Life Cycle Assessment of Polymers and Compounds for

Wire and CableHaridoss Sarma, IEEE Senior Member

Kriya Consulting, Canada

Polymers in CablesMarch 31-April 1, 2011

Miami, FL, USA

Presentation Scope

Jacket

Insulation

Conductor

• PVC• PE/HDPE• EVA/ZH…• PE/FEP/

TPU…• XLPE • NanoComp

…

• Cu• Al• Alloys

• LCA Framework

• DfE/TURI WCP

• Base Polymers

• Other recent developments

• LCA Attributes & Opportunities

• ISO 14040:2006 – Principles and Framework

• ISO 14044:2006 – Requirements and Guidelines (Life Cycle Inventory Analysis, Impact Assessment, Interpretation, nature & quality of data)

LCA

Standards

LCI Databas

es

Software Tools

http://lca.jrc.ec.europa.eu/lcainfohub/toolList.vm

http://www.plasticseurope.org/plastics-sustainability/life-cycle-thinking.aspx

CMR CMP NM-B

Inventory, Impact Assessment, Interpretation Leaded, Lead-Free and Zero-Halogen Insulation & JacketEPA 744-S-08-001 2008

Inventory and Stages

Inputs

•Materials

•Energy

•Resources

Stages

•Raw materials Extraction/Aquisition

•Processing

•Product Manufacture

•Product use/maintenance/repair

•Final Disposition/end-of-life

Outputs

•Wastes (emissions and effluents)

•Products

Sys

tem

B

ou

nd

ary

Impact Uncertaintie

s

Impact Categories

NRREnergyLandfill

Global warming

Ozone depletion

SmogAcidification

Air particulatesWater

EcotoxicityOccupationalPublic• Carcinogenic• Non-carcinogenic

Data Types and Significance

EOLPrimary Secondary

Installation & Use

Delivery

Manufacture

Primary Secondary

Upstream

Secondary

Analysis Using GaBi4 Software Tool

CMR – Pb and Pb-Free

EPA 744-S-08-001 2008

EPA 744-S-08-001 2008

CMP – Pb and Pb-Free

•Baseline cable had environment burden in 12 impact categories with 4 being statistically significant•4 Impact categories with statistical significance related to toxicity•For the Pb-free cable electricity is the top contributing factor

NM-B – Pb and Pb-Free

•Baseline cable had a greater environmental burden in 13 impact categories•Jacketing production is the top contributing factor•Data is only for cradle-to-gate analysis

Different System BoundariesInstalled LAN Cable

Landfill /Incineration

End of Life

CAT 6e Cable

Steel Conduit

Jacket Insulation

SpacerSteel Recycle

Cu Recycle

Cu wire

Source:DuPont (2007): PVC/PE; LSZH/PE; PVC/PFPSPI (2009): PVC/PE; PVC/PFP

Fire-LCA Model:

Product Use

1. Material2. Product

Landfill

Landfill Fire

Incineration

Recycling

Cab

le

Rep

lace

men

t

Source: SP Report 2001:22

LCA – Polymers - Cradle-to-gate Polymer LCA Rank

PP 1

HDPE 2

LDPE 3

PHA (stover) 4

PS 5

PLA 6

PVC 7

PHA 8

PLA 9

PET 10

PC 11

Bio PET 12

• PVC• Teflon• PE

• XLPE (peroxide)• XLPE (silane)• Silicone• Mica• TPU

Source: Environ. Sci. Technol. 44, p8264, 2010

Power Cable Systems1

2

3

LCA of 11 kV OH lines and UG Cables (GB)J.Cleaner Prod. 18, p.1464, 2010

LCA of OH Vs UG Power cables systems in Southern California EdisonEnv. Sci. Tech. 44 p.5587, 2010

Sustainable Power Cable Materials with Improved Whole Life Performance GnosysUK, National Grid, Dow, Univ. Southampton

LCA of Transmission Network in Great Britain Energy Policy, 38, p.3622, 2010

4

1

LCA – significant factors•Systematic evaluation of environmental impact of product, process, service •Applicable to Functional systems•Helps to avoid shifting environmental problems from one place to another•Helps the decision makers to fully characterize the environmental trade-offs (not meant for determining the cost-performance benefits of a product)

LCA provides what technology wants - Not Preacautionary principle – Proactionary principle• Anticipation•Continual assessment•Prioritization of risks, including natural ones•Rapid correction of harm•Not prohibition but redirection

in LCA – Cable Context

29.988; 53%9.05200000000001; 16%

17.891; 31%

Water Footprint Mm3p.aBorealis – PO Value

ChainFeedstock ElectricityOperational

• ISO 14046 - Proposed standard to deliver• Principles, requirements and guidelines• WF metrics for products, processes, organization• Impact assessment as per ISO 14044

Source: KatsoufisThesis, KTH, Sweden 2009 Source: Nexans Data Harness Cable

LCA to Life Cycle Thinking•Developments have been strong (increasing readiness):

• Attributional Vs Consequential LCA• Methods of System boundary expansion• Data Quality and Tools• Models for Impact Assessment

•LCA serves only as one component of the decision process

• Selection of alternatives is not straightforward (not intended)

• Completeness, sensitivity and consistency of data to be checked

LCA – Wire and Cable•Opportunities for further development

• Materials, Energy and EOL• Impacts from land use, water use• Modeling of impacts and damages • Available data weighting methods (eg.

Toxicity of nanomaterials)• Modeling uncertainties