From Life Cycle Assessment to Life Cycle Management

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a widely accepted methodology to support decision‐making processes in which one compares alternatives, and that helps prevent shifting of environmental burdens along the value chain or among impact categories. According to regulation in the European Union (EU), the movement of waste needs to be reduced and, if unavoidable, the environmental gain from a specific waste treatment option requiring transport must be larger than the losses arising from transport. The EU explicitly recommends the use of LCA or life cycle thinking for the formulation of new waste management plans. In the last two revisions of the Industrial Waste Management Programme of Catalonia (PROGRIC), the use of a life cycle thinking approach to waste policy was mandated. In this article we explain the process developed to arrive at practical life cycle management (LCM) from what started as an LCA project. LCM principles we have labeled the “3/3” principle or the “good enough is best” principle were found to be essential to obtain simplified models that are easy to understand for legislators and industries, useful in waste management regulation, and, ultimately, feasible. In this article, we present the four models of options for the management of waste solvent to be addressed under Catalan industrial waste management regulation. All involved actors concluded that the models are sufficiently robust, are easy to apply, and accomplish the aim of limiting the transport of waste outside Catalonia, according to the principles of proximity and sufficiency.     

Allogromia laticollaris: A Foraminiferan with an Unusual Apogamic Metagenic Life Cycle*

SYNOPSIS. The life cycles of 3 strains of Allogromia laticollaris, a monothalamous foraminiferan, have been studied. Each of the strains had a different, nonclassical, and basically apogamic, life cycle. The Cold Spring Harbor (CSH) strain regularly alternated between 2 agamontic forms: agamont I (uninucleate and diploid) and agamont II (multinucleate and diploid). The complete life cycle took 26 days. Sexual reproduction was rare (0.01%) and autogamous. Small numbers of organisms also underwent budding, binary fission, and cytotomy. The life cycles of the Towd Point (TPA) and Sippewissett (SIP) strains were comparatively abbreviated. Agamont II dominated their typical life cycles, which were completed in 16-18 days. The life cycle of SIP was basically a continuous cycling of the agamont II phase. Approximately 75% of the schizozoites of the TPA strain developed into agamont II. The other 25% alternated between agamont II and agamont I phase. In the CSH strain schizozoites with ～ 8 (range 5-15) nuclei characterized newly formed agamonts II. More nuclei (～ 25) were found in the other 2 strains. The nuclei in young agamonts II underwent rapid morphologic changes leading to a “mushroom-like” chromosome appearance and extensive RNA synthesis. Nucleolar material accumulated at the nuclear periphery and eventually was discharged to the cytoplasm. Karyokinesis took place without the breakdown of the nuclear membrane. The single nucleus of young agamont I forms was proportionally quite large. The S₁ phase occurred quite early (2-5 days) in this part of the life cycle. RNA in the CSH strain formed a compact, subcortical, coarsely granular ring, while in the TPA it was cortical and differentiated into finely granular matrix with randomly distributed coarse granules. During the G₂ phase the nucleus became further enlarged and eventually amoeba-form. Intermediate stages in nuclear breakdown were not found.     

中国省级火电供应生命周期清单分析

应用生命周期评价方法,建立了我国各省区的火电供应生命周期清单。清单分析结果表明,我国各省区单位火电供应的生命周期清单之间,及与全国单位火电供应的生命周期清单之间均存在一定差异,以总能源投入和全球变暖潜值为例进行了分析。在全球变暖潜值方面,我国单位火电供应的平均值为1.05kg/k Wh。云南等15个省区的单位火电全球变暖潜值与全国平均水平相差±10%以上。如果基于全国单位火电供应的平均全球变暖潜值计算各省火电总量全球变暖潜值,与基于各省单位火电全球变暖潜值计算的结果相比,也存在一定的差距。15个省区与基于全国平均值计算的结果相差±10%以上,表明了核算各省区火电清单的必要性。中国省级火电供应生命周期清单为省区级别的材料、产品、产业等生命周期评价提供数据支撑,也为各省区电力节能减排提供了理论基础。     

