-to-Energy Technologies)
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35 pages, 1595 KB  
Article
Analysis of the Synergies of Air Pollutant and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction in Typical Chemical Enterprises
by Qi Gong, Yatfei Chan, Yijia Xia, Weiqi Tang and Weichun Ma
Sustainability 2025, 17(14), 6263; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17146263 - 8 Jul 2025
Viewed by 489
Abstract
In this study, we selected the production processes and main products of three typical chemical enterprises in Shanghai, namely SH Petrochemical (part of the oil-refining sector), SK Ethylene, and HS Chlor-Alkali, to quantitatively assess the synergistic effects across technology, policy, and emission mechanisms. [...] Read more.
In this study, we selected the production processes and main products of three typical chemical enterprises in Shanghai, namely SH Petrochemical (part of the oil-refining sector), SK Ethylene, and HS Chlor-Alkali, to quantitatively assess the synergistic effects across technology, policy, and emission mechanisms. The localized air pollutant levels and greenhouse gas emissions of the three enterprises were calculated. The synergistic effects between the end-of-pipe emission reductions for air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions were analyzed using the pollutant reduction synergistic and cross-elasticity coefficients, including technology comparisons (e.g., acrylonitrile gas incineration (AOGI) technology vs. traditional flare). Based on these data, we used the SimaPro software and the CML-IA model to conduct a life cycle environmental impact assessment regarding the production and upstream processes of their unit products. By combining the life cycle method and the scenario simulation method, we predicted the trends in the environmental impacts of the three chemical enterprises after the implementation of low-carbon development policies in the chemical industry in 2030. We also quantified the synergistic effects of localized air pollutant and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions within the low-carbon development scenario by using cross-elasticity coefficients based on life cycle environmental impacts. The research results show that, for every ton of air pollutant reduced through end-of-pipe treatment measures, the HS Chlor-Alkali enterprise would increase its maximum CO2 emissions, amounting to about 80 tons. For SK Ethylene, the synergistic coefficient for VOC reduction and CO2 emissions when using AOGI thermal incineration technology is superior to that for traditional flare thermal incineration. The activities of the three enterprises had an impact on several environmental indicators, particularly the fossil fuel resource depletion potential, accounting for 69.48%, 53.94%, and 34.23% of their total environmental impact loads, respectively. The scenario simulations indicate that, in a low-carbon development scenario, the overall environmental impact loads of SH Petrochemical (refining sector), SK Ethylene, and HS Chlor-Alkali would decrease by 3~5%. This result suggests that optimizing the upstream power structure, using “green hydrogen” instead of “grey hydrogen” in hydrogenation units within refining enterprises, and reducing the consumption of electricity and steam in the production processes of ethylene and chlor-alkali are effective measures in reducing carbon emissions in the chemical industry. The quantification of the synergies based on life cycle environmental impacts revealed that there are relatively strong synergies for air pollutant and GHG emission reductions in the oil-refining industry, while the chlor-alkali industry has the weakest synergies. Full article
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16 pages, 912 KB  
Article
Environmental Impact Assessment of Heat Storage System in Rock-Bed Accumulator
by Mateusz Malinowski, Stanisław Bodziacki, Stanisław Famielec, Damian Huptyś, Sławomir Kurpaska, Hubert Latała and Zuzanna Basak
Energies 2025, 18(13), 3360; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18133360 - 26 Jun 2025
Viewed by 520
Abstract
The use of a rock-bed accumulator for a short-term heat storage and air exchange in a building facility is an economical and energy-efficient technological solution to balance and optimize the energy supplied to the facility. Existing scientific studies have not addressed, as yet, [...] Read more.
