Abiotic resource scarcity in LCA Is there an alternate model? fileAbiotic resource scarcity in LCA Is there an alternate model? 7/11/16 Anne Asselin, consultant Helene Teulon, Gingko

Abiotic resource scarcity in LCA

Is there an alternate model?

7/11/16

Anne Asselin, consultant

Helene Teulon, Gingko 21

November 8th, 2016

avniR 2016 - The criticality of resources

Gingko 21 ?

2

Gingko 21 provides support to companies and organizations to

help them invent new production and consumption schemes in

their move toward a circular economy.

Gingko 21

EVALUATE

ECO-INNOVATE

TRAINING

INDUSTRIAL

SYMBIOSIS


Agenda

3Gingko 21

1- scope

2- limitation of existing models

3- blue print of suggested model

4- discussion


1- Scope

4Gingko 21


Should resources be part of environmental

assessment?

5Gingko 21


depleting finite resources is a

burden for future generations

The stock is also in the

anthropo-sphere

Scope of this presentation : abiotic resources

6Gingko 21

STOCK


Inventory

Flow Units

Inputs: (r) Coal (in ground) kg 2,51E-01

(r) Iron (Fe, ore) kg 2,82E-03

(r) Manganese (Mn,

ore)

kg 0,006372

(r) Limestone

(CaCO3, in ground)

kg 8,83E-03

(r) Gravel

(unspecified)

kg 7,21E-04

Assessment

How are abiotic resources modeled in LCA

today?

7Gingko 21

Goedkoop and Spriensma


2- Limitations of existing model

8Gingko 21


LCA and Circular economy

9Gingko 21

Original LCA model is linear from cradle to grave.

Over the years:

- Increase in incentives to reuse/recycle anthropogenic

resources

- concept of circular economy

Proper accounting of use of anthropogenic resources

has become instrumental.

http

://w

ww

.mta

rr.c

o.u

k/c

ou

rse

s/to

pic

s/0

10

9_

lct/in

de

x.h

tml


example of

Zinc roof

Current LCA models bear social value choices (does the

“society” want to promote the use of recycling material or not?)

that do not fit well with the “scientific” approach of LCA as a

decision making tool.

Current LCA model choices lead to different

results

10Gingko 21

0

0,2

0,4

0,6

0,8

1

1,2

Abiotic Depletion Potential Water Consumption Global Warming Potential

100/0

0/100


Abiotic Resource Depletion in LCA - Guinee 2002

“Primary materials are not only produced from Natural resource supplies but are

also recycled from the growing amount of stocks in the economy […]

From a functional point of view, it is totally irrelevant whether the “primary

material’ for future generations is available in the environment or economy.

As long as the (potential) functions of the resource after extraction are still

available in the economic stock, there is no depletion problem (of functions). An

element or mineral, with a certain function, that is produced from a natural

resource and stored into a product (economic reserve) that can easily be

recycled is not lost but only borrowed. […] The function at present attached in

economic goods is still available for future applications. “

Function of Anthropogenic (“economic”) vs

Natural abiotic resources

11Gingko 21


A key element to account for is dissipative

versus non dissipative use of resources

12Gingko 21


Consistency of Impact models

Account for the Anthroposphere ?

13Gingko 21

Natural stocks

(ores)

Landfill stock piles

Anthropogenic

flows

Natural cycle of

flows

In-use stocks

(other products)

Produc

t LCIA

CF

AWARE

CF resource depletion

Flows (water) Abiotic resources

Anthroposhere

Nature


3 Blue print of suggested model

14Gingko 21


Blueprint of suggested model (1)

15Gingko 21

Abiotic Resources used

:

• Iron ore

• Steel from landfill

• Recycled steel

• Natural Gas

Emissions (including

dissipation of abiotic

resources):

• CO2

• NMVOC

• NOx…

• Fe to waterOther Resources :

• - land

• - water

Abiotic Resources

returned:

• Steel to landfill

• Recycled steel


Blueprint of suggested model (2)

16Gingko 21

Abiotic Resources

consumed:

• Iron ore

• Steel from landfill

• Recycled steel

• Natural Gas

Emissions (including

dissipation of abiotic

resources):

• CO2

• NMVOC

• NOx…

• Fe to waterOther Resources :

• - land

• - water

Abiotic Resources

borrowed and

returned:

• Steel to landfill

• Recycled steel

Abiotic Resources

generated:

• Steel io landfill

• Recycled steel


Blue print of suggested model (3)

Impact Characterization

17Gingko 21 17

Natural stocks

(ores)

Landfill stock piles

In-use stocks

(other products)

Produc

t LCIA

Abiotic resources

Anthroposhere

Nature


4- Discussion

18Gingko 21


What to think of this approach?

The BIG shift : we do not only consider resources

from nature but also anthropogenic resources

some elementary flows would be flows from

“technosphere”.

What would then define an elementary flow? What

is the “ultimate secondary resource”?

Suggestion: “Resource at EoL of previous product, after

collection and EoL treatment from previous product”

Discussion - Principles (1)

19Gingko 21

-


Accounting for landfill stock piles:

seems logical, as there is no change in nature of the

resource : it is free and out there for human use.

Borrowing and returning :

Link with material efficiency (doing more with less) ?

Need to account for quality (loss of potential functions)

How to account for the number of years the resource is

borrowed ? Do we need to discount?

Discussion – User point of view (2)

20Gingko 21


CF would assess scarcity in the total stock : nature and anthropo-

sphere (at least landfill stock piles)

CF should assess availability vs demand :

include in-use stocks? How? Discount for immobilization time?

Group together resources (eg “Fe ore” and “recycled steel”)

Geographic resolution of CF?

Do we have the data ?

stocks (landfill and in-use)

“average borrowing” time of each type of resource?

Discussion – Impact modeler point of view (3)

21Gingko 21


What do you think ?

Consistency with LCA as a whole ?

Potential challenges?

Critics welcome!

Discussion – YOUR point of view (4)

22Gingko 21

avniR 2016 - The criticality of resources 23Gingko 21

? Prepared by

Anne Asselin

06 30 14 44 [email protected]

Hélène Teulon

06 10 07 25 [email protected]

Any question?

Contact us!

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


Back up

24Gingko 21


Information availability on in-use stocks of

metals

25Gingko 21

Source International

Resource Panel– « Metal

stocks in society » 2010


Systematic inventory of material flows and stocks on a given perimeter (time and space)

Example:MFA of Iron in the US

Could supply a basis for new impact indicator on resources.

Material Flow Analysis

26Gingko 21



MFA copper in France

28Gingko 21


Metal flows in Australia

29Gingko 21


Documents

Abiotic resource scarcity in LCA Is there an alternate model? fileAbiotic resource scarcity in LCA Is there an alternate model? 7/11/16 Anne Asselin, consultant Helene Teulon, Gingko