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Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MassachusettsMaterials Systems LaboratoryValuation of Life Cycle InventoriesThe EPS SystemESD.123; 2006Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MassachusettsMaterials Systems LaboratoryLife Cycle Analysis: Three stage ProcessSETAC Life Cycle FrameworkImpactAnalysisGoalImprovementAnalysisInventoryAnalysisMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MassachusettsMaterials Systems LaboratoryInputsRawMaterialsEnergyOutputsAirborne EmissionsWater EffluentsOther Environmental ReleasesUsable ProductsSolid WastesRaw Material AcquisitionManufacturing, Processingand FormulationDistribution and TransportationUse/Re-Use/MaintenanceWaste ManagementRecycleLife Cycle InventoryMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MassachusettsMaterials Systems LaboratoryComplex When Dealing With A Real ProblemEffluent/WasteResources/Raw MaterialsVehicleDisposalVehicle Distribution,Sale & UseVehicleAssemblySubassembly/Component ManufactureParts FabricationMaterials Refining& ProcessingPrimary MaterialsExtractionMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MassachusettsMaterials Systems LaboratoryInventory Analysis Goals! To Establish Baseline Information for Specific Products orActivities! To Rank the Relative Contributions from Specific Stagesin Life Cycle! To Understand Relative Environmental Burdens ofCompeting Products or Activities! To Use as Guide for :" Process and Product Evaluation by Designers" Information and Assessment for Consumers" Guidelines and Indications for Government! Issue of Valuation for Improvement AnalysisMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MassachusettsMaterials Systems LaboratoryImprovement Analysis! Based on Pertinent Metrics, Make Decisions to ImproveEnvironment! How to Decide Between Two “Evils:”" Product A, w/ 1,000 kg of CO2 emissions? => Global Warming" Product B, w/ 3,000 kg of CO2 emissions? => Global Warming" Product C, w/ 1,000 kg of SO2 emissions => Acid Rain! Valuation: Balance of Trade-Offs Between" Environmental" Economic" Technological / EngineeringMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MassachusettsMaterials Systems LaboratoryImprovement Analysis & ValuationMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MassachusettsMaterials Systems LaboratoryScreeningMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MassachusettsMaterials Systems LaboratoryIndexingMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MassachusettsMaterials Systems LaboratoryMore Complex ValuationsMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MassachusettsMaterials Systems LaboratoryImpact Assessment! Attempt to describe environmental consequences ofthe activity being studied" Accomplished by translating inventory intoconsequence (or impact)! Aggregation of inventory information into fewermetrics! Mechanics complex (and controversial)Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MassachusettsMaterials Systems LaboratoryIssues - 1! Translating “emissions” into “impact”" CO2 release ! increased thermal absorption! raises terrestrial temperature" So what?higher temps ! increase desertification! increase glacial melting! increase ocean temperature! …! Cause and effect chains; necessary, but lengthy" Recall issues of scoping in inventory, leading to….Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MassachusettsMaterials Systems LaboratoryIssues - 2! Which effects to track?! ISO establishes 3 broad categories of concern" Resource use" Human health" Ecological consequences! Objections" Complete list?" Double counting?Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MassachusettsMaterials Systems LaboratoryImpact Assessment! Impact category definition" Which impacts are of concern" How to go from emissions to impacts! Classification" Categorize impacts according to key environmental stressors(e.g. “global warming potential,” etc.! Characterization (or quantification)" What’s the size of the impact?! Valuation" Rank or aggregate for comparative assessmentMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MassachusettsMaterials Systems LaboratoryLots of approaches! In the end, all trying to do the same thinginventory of emissions ! consequences of emissions! Do it yourself?! Or rely on others to do it for you…..Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MassachusettsMaterials Systems LaboratoryEnvironmental Priorities Strategy: EPS! System Objectives" Introduce Environmentally Sound ProductDevelopment" Establish Common Database for Life CycleInventories" Develop PC-Based Tools for Eco- Product Design" Delineate Environmental Effects throughoutProduct Life" Inform & Educate Industrial Target GroupsMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MassachusettsMaterials Systems LaboratoryFeatures of Environmental Priority Strategies! Based on Swedish Parliament's Safeguard Subjects:" Biodiversity" Production (reproduction of biological organisms)" Human Health" Resources" Aesthetics! “Environmental Burden” Determined ForActivities & ProcessesMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MassachusettsMaterials Systems LaboratoryFeatures of Environmental Priority Strategies! System Designed to Allow “Objective”Decisionmaking! Monetization Reduces Complex Data To OneNumerical Value! “Environmental Load” Assigned To EachResource, Emission & Activity On A Per UnitMass Basis! Load Applied For Each Element Of LCAInventory & SummedMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MassachusettsMaterials Systems LaboratoryInstitutional Features of EPS! Scientific Analysis of Effects of Emissions" Done at Chalmers Institute! Inventory Work To Be Done By Individual Firms! Values From Various SourcesMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MassachusettsMaterials Systems LaboratoryEnvironmental x Quantity = Environmental Load Index Load ValueUnits for ELI: Environmental Load Units / quantity = ELU / kg or ELU/part or ELU/ m2Units for ELV: Environmental Load Units = ELUEPS Basic PrincipleMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MassachusettsMaterials Systems LaboratoryCase I: Polypropene Bucket! Weight: 0.7 kg! Material: Polypropene" Environmental Load Index: 0.68 ELU / kg! Process: Injection Molding" Environmental Load Index: 0.08 ELU / kgMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MassachusettsMaterials Systems LaboratoryMaterials &ProcessesELV = ELI * QuantityMaterial:PolypropeneProcess:Injection


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MIT ESD 123J - Valuation of Life Cycle Inventories

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