Life cycle impact assessment methods for estimating the impacts of dissipative flows of metals

• DOI: 10.1111/jiec.13136
• Publication Date: 2021-04-30T03:37:16Z
• Authors: Alexandre Charpen...; Christoph Helbig; Philippe Loubet; Antoine Beylot; Stéphanie Muller; Jacques Villeneuve; Bertrand Laratte; Andrea Thorenz; Axel Tuma; Guido Sonnemann
• Keywords: Material flow analysis; Resource Depletion

The dissipation of metals leads to potential environmental impacts, usually evaluated for product systems with life cycle assessment. Dissipative flows become inaccessible future users, going against the common goal a more circular economy. Therefore, they should be addressed in impact assessment (LCIA) area protection "Natural Resources." However, inventory databases provide limited information on as only track emissions environment elementary flows. we propose two LCIA methods capturing expected patterns after extraction, based dynamic material flow analysis data. are applied resource inventories. lost service time method provides precautionary indications due over different horizons. average rate distinguishes between conservation potentials metals. Metals that relatively well conserved, including major such iron and aluminum, have low characterization factors (CFs). Those poor process yields, many companion high-tech gallium tellurium, high CFs. A comparative study developed CFs, along those Abiotic Depletion Potential Environmental Dissipation methods, show trends do not consistently match depletion potentials. proposed may thus complementary other when assessing impacts use Natural Resources pursuing an increased circularity. This article met requirements gold-silver JIE data openness badge at http://jie.click/badges.