Thinking Life Cycle in a Circular Economy:
University of Sheffield January 2017
Louis Brimacombe
Chairman,IOM3 Sustainable Development Group
Visiting Fellow, Faculty of Engineering, University of Sheffield
( the science, the industry, the politics)
2
Brief Background ……
2
UoS Graduate: Chemical Engineering and Fuel Technology ( 1982)
R&D British Steel/ Corus/Tata Steel :
Research in heat transfer/furnace/cooling system design
Real world engineering and measurement, site working
Technical PA to Executive Director Technology
Management of complex organisations
Broad technology view (outside my expertise)
Knowledge Group Leader, Air Pollution Control (12 staff)
Large fume extraction/gas cleaning systems/Expert Systems
Attended course in LCA at Brunel University – SETAC(Bousted)
Worldsteel : Project Leader on Global Steel LCI data collection
International steel business/ Project Management/Marketing and Comms
LCA Manager, Technology Strategy ( Tata Steel, secondment position)
Head Environmental Technology, Group Environment (2001 to July 2016)
Department Manager, Environment R&D ( 45 Staff)
Industry/Academic/Professional and International Collaborations
3
Today’s main themes ….
3
Sustainability ?
Circular economy ?
How to make things better, not worse?
( but for who, and in what respect ?)
Straight answers are rare( but we should attempt to make an informed choice )
4
The high level challenges for a better society …..
UN Sustainable Development Goals – Launched September 2015
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Usage / Share
Refurbish / Remanufacture / Recondition
Closed Loop Recycling
Open Loop Recycling / Cascading
Minimal resource loss / waste
Minimal & responsible virgin resource inputs
Direct & indirect value creation
through process & product / service
efficiency
Life extension/ Service Support
Reuse / Redistribute /
Making the Economy More Circular with Value Optimisation
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Life Cycle Assessment
Indicates the scale of environmental and resource
impacts associated with an activity or function
from the extraction of raw materials, through to
‘end use’ impacts.
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Safety / Comfort /
Aesthetics/Functionality
Viability / Affordability / LCC/ WLC
LCA/Carbon footprint
Resources use
Along with environmental considerations, the social and economic performance of
a material is crucial for making sustainable decisions. A life cycle approach helps to
identify and develop holistic and robust solutions.
Material choice
Described in BS8905
Framework Standard,
‘Sustainable Use of
Materials’
Making the Sustainable Choice: Triple Bottom Line Life Cycle Thinking
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Tata Steel Slide 8
Eco-efficiency Driven
(cost benefits)
Sustainability Driven
(new opportunities)
Compliance Driven
(License to operate)
Sustainability engaged
(market acceptance)
Losers
Dreamers
Defenders
Winners
Capacity for strategic
executionCapacity for tactical
execution
Value creation from
product and business
model transformation
Value creation from waste,
cost and risk reduction
Vision and Journey of Sustainable Business
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How does Industry use Sustainability Tools/ LCA ?
• To identify hot-spots in the life cycle.
• Which business processes have the biggest impacts ?
• Agree priorities for improvement with regulators
• To assess how improvements will contribute towards a low carbon and resource efficient society.
• Company reporting and target setting
• LCA helps understand the benefits of new products
• Support marketing and promotion
• Respond to competitors claims
• Explain the role of your products sustainable development.
• Provide data to support customers/end user needs.
• Environmental Product Declarations
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Life Cycle Assessment Profile for Steel Products
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Use Phase Dominates
Vehicles / Buildings / Engineering
Raw material
extraction
Material
Production
Assembly &
Distribution
Use End of life
En
vir
on
me
nta
l Im
pa
ct
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11
Application of LCA Data
Steel
LCI’s
Case Studies
EPD’s
PEF’s
Labelling
Benchmarking
ResultsMarket ModelsData
Aluminium
CFRP
Concrete
Timber
….Materials
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Carbon Emissions Reduction Policies - Automotive
• Today most vehicle carbon emissions occur during the “use” phase.
• Regulations & targets are used to reduce ‘tailpipe’ emissions.
