Factsheet: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in the ALCHIMIA Project

? In ALCHIMIA we consider the following input and output materials and energy flows: Natural gas Ferroalloys and tapping additions Carbon sources Scraps Electricity Water Waste management Life Cycle Assessment of steel scraps recycling Fact Sheet Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in the Alchimia Project This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 101070046. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is scientific a methodology, standardized by the ISO 1404044 standards, to calculate the potential environmental impacts of products and processes, such as the production of secondary steel from scraps recycling. The starting point is the quantification of the main input and output materials and energy flows. Environmental impact categories Climate Change: this indicator measures the effects of greenhouse gas emissions to Climate Change [kgCO2 eq] Acidification: this indicator measures the effects of acidic substances which can disrupt ecosystems and harm living organisms [mol H+ eq] Eutrophication: this indicator measures the level of nutrients released into water bodies through human activities [kg P eq] Photochemical ozone formation: this indicator measures the emissions of pollutants, which contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone and smog [kg NMVOC eq] Ozone depletion: Evaluates the release of substances, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), that deplete the ozone layer in the stratosphere [kg CFC11 eq] Image generated with Microsoft Bing Image Creator Baseline: LCA is used to calculate the environmental impact of steelmaking grounding on primary data. The LCA results are used as a baseline to measure the environmental benefits of ALCHIMIA. Environmental impact factors: LCA is also used to calculate environmental impact factors associated to all input and output materials and energy flows. Environmental Optimization: Environmental impact factors are included in an optimization model that calculates the optimal materials mix to minimize the environmental impact of the steelmaking process. Comparison with the benchmark: the results of the optimization model are compared with the Baseline to quantify the maximum environmental benefits that can be provided in ALCHIMIA as well as the materials that should be used to achieve these targets. System boundaries System boundaries: from cradle to gate. Functional Unit: 1 kilogram of steel, net production. Background Database: Ecoinvent 3.9.1 Impact Assessment method: EF3.1, recommended by the European Commission. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 101070046. Environmental Optimization model Image generated with Microsoft Bing Image Creator