Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) for ecodesign of
consumer products
Contact :
Bethany Murray
Sustainability Consultant
[email protected]
Agenda
Introduction to ecodesign
Life cycle analysis
•
•
•
•
•
Benefits of LCA
Environmental impacts
Levels of LCA
Stages of LCA
Methods and tools
Communicating results: ecolabelling
LCA case study
Q and A
2
What is eco-design?
Eco-design is a holistic approach which considers the environment during the first
steps of a product or a service conception.
The aim is to reduce the negative impacts of a product on the environment all along its
life cycle while preserving its quality and functions
3
Quantify environmental impacts throughout
the product life cycle…
Res
our
ce
Gre
enh
ous
e ef
fect
Air
dep
letio
n
poll
utio
n
Transport
Raw materials
Manufacturing
Logistics
End of life
Product use
Lan
d us
e
Eco
toxi
city
Wa
ste
4
…for a range of ecological and economic benefits
Packaging &
logistics
optimization
Energy savings
Low emissions
Optimized material
consumption
(renewable materials,
recycled materials,…)
Low energy
consumption
Life span
optimisation
Design for
Recycling
5
To make the right decisions…
Compared to natural fibres, synthetic fibres require more energy in
production.
– Production of 1 kg of cotton = 55 MJ / Kg of fibre
– Production of 1 Kg of polyester = 125 MJ / Kg of fibre
Source : LCA New Zealand Merino industry – The agribusiness group - March 2006.
But using a « global » approach (life cycle analysis) may lead to
different conclusions
6
a ls
En
do
fL
ife
Us
e
od
uc
tio
n
Lo
gis
tic
s
Pr
a ls
Impacts
Ma
ter
i
En
do
fL
ife
Us
e
od
uc
tio
n
Lo
gis
tic
s
Pr
Ma
ter
i
…and avoid pollution transfer
Impacts
Transfer of impacts
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To avoid brand exposure…
NGO’s are applying pressure to companies be transparent about their
environmental impacts and commit to reduce them
The accusations of
Greenpeace vs Apple
Greenpeace accuse the iPhone to be
a polluting mobile
The answer of Apple
http://www.greenpeace.org/france/green-my-apple/
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…meet increasing expectations of
consumers,
Consumers are more and more interested in the hidden
face of the products they buy. Besides the price and the
quality, they also want to know how, where and by who the
product was manufactured
The requirement for information at point of sale is therefore
a key driver for increased eco-labelling of products
Consumers also drive ecodesign through their
expectations for greener and more socially conscious
products
Retailers are in a good position to influence the process
through promoting greener product ranges, so in turn
increasing customer awareness and choice editing
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…and to be prepared for increasing regulation
and provide leadership on voluntary initiatives
Voluntary initiatives
Europe-wide: programme on Sustainable
Production and Consumption; Ecoflower ecolabel
France: Environmental labelling is to be
implemented in 2011, based on LCA and including
multiple environmental indicators
UK: PAS2050 2008 (voluntary standard)
Germany: Product Carbon footprint PCF - 2009
Regulations
EuP directive:
ecodesign of electrical
produts
REACH: responsibility
of manufacturers to
reduce chemicals in
products
China: Building a national LCI Database.
Cooperation between the European Platform on LCA
and the National LCA project in China. 2008
WEEE: responsibility
of manufacturers to deal
with end of life of
product
USA: Improvement of the USA LCA database,
various carbon labelling initiatives
Carbon tax, e.g. on
packaging in Holland
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Product environmental assessment:
Introduction to Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)
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Ecodesign: product environmental assessment
Management
solutions
Life cycle analysis
Product
environmental
assessment
Product
solutions
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Benefits of life cycle analysis
To choose the right technology, to choose between two
product architectures
Drive innovation
Prove that the product is greener, with hard facts
Inform the customer about the environmental profile of a
product
Show conformity relative to the green purchasing policy of
a customer
Avoid false environmental messages
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What are the environmental impacts of
products?