• Car makers respond with Energy Efficiency, Electric Vehicles and light weighting.
• How will this effect the LCA ? 12
Tail–pipe regulations
Source: International Council on Clean Transportation, 2013
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Primary production of low-density automotive materials is GHG intensive
Mild Steel
Aluminium
Magnesium
Carbon FRP
‘Material’ GHG (in kg CO2e for the equivalent component vs. 100 kg mild steel)
AHSSteel
1575
880
811
173
230
Mid-Range
kgCO2e per kg
Potential Weight
Saving (%)
2.3 -
2.3 25
12.1 33
31.5 50
22.0 60
kg CO2e
Source: WorldAutoSteel
Automotive light weighting and material impacts
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Vehicle emissions and Life Cycle Assessment
At what point is the carbon impact of producing materials compensated for by use phase savings due to light-weighting.
material production
& recycling
vehicle use
Carbon Footprint
Distance travelledTotal distance car travels
during life – e.g.150,000 km
Crossover distance
Steel (AHSS)Al
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Mathematics of Sustainability And Life Cycle Assessment
But what about the ……
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Life Cycle Assessment :
CO2
CH4 NOx
Coal
Iron Ore
Water
Waste Dioxins
Crude Oil
Carbon
Footprint
Water
Footprint
Ecosystems
Quality
Natural
ResourcesHuman
Health
Life Cycle Inventory
Endpoint indicators and Assessment
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Life Cycle Assessment
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Use Phase Dominates
Vehicles / Buildings / Engineering
Raw material
extraction
Material
Production
Assembly &
Distribution
Use End of life
En
vir
on
me
nta
l Im
pa
ct
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Tata Steel Slide 18
Outputs from LCA depend upon Allocation rules in the LCI !
LCA begins with generating so called ‘Inventories’ or LCI’s.
This LCI lists all inputs and outputs from earth associated with a system
The LCI list here is for ‘the production of 1 kg steel’
Steel production also generates by-products such as slags for cement making and road building
So a portion of the total earthly inputs is allocated to the by-products (so are deducted from the steel LCIs)
The rules for allocation should relate to the physical value of by-products (described in ISO 14040 and 44)
Major Articles* Units Average
11 sites
Inputs: (r) Coal (in ground) kg 0.643398982
(r) Dolomite (CaCO3.MgCO3, in ground) kg 0.01626926
(r) Iron (Fe) kg 1.748361164
(r) Limestone (CaCO3, in ground) kg 0.011457251
(r) Natural Gas (in ground) kg 0.030582934
(r) Oil (in ground) kg 0.047137374
(r) Zinc (Zn) kg 2.15E-09
Ferrous Scrap (net) kg 1.45E-01
Water Used (total) litre 17.92589455
Outputs: (a) Cadmium (Cd) g 6.33E-05
(a) Carbon Dioxide (CO2) g 2128.117309
(a) Carbon Monoxide (CO) g 33.00088145
(a) Dioxins (unspecified, as TEq) g 3.60E-08
(a) Hydrogen Chloride (HCl) g 0.044157425
(a) Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) g 0.068293481
(a) Lead (Pb) g 3.69E-03
(a) Methane (CH4) g 0.527704385
(a) Nitrogen Oxides (NOx as NO2) g 2.973955418
(a) Nitrous Oxide (N2O) g 0.112232902
(a) Particulates (Total) g 1.74E+00
(a) Sulphur Oxides (SOx as SO2) g 2.582408291
(w) Chromium (Total) g 9.36E-05
(w) COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) g 0.331073716
(w) Iron (Fe++, Fe3+) g 0.030940552
(w) Lead (Pb++, Pb4+) g -4.88E-04
(w) Nickel (Ni++, Ni3+) g 2.16E-04
(w) Nitrogenous Matter (unspecified, as N) g 0.015650293
Non-allocated byproducts (See Table Below) kg 5.22E-02
Waste (total) kg 1.564155491
Tata Steel Slide 19
Allocation and multi-output systems
Many industrial processes produce more than one product.
Allocation is the partitioning of input and/or output flows of a process to the product system under study.
