circular economy and lca_slide share
TRANSCRIPT
Circular Economy and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): How to (help) make Circular Economy Happen
Soledad Contreras, Mark GoedkoopPRé Consultants
Circularity has been discussed for decades ...
Circular Economy
What can be done to escalate it?
Combining the strenghts of Circular Economy and LCA
Inspiring Vision
Minimize environmental and
social impacts
Mobilize
Implementation?
Best solution always?
Accountancy Approach
Show impacts from Life Cycle
Perspective
Robust Science Based Method
Capacity to mobilize?
Deal with complexity?
LCA use for Circular Economy
Circular Model
Test the assumptions
Re-think and re-define the model
Insights for Implementation
Recycling e-waste in the Netherlands
• Positive impact closing loops
• Avoidance of about 500,000 Tons CO2 eq. and 100,000 Tons material per year
• Insight in processes allowing improvements in efficiency
Cars Tires Recycling (recycled content in new tires)
• Closing loops don’t bring a positive impact
• Negative impact in rolling resistance therefore fuel use
• Positive impact for energy recoveryand other uses for the material recovered
Average
production
cradle to gate Distribution Car tyre
debris
Use phase
fuel
consumption
EoL
collection
Car tyre EoL
processing
Bio-based Materials
• Assessment should consider the entire life cycle
• Highlight the trade-offs between impact categories
• Case by case assessment: type of biomass, country, agriculture techniques, etc.PRé study year 2000. Results could be not longer valid due to
optimization on bio-plastics production.
Rethink and redefine the models:Explore alternative approaches
HotspotsCircular Model v.1
Circular Model v.2Test
scenarios
Implementation
• Route to circularity is a
continuous process
• Starts at a product/operationallevel in business
• Prioritize actions (one step at a time, with a roadmap in mind)
• Set KPI’s and measure progress over
time
• Set targets
• Feed back the model
Product /service Circular Model
Test the assumptions
Re-think and re-define the model
Set priorities
Set KPI's
Monitor progress and provide Feedback
McKinsey's "REsolve" framework, which isolates six strategies to incorporate circular economy concepts into a business
Circular Model
Test the assumptions
Re-think and re-define the model
Insights for Implementation
Energy Intensity
[kWh/Ton final product]
Water Intensity [m3/Ton final product]
Material Intensity[Ton/Ton final product]
Recycled content [%] MaterialRecovery rate [%]
WaterRecovery rate [%]
Life time of a product [years/unit]
Land use, biodiversityimpact [Hectares]
Toxicity [ppm],[w/w]
Relevant Indicators from LCA
Simplified, easy to implement
Information available at business level
Take-home message: Circular Economy + LCA (LCM)
Product /service Circular Model
Test the assumptions
Re-think and re-define the model
Set priorities
Set KPI's
Monitor progress and provide Feedback
Mobilizing
Practical
Measurable
Always the best solution
(recognize limitations)
Science based