The use of a rock-bed accumulator for a short-term heat storage and air exchange in a building facility is an economical and energy-efficient technological solution to balance and optimize the energy supplied to the facility. Existing scientific studies have not addressed, as yet, the environmental impacts of using a rock bed for heat storage. The purpose of the research is the environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) of a heat storage system in a rock-bed accumulator supported by a photovoltaic installation. The boundaries of the analyzed system include manufacturing the components of the storage device, land preparation for the construction of the accumulator, the entire construction process, including transportation of materials, and its operation in cooperation with a horticultural facility (foil tunnel) during one growing season, as well as the photovoltaic installation. The functional unit in the analysis is 1 square meter of rock-bed accumulator surface area. SimaPro 8.1 software and Ecoinvent database were used to perform the LCA, applying the ReCiPe model to analyze environmental impact. The analysis showed the largest negative environmental impact occurs during raw materials extraction and component manufacturing (32.38 Pt). The heat stored during one season (April to October) at a greenhouse facility reduces this negative impact by approx. 7%, mainly due to the reduction in the use of fossil fuels to heat the facility. A 3 °C increase in average air temperature results in an average reduction of 0.7% per year in the negative environmental impact of the rock-bed thermal energy storage system. Full article
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15 pages, 1673 KB  
Article
The Use of Renewable Energy Sources in the Food Industry and the Reduction of CO2 Emissions: A Case Study of a Simulated PV Installation
by Patrycja Walichnowska, Marcin Zawada and Adam Idzikowski
Energies 2025, 18(12), 3155; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18123155 - 16 Jun 2025
Viewed by 637
Abstract
This study includes a simulation of two variants of a 1 MW photovoltaic farm, differing in the types of photovoltaic modules used in the PVSyst program. The first uses monofacial modules, and the second uses bifacial. The studies showed an 8% increase in [...] Read more.
This study includes a simulation of two variants of a 1 MW photovoltaic farm, differing in the types of photovoltaic modules used in the PVSyst program. The first uses monofacial modules, and the second uses bifacial. The studies showed an 8% increase in the energy obtained in the variant with bifacial modules, under the assumed simulation conditions. In the next stage, an environmental analysis was carried out using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method with a “gate-to-gate” approach for the mass packaging process in three different variants, differing in the source of energy powering the machines in the SimaPro program. In the first variant, electricity from the national energy mix was used. In the second, in addition to energy from the same mix, natural gas was additionally used in the shrinking stage of the film. In the third variant, energy obtained from a previously designed photovoltaic farm was considered. The results showed an about 80% reduction in the carbon footprint of the tested process in the case of changing the energy source to energy from a PV installation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section B: Energy and Environment)
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20 pages, 564 KB  
Review
Simple Steps Towards Sustainability in Healthcare: A Narrative Review of Life Cycle Assessments of Single-Use Medical Devices (SUDs) and Third-Party SUD Reprocessing
by Cassandra L. Thiel, David Sheon and Daniel J. Vukelich
Sustainability 2025, 17(12), 5320; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17125320 - 9 Jun 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1544
Abstract
This study reviews life cycle assessments (LCAs) of reprocessed single-use devices (rSUDs) in healthcare to quantify their greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions compared to original equipment manufacturer (OEM) SUDs (single-use devices). rSUDs offer notable reductions in solid waste generation, but, until recently, a [...] Read more.
This study reviews life cycle assessments (LCAs) of reprocessed single-use devices (rSUDs) in healthcare to quantify their greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions compared to original equipment manufacturer (OEM) SUDs (single-use devices). rSUDs offer notable reductions in solid waste generation, but, until recently, a reduction in greenhouse gases and other emissions from the reprocessing process was only hypothesized. Emerging LCAs in this space can help validate the assumptions of better environmental performance from greater circularity in the medical device industry. Four LCAs analyzing eight devices found consistent and significant GHG reductions ranging from 23% to 60% with rSUD use. Primary data from rSUD manufacturers were utilized in all studies, with SimaPro v9.3.0.2 and Ecoinvent v3.8 being the predominant LCA software and database. Raw material extraction and production dominated SUD emissions, while electricity use and packaging materials were key contributors for rSUDs. Sensitivity analyses highlighted the influence of electricity sources, collection rates, and reprocessing yields on rSUD environmental performance. A comparison with economic input–output-based models revealed an alignment at the time between price differentials and LCA-derived GHG differences, though this may not always hold true. This review demonstrates the substantial environmental benefits of rSUDs, supporting their role as a readily achievable step towards more sustainable and circular healthcare systems. Full article
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