WP4 – Task 4.3 LCA Activities 1. Contents EcoPlasBrick panel general description LCA – Phases...

30° Month MEETING Madrid February 6, 2014

Innovative recycled plastic based panels for building field

WP4 – Task 4.3 LCA Activities

1

30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

Contents

• EcoPlasBrick panel general

description

• LCA – Phases

• LCA – Goal and scope

• LCA – Inventory Analysis (LCI)

• LCA – Impact Assessment (LCIA)

• LCA – Interpretation

• Status in brief

Deliverable D4.2

Deliverable D4.3

November 2013

January 2014


Deliverable D4.2D. 4.2.1 – LCA phase I: Definition of goal and scope, Data inventory

D. 4.2.2 – LCA phase II: Impact Assessment

EcoPlasBrick panel general description

In particular, the LCA will be performed on a specific panel used for vertical indoor rooms division. In the following are provided brief descriptions for the LCA phases, and the results achieved.

Ecoplasbrick panel is a sandwich panel made of a core of recycled plastic waste (in form of densified flakes) mixed with Polyurethane resin, and two plasterboard skins. The panel frame is made of wood and steel plates.


LCA – PhasesThe LCA study is performed in accordance with internationally recognized guidelines (ILCD Handbook: General guide for Life Cycle Assessment - Detailed guidance) and standards (ISO 14044:2006 and ISO 14040:2006). It is structured in a series of steps, which are:

1. LCA goal & scope definition 2. Inventory analysis (LCI)

3. Impact assessment (LCIA) 4. InterpretationGoal and scope definition

Inventory analysis

Impact assessment

Results interpretation and improvement analysis


LCA – Phases

• Study scope• System limits• Functional unit• System

functions

• Energy flows• Material flows• Emissions

• Assessment method application

2 step

3 step

4 step

• Identification of strategy intervention

1 step


LCA – Goal and scope

• Goal and Scope definition phase aims to define how big part of product life cycle will be taken in assessment and to what will assessment be serving. The criteria identified and specific time horizon are described in this step.

• In particular, the analysis of the energetic and environmental impacts of the innovative recycled plastic based panel has been performed, considering

“Cradle to grave” life cycle:

Production process Use phase End of life


LCA – Goal and scope

In order to perform the LCA, a proper Functional Unit has been defined:

• Functional unit is represented by 0.5 m2 of panel surface, with 0.09 m of thickness and 28.53 kg of weight

• All data regarding materials and energy consumption will be referred directly or through a proportion, to this functional unit

• All calculated impacts (e.g. global warming potential, acidification potential, eutrophication potential, use of non renewable resources, etc.) will be referred to the selected functional unit


LCA – Inventory analysis (LCI)

• Inventory analysis is the description of material and energy flows within the product system and especially its interaction with environment, consumed raw materials and emissions to the environment. All important processes and subsidiary energy and material flows are described here.

• In the following all the collected information on the EcoPlasBrick panel are reported.


Main components of the panel:• Skin material constituted by 1 cm (thickness) of

plasterboard on both side of the panel. The plasterboard density is 600-900 kg/m3

• Core material made of 6-10 cm (thickness) of mixed densified plastic waste, polyurethane foam and water

• Woody frame constituted by: Wood: total weight of 1.5 kg Steel plates: total weight of 0.1-0.4 kg



Core composition:

Densified material + polyurethane foam + water• Core total weight: 18.88 kg• Densified material:

Aggregate weight: 15-20 kg Available LCA for other data

• Polyurethane foam: Polyurethane weight: 1.3-3.4 kg

• Water used as activator: Water weight: 0.2-0.8 kg

The densified material is mixed with the polyurethane and water by using a mixer (1.5 CV) for 2-15 minutes.



Production process of the panel:• A first layer of skin (plasterboard) is placed in a mold

• The densified material-polyurethane mix is put on the skin layer in the mold

• The second layer of skin is placed on the mixture

• The panel made of the three layers is pressed by using simple clamps

• The cure phase takes around 10-90 minutes at 15°-60°C

The densified material is transported from Treviso (Centro Riciclo Vedelago)

The polyurethane foam is transported from Correggio, Reggio Emilia

The materials used to build the panel frame are provided by local producers.