Coal
(coke)
Iron ore
(sinter)
Limestone
(lime) BF slag
Hot
Metal*(*Functional unit)
Process
GasEarth’s
resource
Tata Steel Slide 20
How to Allocate to Steel Products ?
Coal
(coke)
Iron ore
(sinter)
Limestone
(lime) BF slag
Hot
Metal*
(*Functional unit)
Process
Gas
Options for allocation
1. Mass?Mass ratio
2.0
0.3
1.0
Earth’s
resource
Tata Steel Slide 21
How to Allocate to Hot Metal
Coal
(coke)
Iron ore
(sinter)
lime
BF slag
Hot
Metal*
Process
Gas
Options for allocation
1. Mass?2. Thermodynamics?
3. Economics?
Why not allocate every input to
Hot metal?
Earth’s
resource
Tata Steel Slide 22
Allocate all Impacts to Hot Metal
Iron ore
(sinter)
lime
BF slag
Hot
Metal*
Process
Gas
Coal
(coke)
Earth’s
resource No Eco-burden
(Free)
Rolling
Mill 1
2 GJ/t
Rolling
Mill 2
1 GJ/t
Result: Products P1 and P2 have the same Eco-burden which does not
reflect reality
P1
P2
1,000 Eco-burden units
500
500
500
500
Tata Steel Slide 23
Solution –Expand System Boundary
Iron ore
(sinter)
lime
BF slag
Hot
Metal*
Process
Gas
Coal
(coke)
Earth’s
resource
300
units
Rolling
Mill 1
2 GJ/t
Rolling
Mill 2
1 GJ/t
P1
P2
Process Gas Combustion -
credits are then taken away
(1000 – 300) = 700 Eco-burden units
350
350
550
450
-200
-100
System Expansion can provide a solution which relates to societal impacts
System expansion – credits
potentially from avoided
energy from NG
Tata Steel Slide
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Scrap Allocation and Recycling Methodology
This lists all inputs and outputs from earth associated with a system
The LCI list here is for ‘the production of 1 kg steel’ from BF route.
Everything on this list is from earth except for Ferrous Scrap
So the first consideration is how to allocate for scrap to determine from earth ?
worldsteel LCI values 1995 (with zero allocation for scrap)
22MJ/kg BF/BOF route to slab
10 MJ/kg EAF route to slab
(yield Y = 1/1.07 kg)
Major Articles* Units Average
11 sites
Inputs: (r) Coal (in ground) kg 0.643398982
(r) Dolomite (CaCO3.MgCO3, in ground) kg 0.01626926
(r) Iron (Fe) kg 1.748361164
(r) Limestone (CaCO3, in ground) kg 0.011457251
(r) Natural Gas (in ground) kg 0.030582934
(r) Oil (in ground) kg 0.047137374
(r) Zinc (Zn) kg 2.15E-09
Ferrous Scrap (net) kg 1.45E-01
Water Used (total) litre 17.92589455
Outputs: (a) Cadmium (Cd) g 6.33E-05
(a) Carbon Dioxide (CO2) g 2128.117309
(a) Carbon Monoxide (CO) g 33.00088145
(a) Dioxins (unspecified, as TEq) g 3.60E-08
(a) Hydrogen Chloride (HCl) g 0.044157425
(a) Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) g 0.068293481
(a) Lead (Pb) g 3.69E-03
(a) Methane (CH4) g 0.527704385
(a) Nitrogen Oxides (NOx as NO2) g 2.973955418
(a) Nitrous Oxide (N2O) g 0.112232902
(a) Particulates (Total) g 1.74E+00
(a) Sulphur Oxides (SOx as SO2) g 2.582408291
(w) Chromium (Total) g 9.36E-05
(w) COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) g 0.331073716
(w) Iron (Fe++, Fe3+) g 0.030940552
(w) Lead (Pb++, Pb4+) g -4.88E-04
(w) Nickel (Ni++, Ni3+) g 2.16E-04
(w) Nitrogenous Matter (unspecified, as N) g 0.015650293
Non-allocated byproducts (See Table Below) kg 5.22E-02
Waste (total) kg 1.564155491
Tata Steel Slide
25
Recycling Methodology
What is worth recycling ?
