Life cycle inventory of plastics losses from seafood supply chains: Methodology and application to French fish products

Plastic debris into the environment is a growing threat for the ecosystems and human health. The seafood sector is particularly concerned because it generates plastic losses and can be endangered by plastic contamination. Life cycle assessment (LCA) does not properly consider plastic losses and related impacts, which is a problem in order to find relevant mitigation strategies without burden shifting. This work proposes a methodology for quantifying flows of plastics from the life cycle of the seafood products to the environment. It is based on loss rate and final release rate considering a pre-fate approach as proposed by the Plastic Leak Project. They are defined for 5 types of micro and macro plastic losses: lost fishing gears, marine coatings, plastic pellets, tire abrasion and plastic mismanaged at the end-of-life. The methodology is validated with a case study applied to French fish products for which relevant data are available in the Agribalyse 3.0 database. Results show that average plastic losses are from 75 mg to 4345 mg per kg of fish at the consumer, depending on the species and the related fishing method. The main plastic losses come from lost fishing gears (macroplastics) and tire abrasion (microplastics). Results show high variability: when mismanaged, plastic packaging at the end-of-life (macroplastics) is the main loss to the environment. As a next step the methodology is to be applied to other fish or shellfish products, or directly implemented in a life cycle inventory database. Further research should characterize the related impacts to the environment when life cycle impact assessment methodologies will be available, and identify eco-design solutions to decrease the major flows to the environment identified

Life cycle assessment of end-of-life scenarios: tablet case study

This work presents a case study for a tablet treated in France. The objective was to assess the impacts of the end-of-life stage and its influence in the final results when considering different waste management scenarios. After a first analysis of the global electronic waste management scenario, three scenarios were selected: (1) optimistic scenario, in which the tablet is recycled considering the best available technologies; (2) a conservative scenario, which considers only the best referenced recycling channels; (3) a pessimist scenario considering the worst situation in terms of recycling. For some impact categories, the recycling activities result in higher environmental impacts than the scenarios with poor recycling, among others due to the increase in energy consumption during recycling. When the benefits of recycling are considered in the assessment, the advantage of recycling is evident, reinforcing the importance of the recycling channels as a provider of secondary materials that have lower environmental impacts. The differences in the results of the three scenarios reinforce the importance of clearly report the scenario considered in the end-of-life.The authors acknowledge the financial support from the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME) and Ecologic (a French compliance scheme)

Plastics in WEEE Screens: Difficulties and Opportunities to Improve the Recycling Rate

Nowadays the screens collected by the official e-waste schemes in France are mostly comprised of Cathode Ray Tube (CRT). Nevertheless, Flat Panel Display (FPD) collection should increase in the following years. Among other differences in material compositions, FPD screens have higher plastic content. In order to keep complying with the recycling targets for screens, as well as to increase the recycling performance per material, it is necessary to improve plastics recycling. The goal of this study is to quantify the plastic flows in screens generated, collected and recycled in France and to identify the current scenario of plastic recycling. The presence of flame retardants and additives in the plastics, the variety of polymer types, as well as the high volumes of black plastics are among the main challenges in plastics sorting and recycling. From the economic outlook, it is necessary to develop the market that uses secondary raw materials to ensure the profitability of the WEEE chain

Material Flow Analysis to Evaluate Supply Chain Evolution and Management: An Example Focused on Maritime Pine in the Landes de Gascogne Forest, France

The Landes de Gascogne forest, located in southwestern France, spans nearly 10,000 km2 and consists largely of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster). This forest in unique to Europe because it is almost entirely created and managed by man for specific industries. On the basis of a material flow analysis, we assessed the upstream supply chain of maritime pine from 2013 to 2019, using a cradle-to-gate approach. The assessment is based on data provided by Alliance Forêts Bois, an important stakeholder of the region and leader in the production of forest resources in France. For various reasons, the harvest totals decreased 10% in the last years. We identified a clear orientation to specific industries—in 2019, 45% was used as pulpwood. This is due to the overall design of the current territory, species of tree, and market values of the pulp and paper industry. The current design provides a limited supply of old growth trees, which produce high-quality logs for construction-based products, and are also more resistant to climate variability. A future shift or balance in raw material flows could be a crucial step in protecting the long-term economic viability of the region. This article aims to contribute to new attempts in providing comprehensive views of stocks and flows in the French forest-wood supply chain

The importance of primary data for life cycle assessment of construction products in Brazil