Impact assessment is based on the details from Inventory Analysis

LCA – Impact Assessment (LCIA)

Impact category (ILCD guidelines) UnitsEDIP 2003, Stratospheric ozone depletion [kg R11-Equiv.]

Acidification, accumulated exceedance[Moles of N or S-

Equiv.]

CML2002 Resource Depletion, fossil and mineral, reserve Based [kg Sb-Equiv.]

IPCC global warming, incl biogenic carbon [kg CO2-Equiv.]

Particulate matter/Respiratory inorganics, RiskPoll [kg PM2,5-Equiv.]

Terrestrial eutrophication, accumulated exceedance[Moles of N or S-

Equiv.]

Total freshwater consumption, including rainwater (acc. to UBP 2006) [kg]

ReCiPe 1.07 Midpoint (H) - Freshwater eutrophication [kg P eq]

ReCiPe 1.07 Midpoint (H) - Ionising radiation [kg U235 eq]

ReCiPe 1.07 Midpoint (H) - Photochemical oxidant formation [kg NMVOC]

USEtox, Ecotoxicity (recommended) [CTUeco]

USEtox, Human toxicity, cancer (recommended) [CTUh]

USEtox, Human toxicity, non-canc. (recommended) [CTUh]

Land Transformation Indicator [sqm]


The indicator results of all impact categories for Panel manufacturing, Use phase and End of Life are here reported:

EoL - Ecoplasbrick Panel Manufacturing - Ecoplasbrick

Use phase - Ecoplasbrick

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

34.00%

65.98%

0.01%

EDIP 2003, Stratospheric ozone depletion [kg R11-Equiv.]

EoL - Ecoplasbrick Panel Manufacturing - Ecoplasbrick

Use phase - Ecoplasbrick

0.00%10.00%20.00%30.00%40.00%50.00%60.00%70.00%80.00%90.00%

100.00%

4.93%

92.65%

2.43%

Acidification, accumulated ex-ceedance [Moles of N or S-Equiv.]

LCA – Impact Assessment (LCIA) results


Interpretation of life cycle involve critical review, determination of data sensitivity and result presentation

LCA – Interpretation


LCIA results update: Update of the GaBi software realized in order to be fully compliant to PEF (Product Environmental Footprint) recommendation 2013/179/EUIndicators calculated with the new

methods Updated indicators

Terrestrial eutrophication, accumulated exceedance Acidification, accumulated exceedance

Freshwater eutrophication, EUTREND model, ReCiPeResource Depletion, fossil and mineral, reserve Based, CML2002

Marine eutrophication, EUTREND model, ReCiPe IPCC global warming, incl biogenic carbon

Photochemical ozone formation, LOTOS-EUROS model, ReCiPe

Particulate matter/Respiratory inorganics, RiskPoll

Total freshwater consumption, including rainwater, Swiss Ecoscarcity

Ionising radiation, human health effect model, ReCiPe

Ecotoxicity for aquatic fresh water, USEtox Ozone depletion, WMO model, ReCiPe

USEtox, Human toxicity, cancer

USEtox, Human toxicity, non-canc

DEVIATIONS ARE MINOR!!!


Deliverable D4.3LCA phase III: Interpretation of

results

Interpretation of life cycle involve critical review, determination of data sensitivity and result presentation



The following analyses have been performed:

1. Hot spot Analysis

2. Sensitivity Analysis

3. Normalization



1. Hot Spot Analysis: Identify the processes that are the main responsible of environmental impacts

The manufacturing phase is the phase in which the most impacting contributions are present.

For each indicator the one/two main contributor(s) have been identified and also their shares compared to total value have been calculated.

Results: Polyurethane and Gypsum plaster board production are the heaviest phases from the environmental point of view. For GWP also the energy used for densified flake production contributes to total indicator value.