What is recycling worth ?
Is steel from scrap more sustainable than steel from primary ores ?
What parameters determine the sustainability of steel ?
Tata Steel Slide
26
How is steel produced and recycled?
(Recycled steel)
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
Year
To
nn
es (
Mtp
a) New Steel Production
Recycled steel
In 2014 1,650 Mt of steel was produced worldwide
• Approx 580Mt of scrap was consumed
• Limitation on scrap usage is supply and not demand
Insufficient steel scrap to meet global demand for steel
Tata Steel SlideBessemer Masterclass 2014
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How to Account for Scrap and Steel Recycling
Allocating a value to scrap
ISO 14041 : We can assume that
1 kg of steel from a recycling route replaces 1 kg of primary steel:
So consider that :
• A pure iron ore route to make 1 kg steel requires 22 MJ
• A pure scrap route to make 1 kg steel requires 10 MJ
• Assume yield factor of 1.07 kg scrap to get 1 kg steel
• Then in LCA terms the energy content of 1 kg of scrap is worth
22 – 10
1.07= 11.2 MJ/kg
Tata Steel Slide
28
Applying the Methodologyto Cradle-to-Grave LCA
1.07 kg
Scrap10 MJ
1 kg
Steel
Finishing, Use,
Recovery
0.8 kg
Scrap
EAF
Route
Ore 22 MJ1 kg
Steel
Finishing, Use,
Recovery
0.8 kg
Scrap
BF
Route
EAF Route
A net scrap input of 0.27 kg; equivalent to an energy input of 11.2 * 0.27 = 3.03 MJ
Therefore energy 3.03 MJ + 10 MJ = 13.03 MJ/kg
of EAF route Allocation for scrap input Process Impact
BF route
A net scrap output of 0.8 kg; equivalent to an energy credit of 11.2 * 0.8 = 8.97 MJ
Therefore energy 22 MJ - 8.97 MJ = 13.03 MJ/kg
of BF route Process Impact Allocation for scrap output
22 – 10
1.07= 11.2 MJ/kg
22 – 10
1.07= 11.2 MJ/kg
Tata Steel Slide
29
Primary materials (high burden) with high recyclability can be an investment in future life cycles
Useful for comparison with lower burden low recyclable materials
Multiple Step Recycling Concept
Tata Steel Slide
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Multiple Recycling Concept
n Process energy /MJ Mass available /kg
1 22 x 1 1
2 10 x 0.8*/1.07 0.75
3 10 x 0.75x0.8*/1.07 0.56
4 10 x0.56x0.8*/1.07 0.42
Total n=4 39.3 MJ 2.73 kg
Average Energy 14.4 MJ/kg
Over 4 life cycles ( *assumes Recovery Rate of 80 %)
Tata Steel Slide
Bessemer Masterclass 20143
1
Multiple Recycling
renrepr
1-n2
re
1n
re
2
repr
re
1n
re
2
repr
1n2
X)r(1
r)(1)X(XX system wholethe for LCI
r...r r 1
Xr....XrrXX X system wholethe for LCI
Xr....XrrXX cost Total
r.....rr1 mass Total
A Amato, L Brimacombe, N Howard. (1996) Ironmaking and Steelmaking, Vol23, No. 3, p235-241
Tata Steel Slide
32
)Xr(XXX system wholethe for LCI prrepr
0
5
10
15
20
25
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
n (life cycle stages)
X,
Pri
mary
en
erg
y/
MJ/k
g
11
0
)( n
n
r
r
n
Then as Xpr=22 MJ, Xre=10 MJ & r= 0.8/1.07=0.75
X = 13.03 MJ/kg
Multiple Recycling – Infinite Loop
renrepr X)r(1
r)(1)X(XX system wholethe for LCI
Tata Steel Slide
33
So began a (fierce) political debate…..Full LCA vs Cut off method
• Industry is divided on the issue
• Plastics/ concrete/wood, not EOL supporters
• Metals/Glass …. Supporters
• European Commission proposed a 50:50 compromise for PEF methods
• Realisation that to drive good behaviour need more scientific solution
• LCA should embrace the future challenges and improve EOL planning
Material
Consumption
-ve
(Burden)
End of Life
Recycling
+ve (Avoided
Burden)
Full LCA Approach Recycled Content Approach
Cut-off methodISO 14040 series
Recycled
Content
+ve (Avoided
Burden)
End of Life
Recycling
-ve
(Burden ?)
