the application of lca in a policy context: a case study of pvc
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The application of LCA in a policy context: A case study of PVC. Daren Luscombe. The context. Big debate between industry and pressure groups Range of issues – toxicity, waste, production stage energy intensity, comparative performance? - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Creating the environment for business
The application of LCA in a policy context:
A case study of PVC
Daren Luscombe
Creating the environment for business 2
Big debate between industry and pressure groups
Range of issues – toxicity, waste, production stage energy intensity, comparative performance?
EC Green Paper on PVC ‘Environmental Issues of PVC’, 2000 – focussed on additives and waste – is there a case for material substitution?
How would PVC stack up compared to alternative materials across a range of impacts?
UK Govt needed to respond to the EC Green Paper and the debate between industry and pressure groups
The context
Creating the environment for business 3
Comparative LCA of four products with an alternative material
Also integrated life cycle external costs and assessment of risk through the life cycle
Collation trays = PVC vs. polystyrene
Flooring = PVC vs. linoleum
Rainwater pipes = PVC vs. aluminium
Window profiles = PVC vs. wood
The study
Creating the environment for business 4
First Level - Arial 26pt (Bold)
– Second Level - Arial 26pt (Normal) Third Level - 20pt (Normal)
– Fourth Level - 20pt (Normal) Fifth Level - 16pt (Normal)
Total primary energy(window profiles)
E Total Primary Energy
-20%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
Total Production Delivery &fitting
Use of theproduct
Removal anddisposal
Alternative
PVC
Creating the environment for business 5
Carbon dioxide(window profiles)
(a) Carbon Dioxide (CO2, biomass)
-35000
-30000
-25000
-20000
-15000
-10000
-5000
0
5000
10000
Total Production Delivery &fitting
Use of theproduct
Removal anddisposal
gAlternative
PVC
(a) Carbon Dioxide (CO2, fossil)
-100000
0
100000
200000
300000
400000
500000
Total Production Delivery &fitting
Use of theproduct
Removal &disposal
g
Alternative
PVC
Creating the environment for business 6
First Level - Arial 26pt (Bold)
– Second Level - Arial 26pt (Normal) Third Level - 20pt (Normal)
– Fourth Level - 20pt (Normal) Fifth Level - 16pt (Normal)
Waste(window profiles)
Waste (total)
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
Total Production Delivery &fitting
Use of theproduct
Removal &disposal
Alternative
PVC
Creating the environment for business 7
First Level - Arial 26pt (Bold)
– Second Level - Arial 26pt (Normal) Third Level - 20pt (Normal)
– Fourth Level - 20pt (Normal) Fifth Level - 16pt (Normal)
Greenhouse Effect(window profiles)
IPCC-Greenhouse effect (direct, 100 years)
0
100000
200000
300000
400000
500000
600000
Alt - Total PVC-total
g eq.CO2
(a) Nitrous Oxide (N2O)
(a) Methane (CH4)
(a) Carbon Tetrafluoride (CF4)
(a) Carbon Dioxide (CO2, fossil)
Creating the environment for business 8
First Level - Arial 26pt (Bold)
– Second Level - Arial 26pt (Normal) Third Level - 20pt (Normal)
– Fourth Level - 20pt (Normal) Fifth Level - 16pt (Normal)
Acidification(window profiles)
CML-Air Acidification
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Alt - Total PVC-total
g. eq.H+
(a) Sulphur Oxides (SOx as SO2)
(a) Nitrogen Oxides (NOx as NO2)
Creating the environment for business 9
First Level - Arial 26pt (Bold)
– Second Level - Arial 26pt (Normal) Third Level - 20pt (Normal)
– Fourth Level - 20pt (Normal) Fifth Level - 16pt (Normal)
Photochemical oxidant formation(window profiles)
WMO-Photochemical oxidant formation (high)
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
Alt - Total PVC-total
g eq.ethylene
(a) VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds)
(a) Methane (CH4)
(a) Hydrocarbons (unspecified)
(a) Hydrocarbons (except methane)
Creating the environment for business 10
First Level - Arial 26pt (Bold)
– Second Level - Arial 26pt (Normal) Third Level - 20pt (Normal)
– Fourth Level - 20pt (Normal) Fifth Level - 16pt (Normal)
Depletion of non-renewable resources
(window profiles)
EB(Y)-Depletion of non renewable resources
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
Alt - Total PVC-total
kg/yr
(r) Oil (in ground)
(r) Natural Gas (in ground)
(r) Iron (Fe, ore)
(r) Coal (in ground)
Creating the environment for business 11
Used life cycle thinking and information on unit process risks
PVC and PS had more ‘high’ and ‘intermediate’ level risks
Aluminium, lino & wood had lower levels of risk
Toxic fumes in fires from PVC – but falling off a ladder from painting wood window frames !
Risks through the material life cycles?
Creating the environment for business 12
Used life cycle thinking and inventory outputs
Product price plus environmental externalities
Externalities for both are around 1% of TSC
Wood has greater externalities due to transport health and accident externalities resulting from greater distances of materials transport
Total social costs(window profiles)
Cos t c omponent W ood PV C Cos t dif f erenc e (A lternativ e - PV C)
Produc t pr ic e £376 £297 £79
Ex ternalities £5 £3 £2
Total £381 £300 £81
Creating the environment for business 13
Single or double glazed, PVC or wood
Environmental, safety, comfort, cost issues
Environment and risks – a mixed picture
Life time cost (installation & maintenance)? Wood 22% greater over 30 years
Relevance to a Local Authority?– housing stock window replacement
policy
Creating the environment for business 14
First neutral study
Used life cycle inventory and unit process information to develop economic and risk analysis
End-of-life as area for improvement and policy focus for both Govt. and industry – 8,000t recycled in 2005, much more to do !
The need to understand the comparative impacts of alternative materials before jumping ship
So how did we influence the policy debate?
Creating the environment for business 15
Toxics – the issue? Dioxins, cadmium, lead, phthalate
Provided a broader context – information about more impacts. Not all good or bad
Policy makers caught in the middle of industry and pressure group campaigns
‘Profoundly influential’ in moving the nature of the debate from hostile and adversarial to more objective
So how did this influence the policy debate?
Creating the environment for business
The application of LCA in a policy context:
A case study of PVC
Daren Luscombe