ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOLS Chapter 15

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ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTTOOLSChapter 15

• BENGT STEEN

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Contents of Chapter 15

• INTRODUCTION
• LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT
• History of LCA
• The Role of LCA in Industry
• The LCA Framework
• The Goal and Scope Phase
• The Inventory Phase
• The Impact Assessment Phase
• The Interpretation Phase
• Examples

• Special Issues with Respect to Industrial
  Ventilation
• Information Sources
• References
• RISK ASSESSMENT
• References
• COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS
• References
• ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
• References

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Several tools can be used to evaluate the
environmental consequences of an industrial
ventilation project Some of the most common
methods used are

• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
• Risk Assessment
• Cost-benefit analysis

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Life Cycle assessment
From cradle to grave

• Impacts on
• Human health
• Ecosystems
• Resources

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ISO 14040 Life Cycle Assessment, Principles and
framework
Life cycle assessment framework
Goal and scope definition
Direct applications - Product development and
improvement - Strategic planning - Public policy
making - Marketing - Other
Inter- pretation
Inventory analysis
Impact assessment
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LCA-result
Environmental impact / functional unit
Example
Amount of nitrate in water/ produced amount of
meat
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Steps in a risk assessment
Define scope
Identify hazards
Identify how hazards could be realized
Estimate consequences if hazards were realized
Estimate the probability that hazards will be
realized
Calculate risk
Assess the significance of the risk
no
yes
Choice of more exhaustive examination
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Cost-benefit analysis
In a cost benefit analysis (CBA) the cost of a
remedial measure is weighed against the
environmental benefits it creates.
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FIGURE 15.1 Phases of an LCA study.
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FIGURE 15.2 Steps of the inventory phase.
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2. Mining of iron ore
1. Mining of coal
3. Mining of limestone
4. Crushing grinding
Product system
Environment
5. Transport
System boundary
6. Sintering
7. Blast furnace
8. Steel furnace
15. Production of electricity
9. Steel moulding
Elementary flows
10. Transport
11. Cutting, shaping
12. Use
13. Waste handling
14. Landfill
FIGURE 15.3 Example of a product system,
production and use of steel sheet metal, for life
cycle inventory analysis.
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FIGURE 15.4 Elements of the life cycle impact
assessment procedure.
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FIGURE 15.5 Elements of the interpretation phase
of an LCA study.
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Choice of more exhaustive examination
FIGURE 15.6 Steps in a risk assessment.