Industrial ecology&

Life Cycle Assessment

Dr. Santosh Kumar Sharma M.Sc. (Botany), M.Phil. (Envi. Mgmt.), Ph.D. (Botany)

Mobile No. 09406660463; Email: santosh_ujj@yahoo.com

Introduction

Deals with the relationship between

“Industry” + “Ecology”.

The word ecology is derived from the

Greek oikos, (household) and logy (the

study of).

Eugene Odum: The study of households

including the plants, animals, microbes,

and people that live together as

interdependent beings on Spaceship

Earth.

Ecology can be broadly defined as the

study of the interactions between the

abiotic and the biotic components of a

system.

Defining Industrial Ecology

“Industrial ecology is the study of the interactions between

industrial and ecological systems; consequently, it addresses

the environmental effects on both the abiotic and biotic

components of the ecosphere”.

“an effort to reduce the industrial systems’ environmental

impacts on ecological systems.”

“an emphasis on harmoniously integrating industrial activity

into ecological systems.”

“the idea of making industrial systems more efficient and

sustainable by emulating natural systems”

closely related concepts – industrial ecosystems, industrial

metabolism, industrial symbiosis etc.

Why Industrial Ecology…?

Population is growing

Our current interaction with nature.

Pollution is constantly increasing and

(Pesticides, heavy metals etc.)

Nature's productive ability is declining

(Farmland, oceans, forests etc.)

Environmental legislation

Role of media - as environmental

proponents reporting environmental

damage.

The solution will be an approach that allows the two

systems to coexist without threatening each other’s

viability

Historical Development

• The publication of the Club of

Rome’s report The Limits to

Growth received considerable

public attention.

• In 1989, Robert Ayres

developed the concept of

industrial metabolism.

Robert A.

Frosch

Nicholas E.

Gallopoulus

• The official beginnings of Industrial Ecology as a field of study can be

traced to a article – Strategies for Manufacturing – Scientific American 261;

September 1989, 144–152 by Frosch and Gallopoulos .

• The first textbook (Industrial Ecology;

Graedel and Allenby, 1995).

• The first university degree program (created

by the Norwegian University of Science and

Technology [NTNU] in 1996).

• T. E. Graedel’s appointment as the first

professor of industrial ecology in 1997.

• The birth of the Journal of Industrial Ecology

in 1997, and the foundation of the

International Society for Industrial Ecology

(ISIE) in 2001.

Historical Development

Goals of Industrial Ecology

• To promote sustainable development

at the global, regional, and local levels.

• The sustainable use of resources.

• Preserving ecological and human

health.

• Promotion of environmental equity

(Intersocietal)

• Minimal use of nonrenewable

resources.

• High degree of interconnectedness

and integration that exists in nature

(i) Systems Analysis

(ii) Multidisciplinary Approach

(iii) Material-Flow Analysis

(iv) Analogies to Natural Systems

• The natural environment is a resilient, self-regulating, productive

system.

• There is ‘waste’ in nature.

• Materials and energy are continually circulated and transformed.

• Concentrated toxins are not stored or transported in bulk.

• Cooperation and competition are interlinked, held in balance.

Key Concepts of Industrial Ecology

(i) Linear (Open) Versus

Cyclical (Closed) Loop

Systems

Evolution from a Type I toa Type III system

The shifting of industrialprocess from linear (openloop) systems, in whichresource and capitalinvestments move throughthe system to becomewaste,

To

a closed loop system wherewastes become inputs fornew processes.

Unlimited

Resources

and Energy

Industrial

Activity

Unlimited

Space for

Waste

Energy &

Limited

Resources

Industrial

Activity

with some

Recycling

Limited

Waste

Energy

Industrial Activity with

Total Resource

Conservation

Type I Industrial Ecology

Type II Industrial Ecology

Type III Industrial Ecology

The current state of Industrial Ecology

Currently focuses on the development of two interrelated areas, analysis

and design

IE analysis: deals with mapping resource consumption at various system

boundaries. There are a number of theoretical elements:

• Physical accounting: resource stocks and flows across system boundaries;

• Natural capital: ecosystem as a means for production;

• Ecological economics: relates economic theory to natural behaviors;

• Systems complexity: making generalities about the natural ecosystem

In addition, IE analysts utilize a varied set of unique tools and methods:

• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA):

• IPAT equation: used to identify necessity for technological improvement;

P= product of population, A= affluence of the population or resource

intensity per capita, and T= impact per resource (technology).

• Resource metrics: energy, emergy, and exergy are properties of pieces in

a system that can be measured and optimized; and

• Environmental footprint: The placement of anthropogenic environmental

impact into standardized, limited units to quantify the theoretical

environmental qualities.

IE Design: Some guiding principles for IE engineering:

• Dematerialization: the quest to achieve the same

service for less resources;

• Green chemistry: a reduction in the use and production

of pollution and toxins in industry;

• Distributed energy: development of methods for small-

scale, site-appropriate, resilient power generation

facilities; and

• Closing loops: finding uses for waste flows from

industrial processes or re-engineering material

processes to generate usable waste and recyclable

products.

Industrial Ecology as a Potential Umbrella for Sustainable

Development Strategies:

Pollution prevention – “the use of materials, processes, or practices

that reduce or eliminate the creation of pollutants at the source”

(U.S. EPA)

Waste minimization – “the reduction, to the extent feasible, of

hazardous waste that is generated or subsequently treated, sorted,

or disposed of” (U.S. EPA)

Source reduction – any practice that reduces the amount of any

hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant entering any waste

stream or otherwise released into the environmental prior to

recycling, treatment or disposal.

Total quality environmental management (TQEM) – used to monitor,

control, and improve a firm’s environmental performance within

individual firms.