This work presents a study of six construction products: sand, gravel, clay block, concrete block, ready-mix concrete and mortar. National LCIs were developed using primary data collected at manufacturers located in the State of São Paulo, and upstream and downstream processes were based on the ecoinvent database. Datasets available in ecoinvent deemed representative of these six construction products were chosen for comparison. Four impact indicators were calculated: Global Warming Potential, Water Depletion, Cumulative Energy Demand and Resource Depletion. The differences between the national and the international impact results range from 10% to 255%, with an overall average difference of 69%. GWP was the indicator with the least average difference (53%); while Water Depletion had the highest (101%). Regarding the products, the differences considering all impact indicators range from 42% (gravel) to 109% (clay block). The results indicate the importance of national LCIs based on primary data in order to ensure reliable construction LCA studies in Brazi

Comparative analysis of procedures for the estimation of uncertainties in LCA: clay brick case study

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo discutir a estimativa de incertezas em ACV, utilizando três procedimentos de cálculo a partir de dados de inventários da produção de blocos cerâmicos de uma fábrica localizada no Estado de São Paulo (berço ao portão). O primeiro procedimento para a estimativa de incertezas consistiu na atribuição de modelos probabilísticos e seus parâmetros aos valores obtidos na fábrica. As distribuições de probabilidade foram selecionadas dentre as disponíveis no Simapro (versão 8.1.1.16). O segundo procedimento consistiu na aplicação das diretrizes do Ecoinvent versão 3.1 relativas a incertezas, adotandose valores padronizados de incerteza básica e incertezas adicionais da matriz Pedigree, com distribuição lognormal. O terceiro procedimento consistiu em uma mescla dos procedimentos prévios: adotou-se o primeiro procedimento para o cálculo da incerteza básica e a matriz Pedigree para a atribuição da incerteza adicional. Os ICVs foram inseridos com suas respectivas incertezas no Simapro e foram feitas simulações de Monte Carlo com parâmetros equivalentes para as três situações. Realizaram-se também análises de variância (ANOVA) para verificar a distribuição das incertezas entre o processo principal e os processos a montante. Observou-se que os procedimentos 1 e 2 são passíveis de adoção em estudos de ACV, a depender da disponibilidade de recursos e do nível de detalhamento do estudo em questão, sendo que o primeiro procedimento, que envolve o cálculo direto das incertezas associadas, tem potencial de agregar maior confiabilidade ao estudo de ACV, enquanto o segundo requer menor esforço para a estimativa de incertezas. Ambas as abordagens melhoram a qualidade do resultado final a ser comunicado em relação à divulgação de um valor determinístico único

Adaptation of life-cycle inventories of sawn timber used in the structure of roofs in the state of São Paulo

Este trabalho teve como objetivo desenvolver o inventário de ciclo de vida para madeira empregada na estrutura de telhado de edificações populares do Estado de São Paulo, com base na adaptação de inventários existentes na base de dados ecoinvent (versão 3.1) para a realidade da produção madeireira no Brasil. Considerou-se como sistema de produto a produção de 1m3 de madeira serrada de cambará proveniente de manejo florestal sustentável na Amazônia, desde a extração das toras até a peça de madeira serrada estocada em São Paulo. As informações nacionais foram obtidas da literatura. A despeito das semelhanças entre o sistema de produto da base ecoinvent e a realidade nacional na extração das toras na floresta, há diferenças referentes ao transporte até a serraria, ao desdobro das toras e à geração e destinação de resíduos: no Brasil, todas as etapas são executadas próximas à região de exploração, resultando em alterações no modelo de transporte, máquinas empregadas e resíduos gerados. Além disso, os valores de consumo de diesel e eletricidade apresentaram ordens de grandeza diferentes dos ICVs de referência. Com base nessa análise, conclui-se que a estrutura de dados dos ICVs existentes na base ecoinvent auxilia a construção de inventários nacionais e que a adaptação dos inventários é imprescindível para a realização de estudos de avaliação do ciclo de vida condizentes com as condições do Brasil. Entretanto, considerando as diferenças observadas, é recomendada a apuração dos índices de consumo nacionais por meio de verificação e coleta de dados inloc

Towards Increased Recovery of Critical Raw Materials from WEEE– evaluation of CRMs at a component level and pre-processing methods for interface optimisation with recovery processes