Every product generates environmental impacts during each step of
its life cycle (production, distribution, end of life): for example,
consumption of materials and energy, air and water emissions, and
production of waste…
Source : Ecolabel européen
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Impacts and substances relevant in LCA
Impacts
Global warming
Substances
CO2, methane,
nitrogenous oxides,
ethane, nitrous oxides,
Origins
Combustion of fossil
fuels
Depletion of ozone layer
HCFC, CFC
Refrigeration,
air-conditioning, plastic
foaming process, solvents
Human toxicity
Di-chlorobenzene,
cadmium, chrome VI, lead,
HAP
Agriculture,
cosmetics, cleaning
products, cars.
Photochemical oxidation
NOx, VOC, methane
Industry, gas, traffic,
agriculture, forests.
Acidification
NOx, SO2
and HCL
Human activities
Eutrophication
Phosphorus,
phosphate, nitrate
Detergents and
fertilisers
Abiotic depletion
Fossil fuels, water…
Environmental toxicity
Accumulation of
toxic substances
Industry, agriculture,
domestic use
Emissions from industry
and agriculture
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What is Life cycle assessment?
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) - compilation and evaluation of the inputs, outputs
and the potential environmental impacts of a product system throughout its life
cycle. (ISO 14040 – 14044)
Inputs and outputs : Materials,
Energy, Waste, Emissions, Product.
Multiple environmental impacts :
Global warming, Ozone depletion,
Acidification…(multi-criteria approach
to avoid pollution transfer)
Life cycle : Raw materials,
Production, Transport, use, end of
life.
Technical indicators: not usually for
communication purposes by
themselves (simpler values would be
reported on ecolabels)
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Two main levels of LCA
« Screening »
or
« Simplified »
« Full LCA »
Characteristics:
Characteristics:
• Use average data and estimations from LCI
databases
• Neglect some phases of the life cycle
Use example:
• Critical points analysis
• Product portfolio analysis
Use example
Cotton cultivation
Spinning
End
of
life
• Mainly product/process specific data, from
measurements, interviews, audits, …
• Generates new Life Cycle Inventory data
• Takes into account all life cycle phases
• Creation of Environmental product declaration
(ecoprofile)
• Public benchmark study
and Dry
filling
Greenhouse effect
Use
Manufacturing
Water consumption
Human toxicity
Eutrophication
Source: ADEME France
Waste
Source: Steelcase
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Life cycle analysis stages
Scope:
Functional unit, System boundary,
Assumption,…
Inventory analysis:
Data Collection, Process modeling: (Data
association, Quantification,…)
Impacts assessment:
Selection of impact categories,
Classification, Characterization,
Uncertainty analysis...
Interpretation:
Identification of the significant issues,
evaluation on completeness, consistency,
conclusions, recommendations
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LCA methods and tools
Qualitative
Qualitativeand
andmonocriteria
monocriteriatools
tools
Qualitative:
Qualitative:matrix
matrixofofsimplified
simplifiedanalysis;
analysis;checklist
checklist
Semi-quantitative
Semi-quantitativescoring
scoringmethods
methods
Monocriteria
Monocriteriatools:
tools:Carbon
Carbonfootprinting,
footprinting,Recyclability
Recyclabilityassessment,
assessment,Energy
Energyefficiency
efficiency
assessment
assessment(quick
(quickand
andsimple
simplebut
butno
nomonitoring
monitoringofofpollution
pollutiontransfer)
transfer)
Quantitative
Quantitativetools
tools(software)
(software)
SIMAPRO
SIMAPROand
andGABI
GABIsoftware
softwareare
arethe
themost
mostused
usedand
andmore
moredeveloped
developedtoday:
today:
••complete
completedatabases
databases(Ecoinvent
(Ecoinventand
andspecific
specificdatabases)
databases)
••several
severalmethods
methods: :CML,
CML,Eco-indicator,…)
Eco-indicator,…)
••Other
Otherfunctionalities:
functionalities:LCC,
LCC,sensitivity
sensitivityanalysis
analysis
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Product solutions:
Communicating results via ecolabelling
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Communicating results: benefits of ecolabelling
There are many competitive advantages of ecolabelling for
retailers…
Communicate ecological aspects to consumers
Integrate competitive eco-label products and offer environmental
choices
Improve the brand image
…and for manufacturers:
Secure marketing communication using recognized standards
and official labels
Respond to the expectations of investors, customers and other
stakeholders
Communicate ecological performance and ecoefficiency to the
market
Integrate recognized methods including life cycle impact
assessment and carbon footprint evaluation.