OR
Recycled
Content
Neutral
(No Burden)
End of Life
Recycling
Neutral
(No Burden)
?
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Materials Developments for a Sustainable Future ?
New products/materials supported by R&D and SATs will help make the difference
Material for sustainable
Transport: new grades,
for lighter, safer,
affordable and fully
recycleable vehicles
and drive trains.
Durability, efficiency,
flexibility, reusability
and recycleability will
be required (e.g.,to
enable sustainable
buildings)
New material
developments
(including new steels)
to support the future of
efficient energy
generation and storage
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134
Materials should promote the CO2 reduction potential of new developments !
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Efficient fossil fuel PPs
Wind power plants
Other renewables
Efficient transformers
Efficient motors
Weight reduction cars
Weight reduction trucks
Combined heat/power
Mt
Net CO2 reduction potential Emissions in steel production
Source: BCG analysis
∑ 74 Mt ∑ 12 Mt 6 : 1&
9 : 1
3 : 1
1.1 : 1
1.3 : 1
14 : 1
200 : 1
32 : 1
400 : 1
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Life Cycle Assessment - Potential effect on materials impact
36
With 'Zero Use Phase' , the impacts will shift to
make material impacts more important
Raw material
extraction
Material
Production
Assembly &
Distribution
Use End of life
En
vir
on
men
tal Im
pact
‘Existing policies, which focus on energy efficiency, need to be widened to include
resources use and environmental impacts across the life-cycle of buildings’
Source: EU2020 strategy, Sustainable Buildings (consultation Oct 2013)
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The Circular Economy – A Life Cycle Approach
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Source : 'The Whole Story: From Cradle to Grave‘, BCSA, Nov 2011
29%
20%
25%
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LCA has a Role in Understanding the Benefits of a Circular Economy
Is it better to build more robust products ( higher LCI), for extended service life ?
Should we compromise functional efficiency to make products more recyclable ?
What is the value of recycling ? What is avoided, and what is consumed ?.
Closed Loop - offsets sourcing same material from virgin resources
Down cycling – offsets material inputs for a lower grade application
Incineration – offsets usage of alternative fuels sources
All recycling processes ( and transport distances ) have an environmental impact
These need to be included in the LCA
Help to inform designers whether to prioritise for end-of-life recycling and/or to source materials from recycled sources.
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Usage / Share
Refurbish / Remanufacture / Recondition
Closed Loop Recycling
Open Loop Recycling / Cascading
Minimal resource loss / waste
Minimal & responsible virgin resource inputs
Direct & indirect value creation
through process & product / service
efficiency
Life extension/ Service Support
Reuse / Redistribute /
How to Make Steel More Circular with Value Optimisation ?
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Overcoming the Barriers to CE – Key Challenges (see BS8001)
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Clause 7: Guidance on
the key Challenges 2
Product Design &
Innovation
3 Materials
4 Collab Work’g
5 Info
Mgnt
6 Logistics
7 Sales Mrktg
8 Other
Resources
9 Chg
Mngt
10 Liab
& Ins
?11? Measur’t
12 Proc
& Cont Mngt
13 Externalities
14 Acc &
Financing
PROFIT (Who &
How)
Who to Draft
Technical * * * + Louis
Regulatory * * + * * * Angus?
Behavioural * * * + * * Martin? & Erica?
Organisational * * * + * * * * + Josh?
Economic * * * * * * Ella?
Governance & Supply-chain
* * ** * + * ** * * * Phil? & Sam?
Transition * * * * ** ** Stuart?
Task
- Draft of bullets relevant to barriers and enablers under the given heading related to the stared columns.
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Thank you
