Life Cycle Assessment: A Tool for Evaluating and Comparing Different Treatment Options for Plastic WastesG. Dodbiba 1, K.Takahashi 1, T. Furuyama 2,J. Sadaki 1, T. Kamo 3, and T. Fujita 11. Department of Geosystem Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Japan2. Department of Earth Resource Engineering, Kyushu University, Japan3. National Institute of Advance Industrial Science and Technology, Japan Outline1.1. LCA Methodology LCA Methodology ( (ISO 14040)ISO 14040)2.2. LCA of LCA of Plastic Wastes from Discarded Plastic Wastes from Discarded TV SetsTV Sets3.3. Concluding Remarks Concluding Remarks1.1. LCA Methodology LCA Methodology ( (ISO 14040)ISO 14040)2. LCA of Plastic Wastes from Discarded TV Sets3. Concluding RemarksOutlineScope of LCA to evaluate or compare the life cycle of “products”Life-Cycle Stages and Boundaries(SourceSource: EPA, 1993)Definition of products;Choice of alternatives;Definition of system boundary;Data collection; Theoretical calculation;EvaluationReporting the results;Propose improvement;Methodology: Life Cycle Assessment, (ISO 14040)Phase 1:Phase 1:Phase 2:Phase 2:Phase 3:Phase 3:Phase 4:Phase 4:(SourceSource: Consoli et.al., 1993)Aim of Study to evaluate and compare different recycling options for plastic wastes from old TV sets in context of LCA Compositions of a TV Set (weight %)(SourceSource: O. Murakami, Mitsubishi Elec. ADVANCE, pp. 6-9, 2001). Conventional Recycling System for TV setsProblem: How to recycle plastic wastes?Objective to compare two different recycling options for plastic wastes from old TV sets in context of LCA.Option 1:Option 1: Incineration Incineration of plastics for energy recovery energy recovery (also known as thermal recycling)Option 2:Option 2: Sorting Sorting plastics for mechanical mechanical recyclingrecycling (also know as material recycling)1. LCA Methodology (ISO 14040)2.2. LCA of LCA of Plastic Wastes from Discarded Plastic Wastes from Discarded TV SetsTV Sets3. Concluding RemarksOutlineDefinition of products;Choice of alternatives;Definition of system boundary;Phase 1:Phase 1:(SourceSource: Consoli et.al., 1993)Methodology: Life Cycle Assessment, (ISO 14040)a. Subject of the study are plastic wastes from old TV sets (display: 25”, weight = 30 kg), which contain:b. Functional unit: is defined as 1.8 million TV sets per year, over a period of 10 years.Phase 1 of LCA: Goal Definition and Scope1. PS (6.0 wt%, i.e. 1.80 kg),2. PVC (3.5 wt%, i.e. 1.05 kg), 3. PE (1.0 wt%, i.e. 0.30 kg).Special cases: Special cases: (1). Energy recovery, i.e. c c = 0 % = 0 %; ;(2). Mechanical recycling, i.e. c c = 100 % = 100 % and r r = 67 % = 67 %Life-cycle of plastics for TV setsData collection; Theoretical calculation;Phase 2:Phase 2:(SourceSource: Consoli et.al., 1993)Methodology: Life Cycle Assessment, (ISO 14040)The data of the processes, namely:were from the LCA database of the Japan Environmental Management Association for Industry (JEMAI). Phase 2 of LCA: Inventory analysisa) Data collection1. production of PS,2. production of PVC,3. production of PE,4. production of electricity,5. production of a TV set, Option 1:Option 1: Incineration of 1 kg plastic materialEnergy generated:Energy generated:PS 9,604 kcal/kg PVC 4,300 kcal/kgPE 11,140 kcal/kgEmissionEmission: :2,640 g CO2 /kgSource: K. Krekeler et al., Kunstsoffe, 55/10, pp. 758, 1965Phase 2 of LCA: Inventory analysisa) Data collectionSource: Ministry of Environment of Japan, Guidelines, 2004PS1050PE960PlasticsDensity, kg/m3PVC 1400 1 1st st Step Step2 2ndnd Step StepOption 2: Separation of plastic wastes prior to mechanical recyclingOption 2: Separation of plastic wastes(by combining triboelectric separation and air tabling)Energy:0. 74 kWh/kgTriboelectric separator0.04 kWh/kgAir table0.66 kWh/kgSize reduction0.02 kWh/kgSieving0.02 kWh/kgRecovery of products: 67 % Grade of products: 95 %Phase 2 of LCA: Inventory analysisa) Data collectionSteps to be followed in theoretical calculation:1.Calculate the inverse of matrix of A (i.e. A A-1-1)2.Calculate the inventory vector g gPhase 2 of LCA: Inventory analysisb) Theoretical calculationsthe matrix A represents the flow of products and materialsg is the vector of the environmental interventionsthe matrix B represents the flow of environmental loadsthe vector f represents a special process where the functional unit is an output EvaluationPhase 3:Phase 3:(SourceSource: Consoli et.al., 1993)Methodology: Life Cycle Assessment, (ISO 14040)The categories of the environmental impacts:a) Abiotic resources:ADPADP (in kg Sb eq.)b) Global warming:GWPGWP (in kg CO2 eq.)Phase 3 of LCA: Impact assessmentPhase 3 of LCA: Impact assessment a) Depletion of Abiotic Resources, (ADP)Phase 3 of LCA: Impact assessment a) Depletion of Abiotic Resources, (ADP)1.6 x1.6 xPhase 3 of LCA: Impact assessment b) Global Warming Potential (GWP)Phase 3 of LCA: Impact assessment b) Global Warming Potential (GWP)1.4 x1.4 xReporting the results;Propose improvement;Phase 4:Phase 4:(SourceSource: Co