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Types of ecolabels
A company may want to inform consumers about the environmental claims of a
specific product or service through the use of ecolabels.
Ecolabeling is a voluntary certification and verification process.
Environmental Labels, ISO14024 (Type I)
Official, voluntary, multiple-criteria-based third-party programme that
authorizes the use of environmental labels on products indicating overall
preference of a product within a particular category based on life cycle considerations
Self-declared Environmental Claims, ISO 14021 (Type II)
A programme involving self-declared environmental claims by parties likely to benefit
from such claims. These programs often involve single attributes and are not subject to
independent audit
Environmental Product Declarations, 14025 (Type III)
A programme involving a declaration that provides quantified environmental life cycle product information,
based on independent verification, and systematic data presented as a set of categories
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Communicating values: carbon labelling
PAS 2050 method (October 2008 – Carbon Trust, BSI and Defra)
Based on ISO 14044 LCA methodology
Only one environmental indicator - monocriteria (Greenhouse Gas Emissions)
E.g. Tesco in UK – carbon labelling on food products, detergents and light bulbs…
Source: www.tesco.com - www.carbontrust.co.uk
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Case study- Screening LCA
1. Evaluating three material choices for chopsticks
2. LCA of a pair of jeans
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Looking for “Green Chopsticks”
Using a high level analysis, validate which option, from an
environmental standpoint, would be the best choice
• 1. Bamboo chopsticks (product of reference)
• 2. Plastic chopsticks (similar product, with a different material)
• 3. Wooden chopsticks
All materials of the product have been analyzed, including
packaging along the following Life cycle stages:
•
•
•
•
Raw materials
Process
Transport
End of life
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Examine the process
All the steps of the process considered:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Cutting
Sanding
Boiling
Drying
…..
Water-based lacquer spray
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Environmental Impacts of Materials
Impacts of the production of materials (1kg)
Abiotic depletion
Acidification
Eutrophication
Global warming
(GWP100)
Human toxicity
Terrestrial
ecotoxicity
Photochemical
oxidation
ABS
PP
Bamboo
MDF
Bamboo looks like a good choice
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Focus on Materials and Processes
Impacts of the production of materials and the manufacturing of the chopsticks
120.
100.
80.
60.
40.
20.
0.
Abiotic depletion
Acidification
Eutrophication
Global w arming
(GWP100)
Human toxicity
Terrestrial
ecotoxicity
Photochemical
oxidation
Bamboo CN
Wood / Mixed UE/CN
Plastic / EU
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Through the whole life cycle
Normalized impacts of the three kinds of chopsticks – full life cycle
Normalization w orld 1995
Abiotic
depletion
Acidification
Eutrophication
Global
warming
Human toxicity
Terrestrial
ecotoxicity
Photochemical
oxidation
Bamboo CN
Wood / Mixed UE/CN
Plastic / EU
Bamboo option is the best overall
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Identify the areas for improvement
Relative impacts of the different life stages for the bamboo chopsticks
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The life cycle analysis of a pair of jeans
Scenario :
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
A pair of blue jeans gently washed
Weight : 666 g
Use : 1 day per week during 4 years
Machine washed (class C, 40°c) after being worn 3 times
End of life : 50% household waste, 50% re-use for four years.
Culture : USA (2nd biggest producer)
Production : India, Uzbekistan and Egypt.
Consumption (use) : France
Source : Exemples d’apport d’ACV en matière de réduction d’impacts de notre consommation 2006 ADEME
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Life cycle analysis of a pair of jeans
Cotton flower culture
Cotton spinning and finishing
Fabric & trousers process
Disposal
Product use
Type of impact
GHG emission
Water
Toxicity
Eutrophication
Waste
Source : Exemples d’apport d’ACV en matière de réduction d’impacts de notre consommation 2006 ADEME
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Life cycle analysis of a pair of jeans
Examples of action track :
Report :
Allocation of the
greenhouse effect
Production &
distribution of the
jeans
Use and end of
life of the jeans
2 levels of action for the consumer :
Purchasing choice : Biological cotton, non-stone-washed pants…
Use practices : right proportions of washing powder, reducing
the washing temperature, re-use…
Source : Exemples d’apport d’ACV en matière de réduction d’impacts de notre consommation 2006 ADEME
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Thank you!
Any questions?.
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