Increasing recovery of critical raw materials (CRMs) from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is a strategic priority to mitigate supply risks. Today, CRM recovery rates are generally low, with increases requiring new recovery processes and interface optimisation with pre-processing to ensure appropriate material flows for efficient recovery are generated. Here, results from an industrial trial to increase CRM recovery from WEEE are presented to inform development of pre-processing strategies which generate such material flows. Au, Ag, Co, Ga, Mg, Nb, Ru, Pd, Ir, Y, Nd, Sb, Ta and W are identified with XRF in components of a range of WEEE samples including within individual printed circuit board (PCB) components. CRM distribution in PCBs is mapped by visual inspection with reference to this data. Cost-effective methods to disassemble WEEE; isolate CRM bearing components, and upgrade/concentrate CRMs are evaluated for industrial adoption. A guillotine is found most suitable for LCD disassembly and separation of Au edge-contacts from PCBs, while cryocracking is best for isolation of internal components of digital media devices. Thermal PCB disassembly with a solder bath for simultaneous SMD removal and subsequent sieving to sort SMDs thereby concentrating CRMs for recovery is a promising approach. Microwave ashing of PCBs to concentrate CRMs is promising although off-gas treatment would be required. Recovery potential of identified CRMs from material streams generated is found to be poor due to lack of suitable recovery infrastructure except for precious and platinum group metals in PCBs, but available pyrometallurgical recovery permanently dissipates other CRMs present

Plastics in WEEE Screens: Difficulties and Opportunities to Improve the Recycling Rate

Nowadays the screens collected by the official e-waste schemes in France are mostly comprised of Cathode Ray Tube (CRT). Nevertheless, Flat Panel Display (FPD) collection should increase in the following years. Among other differences in material compositions, FPD screens have higher plastic content. In order to keep complying with the recycling targets for screens, as well as to increase the recycling performance per material, it is necessary to improve plastics recycling. The goal of this study is to quantify the plastic flows in screens generated, collected and recycled in France and to identify the current scenario of plastic recycling. The presence of flame retardants and additives in the plastics, the variety of polymer types, as well as the high volumes of black plastics are among the main challenges in plastics sorting and recycling. From the economic outlook, it is necessary to develop the market that uses secondary raw materials to ensure the profitability of the WEEE chain

De la gestion des déchets à l'approvisionnement de matières secondaires : développement d'indicateurs pour la gestion des DEEE - focus sur la filière française

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is among the key urban mining stream due to its composition and rising volume. Currently, in the European Union, WEEE chain performance is mainly assessed by technical indicators that aim to ensure system compliance with collection and recovery targets set by the WEEE Directive. The WEEE Directive and French regulation target higher collection and treatment rates in the coming years. Therefore, to ensure an increase in quantity and quality of e-waste collected, reused and recycled, it is necessary to improve our knowledge and control of the WEEE flows. The goal of this thesis is to establish a robust set of indicators covering multidimensional aspects related to the collection and treatment of WEEE. These indicators intend to improve the visibility on the progress of the WEEE official schemes in a circular economy. Different technical, environmental, economic and criticality priorities related to the recovery of raw materials from e-waste are assessed. The indicators are presented and validated with a case study focused on waste screens, considering data and particularities of the e-waste chain in France. The multidimensional approach presented in this study can support future policies and best practices in WEEE management in order to improve e-waste tracking and the recovery of (critical) raw materials. In so doing, more targeted WEEE management activities have the potential to extend the scope from waste and hazardous substances management to enhancing the supply of quality secondary raw materials.Les Déchets d’Équipements Électriques et Électroniques (DEEE) sont parmi les principaux flux de mines urbaines en raison de leur composition et de leur volume croissant. Actuellement, dans l'Union Européenne (UE), la performance de la filière DEEE est évaluée principalement au moyen d'indicateurs techniques qui visent à garantir la conformité aux objectifs de collecte et de valorisation fixés par la Directive DEEE. La Directive DEEE et la réglementation française fixent des taux de collecte et de traitement plus élevés pour les années à venir. Par conséquent, pour garantir une augmentation de la quantité et de la qualité des DEEE collectés, réutilisés et recyclés, il est nécessaire d'améliorer la connaissance et le contrôle des flux de DEEE. L'objectif de cette thèse est d'établir un groupe d'indicateurs couvrant les aspects multidimensionnels liés à la collecte et au traitement des DEEE. Ces indicateurs visent à améliorer la visibilité sur les progrès réalisés par la filière réglementaire dans une économie circulaire. Différentes priorités techniques, environnementales, économiques et de criticité liées à la récupération des matières secondaires des DEEE sont évaluées. Les indicateurs sont présentés et validés avec un cas d'étude sur les écrans en tenant compte des données et des particularités de la filière française. L'approche multidimensionnelle présentée dans cette étude peut soutenir les politiques futures et les meilleures pratiques en matière de gestion des DEEE afin d'améliorer le suivi et la valorisation des DEEE et des matières secondaires (critiques). En adoptant cette approche, des activités de gestion des DEEE ont le potentiel d'étendre leur champ d'application au-delà de la gestion des déchets et des substances dangereuses, afin de devenir des fournisseurs des matières secondaires de qualité