Resource use in LCA

Question 1

Background - why?

Answer 1

how should the use of resources as such be considered in LCIA?–> is currently lacking

Question 2

Methods to assess mineral resource use in LCA

Answer 2

• 27 Different methods are available assessing different aspects of resource use
• Often the “wrong method” is used to answer the “right question”, e.g. ADP (assessing long-term geologic depletion) to assess short-term supply risk
• Safeguard subjects (Schutzgüter) within Area of Protection “Natural Resources” are controversial
• which method depends on which problem should be accessed
• reason why there are so many methods: still unclear what do we want to protect

Question 3

LCI challenges

Answer 3

• „Problem“: Material composition of products usually not reflected in LCI
• Reasons: Cradle-to gate analysis: losses and auxiliaries (Nebenprodukte) and ALLOCATION

Option A: Allocate metal content to produced copper and gold (physical mass balances)

Option B: Allocate ore to produced copper and gold (economic allocation)

Question 4

Option A:

Answer 4

Allocate metal content to produced copper and gold

• Considers metals as relevant elementary flows, reported in LCI databases
• Reflects the mass balance requirement of ISO 14044, 4.3.4.2 (Allocation)
• In line with “allocation procedures shall be uniformly applied to similar inputs …”

–> LCI would reflect material composition

Question 5

Option B

Answer 5

Allocate ore to produced copper and gold (e.g. economic allocation)

• Reflects ISO def. of elementary flows, “without previous human transformation”
• Consistent allocation in one process (and in one flow – ore)
• LCI does not reflect BOM (Bill of materials) of products but environmental interferences

Question 6

Categorization of LCIA methods

Task

Answer 6

• depletion methods
• future efforts methods
• supply risk methods
• thermodynamic accounting methods

Question 7

safeguard subject

Answer 7

Within the area of protection “natural resources”, the safeguard subject for “mineral resources” is the potential to make use of the value that mineral resources can hold for humans in the technosphere. Mineral resources are chemical elements (e.g. copper), minerals (e.g. gypsum), and aggregates (e.g. sand) as embedded in a natural or anthropogenic stock.

• -> “for humans in the technosphere” - big limitation
• -> “embedded in a natural or anthropogenic stock” - doesn’t matter where the resources came from
• -> resources don’t have a value as such, they contain a potential value (depends on current ecological/economic situation)

Question 8

Inside-out methods

Answer 8

How can I quantify the relative …changing opportunities of future generations to use mineral resources due to a current mineral resource use?

…contribution of a product system to the depletion of mineral resources? (Depletion methods) –> depletion

…contribution of a product system to changing mineral resource quality? –> Quality

…consequences of the contribution of a product system to changing mineral resource quality? –> consequences

…(economic) externalities of mineral resource use? (Future efforts methods)

…impacts of mineral resource use based on thermo-dynamics? (thermodynamics methods)

Question 9

Outside-in methods

Answer 9

How can I quantify the relative …potential mineral resource availability issues for a
product system?

…potential availability issues for a product
system related to midterm physico-economic scarcity of mineral resources? (Depletion and supply risk methods) –> Availability

…potential accessibility issues for a product
system related to shortterm geopolitcal and
socio-economic aspects? (Supply risk methods) –> accessibility

Question 10

Outlook

Answer 10

• All methods should increase the number of CFs (characterization factors), keep them updated and include secondary resources
• “Dissipative resource use” should be defined and integrated in future life cycle inventories and impact assessment methods

Question 11

Recommendations on dissipation

Answer 11

• Dissipative resource use is affecting the safeguard subject
• Dissipation should be clearly defined (threshold between dissipative and nondissipative resource use, dissipation within the technosphere, occupying use, etc.)
• Dissipation should be implemented in:
• > The Life Cycle Inventory: currently resource extraction only
• > The Life Cycle Impact Assessment: Characterization methods need to be refined

Question 12

Thoughts on dissipation…

Answer 12

• so far resouce extraction was the only problem, now you can mine as much as you want as long as you don’t loose it?
• Resource efficiency definitions and strategies should be adapted:
  resource input/valua added –> resource loss/valua added