4 research outputs found
Contribution to the development of product category rules for ceramic bricks
An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) provides information on a product's environmental performance
along its life cycle. This paper aims to contribute to the development of Product Category Rules
(PCR) specific for ceramic bricks in order to support the establishment of a “cradle to grave” EPD. The
methodology for developing the PCR takes into account ISO 14025, ISO 21930 and EN 15804, and the
environmental profile is based on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. In this context, some
core issues like product category definition, impact categories, indicators, cut-off criteria and allocation
criteria are addressed. The selected impact categories for this study were: global warming, ozone layer
depletion, photochemical oxidation, acidification, eutrophication, depletion of abiotic resources and
respiratory inorganics. Indicators of energy and water consumption were also considered, as well as
particle emissions to air. The results obtained from an LCA study on ceramic bricks produced in Portugal,
to support the development of the PCR, show that the use of different fuels in the brick manufacturing
stage has a significant effect in some impact categories. The use of petroleum coke generates higher
impacts than natural gas or biomass. In general, the major environmental impacts occur in the brick
manufacturing stage, mainly due to fuel usage in the firing operation. Particle emissions to air should be
considered as an additional parameter in the EPD, being especially important when solid fuels are used. A
sensitivity analysis of the cut-off criteria options was also conducted, which concluded that a 0.5%
decrease in mass proved to be adequate for adoption, with a significant reduction in the effort required
for data collection
ILCD Handbook Public Consultation Workshop -:International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD).
Introduction: The European Commission is supporting the
development of the International Reference Life Cycle Data
System (ILCD). This consists primarily of the ILCD
Handbook and the ILCD Data Network. This paper gives
an insight into the scientific positions of business, governments,
consultants, academics, and others that were
expressed at this public consultation workshop.
Workshop focus: The workshop focused on four of the
topics of the main guidance documents of the ILCD
Handbook: (1) general guidance on life cycle assessment
(LCA); (2) guidance for generic and average life cycle
inventory (LCI) data sets; (3) requirements for environmental
impact assessment methods, models and indicators
for LCA; and (4) review schemes for LCA.
Workshop participation: This consultation workshop was
attended by more than 120 participants during the 4 days of
the workshop. Representatives came from 23 countries,
from both within and outside the European Union.
Workshop structure: Approximately half of the participants
were from business associations or individual companies.
Another 20% were governmental representatives.JRC.H.1-Water Resource