Types of Industrial Ecosystems

Local, Regional, National, Global

Industrial Symbiosis

The Eco-Industrial Park

Example of Industrial Ecology

At Kalundborg, the pattern of cooperation is described as „industrialsymbiosis‟ or a pioneering „industrial ecosystem‟.

Industrial environmental cooperation at the town of Kalundborg, 80miles west of Copenhagen in Denmark.

Industries exchange wastes

Companies made agreements 70s – 90s

The cooperation involves among

Asnaes – Coal-fired power plant

Statoil – Oil Refinery

Gyproc – plasterboard company

Novo Nordisk – biotechnology company

a sulfuric acid producer, cement producers, local agriculture and horticulture, district heating in Kalundborg.

Industrial Ecology in Kalundborg

Saves resources: 30% better utilization of fuel using combined

heat + power than producing separate

Reduced oil consumption

3500 less oil-burning heaters in homes

Does not deplete fresh water supplies

New source of raw materials Gypsum, sulfuric acid, fertilizer, fish farm

An Eco-Industrial Park in Devens, Massachusetts

“We should leave to the next generation a stock of „quality of life‟ assets no less than those we have inherited.”

-Devens Enterprise Commission

Economic Benefits of IE Hidden Resource Productivity Gains

Within Firm: eliminating waste

• Making plant more efficient

Within Value Chain: reducing costs

• Synergies between production and distribution

Beyond Production Chain: closed loop

• Eco-Industrial Parks and inter-firm relationsBenefits of IE to Corporation

Revenue Generation

Cost Savings

Reduced Liabilities

Competitive Edge of Regulatory Flexibility

Enhanced Public Image

Market Leader

The Future of IE

Cradle to Grave Analysis

“Compilation and evaluation of the inputs, outputs and the potential

environmental impacts of a product system throughout its life cycle”

“LCA is a tool to evaluate the environmental consequences of a product or activity

holistically, across its entire life” – U.S. EPA

• A way of looking at the effect on the environment of products (or

processes) including packaging

• Considers the whole life cycle, from raw material production to

ultimate fate

Product Life Cycle

Steps of LCA:

1. Goal definition (ISO 14040): The basis and scope of the evaluation are defined.

2. Inventory Analysis (ISO 14041): identification and quantification of energy and

resource use and environmental releases to air, water, and land.

3. Impact Assessment (ISO 14042): Emissions and consumptions are translated into

environmental effects.

4. Improvement Assessment/Interpretation (ISO 14043): Evaluation and implementation of opportunities to

reduce environmental burden

STEPS in an LCA

1. Goal and Scope: Select product or activity Define purposeof study (comparison? improvement?) Fix boundariesaccordingly

2. Inventory Analysis: Identify all relevant inputs andoutputs Quantify and add (At this stage, data are in terms ofenergy consumed, emission amounts, etc.)

3. Impact Analysis: Determine the resulting environmentalimpacts (At this next stage, the previous data are translatedin additional cancer rates, fish kill, habitat depletion, etc.)

4. Interpretation: Use value judgment to assess and/or inrelation to the objectives of the study.

It is important to establish beforehand

What purpose the model is to serve,

what one wishes to study,

what depth and degree of accuracy are required, and

what will ultimately become the decision criteria.

In addition, the system boundaries - for both time and

place - should be determined.

LCA Step 1 - Goal

Definition and Scope

LCA Step 2 –

Inventory Analysis

The inputs and outputs of all life-cycle processes in terms of material and

energy.

Start with making a process tree or a flow-chart classifying the events in a

product’s life-cycle which are to be considered in the LCA, plus their

interrelations.

Next, start collecting the relevant data for each event: the emissions from each

process and the resources (back to raw materials) used.

Establish (correct) material and energy balance(s) for each process stage and

event.

LCA Step 3 - Impact Assessment

Examples of Common Impact Categories Greenhouse gas emissions Air emissionsCarcinogens

• Non-carcinogens• Respiratory inorganics

Aquatic• Acidification• Eutrophication

Land use Ecotoxicity

• Aquatic• Terrestrial

Ozone layer depletion Ionizing radiation Non-renewable energy Mineral extraction Health impacts

LCA Step 3 - Impact Assessment…

Three well-documened and used methods are:

The Eco-Points methodThe Environmental Priority SystemThe Eco-Indicator

The final step in Life-Cycle Analysis is to identify areasfor improvement.

Consult the original goal definition for the purpose of theanalysis and the target group.

Life-cycle areas/processes/events with large impacts(i.e., high numerical values) are clearly the most obviouscandidates

However, what are the resources required and riskinvolved?

Good areas of improvement are those where largeimprovements can be made with minimal (corporate)resource expenditure and low risk.

LCA Step 4 - Improvement Assessment/Interpretation

LCAs are used:

in the design process to determine which of several

designs may leave a smaller “footprint on the

environment”, or

after the fact to identify environmentally preferred

products in government procurement or eco-labeling

programs.

Also, the study of reference or benchmark LCAs

provides insight into the main causes of the

environmental impact of a certain kind of product and

design priorities and product design guidelines can be

established based on the LCA data.

Goal Definition and ScopingCosts and time to conduct an LCA may be prohibitive to small firms.Temporal & spatial dimensions are difficult to address.Definition of functional units can be problematic.Complex products (automobiles) require tremendous resources toanalyze.You have to do one LCA for every product in your companyData CollectionData availability and access can be limiting.Data quality concerns such as bias, accuracy, precision, andcompleteness are often not well-addressed.Data EvaluationSophisticated models and model parameters may not be available,Information TransferDesign decision-makers often lack knowledge about environmentaleffects.Aggregation and simplification techniques may distort results.Impact categorization is difficult (global warming, eutrophication, etc.)

Some Problems with LCA

Thanks