2. Sensitivity Analysis: Identify and focus on key data and assumptions that have most influence on a result

Data on manufacturing process are quite accurate, due the direct interaction with manufacturer. Instead uncertainties are present on transport contributions (before and after the production) and end of life options. The following assumptions have been made:

Original Input Data Assumptions

Distance from PU foam provider to Motulab facilities

451V1 451*3=1353

V2 451*0.5=225.5

Distance between Motulab facilities and installation site

250 V3 1000

End of life of the panel

Step 1: Disassembly of core, skins and steel platesStep 2: Core: Recycling, Skin: Incinerator, Steel plates: Recovery

V4Sending to landfill of

core and skin

V5 V1+V3+V4



2. Sensitivity Analysis: identify and focus on key data and assumptions that have most influence on a result

OPTION V1: The distance between PU foam provider and Motulab facilities has been shifted from 451 to 1353 km

Results: The only important variations over 10% regards Human Toxicity – Non cancerogenic. Further noticeable variations affect Marine Eutrophication (8.18%) and Terrestrial Eutrophication (48.5%)




OPTION V2: The distance between PU foam provider and Motulab facilities has been split in half from 451 to 225.5 km

Result: No important variations are present




OPTION V3: The distance between Motulab facilities and estimated installation site has been shifted from 200 to 1000 km

Results: The hypothetical enlargement of the market in terms of area of deliveries, entails an evident increase of several indicators. In particular:• Human Toxicity (non cancer) becomes an impact, while was a

benefit (credit) in standard conditions. • Acidification (31.67%)• Marine (86.21%)• Terrestrial Eutrophication (51.16%)




OPTION V4: Except steel plates which are still sent to recovery, the other panel components (core and skin) are sent directly to landfill

Results: The recourse to landfill have an important impact on:• Freshwater• Eutrophication• Particulate Production• Human Toxicity (non cancer) • Ozone Depletion

Global life cycle still generates benefits (thanks to the recycling of materials) even if lower than standard option




OPTION V5: Combination of V1,V3 and V4

Results: The worst conditions generate the worst impacts in terms of environmental and energetic performances. The main impacts affected by these variations (over 100%) are:• Freshwater Eutrophication• Human Toxicity, non cancer (which become an impact while in

standard condition were avoided impacts)• Particulate Matter production• Marine Eutrophication (increases the impact value) • Ozone Depletion (avoided impact is reduced by almost 90%)



3. Normalization: The different characterized impact scores are related to a common reference. The term of comparison used is the annual environmental impact of an European citizen equivalent

Considerations:• Some impact categories do not have a normalization value

referred to person equivalent• If the global value of an indicator is negative (benefit for the

environment) it has no sense to define a normalization value

Normalization methods used:• USEtox Europe• ReCiPe 1.08 (E)• USEtox Europe• IPCC, EU25+3



3. Normalization: The different characterized impact scores are related to a common reference. The term of comparison used is the annual environmental impact of an European citizen equivalent

Results: As regards climate change indicator, for instance, an Ecoplasbrick panel, assuming the conditions expresses in LCI, has an impact equal to 1.799*E-03 person

556 m2 of Ecoplasbrick panel ≡ 1 Equivalent European Person/ year



Reccomandations:

The hot spot analysis highlights that the primary impact in all main indicators is “RER: Polyurethane rigid foam (PU) Plastic Europe”, in some case reaching up to 80% of the overall impacts.

Huge amount of recycled materials are generating “avoided impacts” thus decreasing the overall figure. This is critical and it is recommended in the real case to implement this “recycling material chain” to support the above quoted hypothesis.

Status in brief

LCA Phase Report Delivery

Goal and Scope Definition

D4.2

D4.2.1 15 November 2013

Inventory analysis D4.2.

115 November 2013

Models preparation

Impact assessment D4.2.2

15 November 2013

Interpretation D4.3 31 January 2014

Technical documentation for Environmental Product

DeclarationD4.4 June 2014



Questions?

Daniela Reccardo

Thank you for your kind attention!


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