Life Cycle assessment of bio-ethanol derived from cellulose

Objective, Scope, Background  A comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment was conducted on bio-ethanol produced using a new process that converts cellulosic biomass by enzymatic hydrolysis. Options for sourcing the feedstock either from agricultural and wood waste, or, if the demand for bio-ethanol is sufficient, from cultivation are examined. The main focus of the analysis was to determine its potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in a 10% blend of this bio-ethanol with gasoline (E10) as a transportation fuel. Methods  SimaPro 4.0 was used as the analysis tool, which allowed a range of other environmental impacts also to be examined to assess the overall relative performance to gasoline alone. All impacts were assigned to the fuel because of uncertainties in markets for the by-products. This LCA therefore represents a worst case scenario. Results, Conclusion  It is shown that E10 gives an improved environmental performance in some impact categories, including greenhouse gas emissions, but has inferior performances in others. Whether the potential benefits of the bio-ethanol blend to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will be realized is shown to be particularly sensitive to the source of energy used to produce the process steam required to break down the cellulose to produce sugars and to distil the final product. One key area where improvements in environmental performance might be derived is in enzyme production. Recommendations and Outlook  The LCA profile helps to highlight those areas where positive and negative environmental impacts can be expected. Technological innovation can be directed accordingly to preserve the benefits while minimizing the negative impacts as development progresses to commercial scales.     

植物生活史型的多样性及动态分析

主要阐述了植物生活史型的基本定义和基本模式。根据植物的生态幅（Ｅｃｏｌｏｇｉｃａｌ　ａｍｐｌｉｔｕｄｅ）、适合度（Ｆｉｔｎｅｓｓ）和能量分配格局将植物生活史型划分出Ｖ生活史型、Ｓ生活史型和ｃ生活史型３个基本类型以及ＶＳ生活史型、ＳＶ生活史型、ｃＳ生活史型、Ｓｃ生活史型等６个具有混合特征的过渡类型。文中分析了权衡（丁ｒａｄｅ—ｏｆｆ）植物生活史各阶段的能量需求,使之合理地进行能量分配,进而使植物生活史型获得最佳的繁殖和存活效益以及最大的适合度的重要性,指出韧生代谢和次生代谢增值物生活史型及其生活史型之间相互转换的密切关系。韧生代谢物质主要用于营养生长,次生代谢物质主要用于促进繁育和拮抗环境胁迫。植物生活史型在特定时空中依生境的连续变化而发生相互转换,呈现出具动态特征的植物生活史型诺。提出了植物生活史型的形成机制,即生境中的资源状况和干扰程度构成了环境筛的径度,进而形成选择压力,以使植物按需分配能量,合成初级代谢产物或次级代谢产物来应对选择压力,形成自身的生态幅和适应对策,最终与生境相互作用过程中表现出的适合度来表征相应的生活史型。还提出了植物生活史型之间相互转化的机制,即每一种植物生活史型均有与该生活史型相对应的生境类型、选择压力、代谢物质和生活史对策,由于时空的连续变化,生境类型也发生过渡性变化,形成过渡类型（ＥＤ、ＤＥ、ＤＦ、ＦＤ）,因而导致选择压力、代谢物质、生活史对策也发生过渡性变化,形成过渡类型ＬＭ、ＭＬ、ＭＨ、ＨＭ、ＫＲ、ＲＫ、ＲＴ、ＴＲ、ＢＰ、ＰＢ、ＰＡ、ＡＰ,最终通过ＶＳ、ＳＶ、ＳＣ、ＣＳ等过渡类型的形成而实现植物生活史型之间的相互转换。文中以高山红景天（Ｒｈｏｄｉｏｌａ　ｓａｃｈａｌｉｎｅｎｓｉｓ）等５种植物生活史型谱为例,分析了各植物生活史型谱的动态特征并指出：Ｖ生活史型的植物因营养体较为发达、寿命较长,且能通过正常的有性生殖繁衍后代,通常都能产生稳定种群;以Ｓ生活史型为主的植物,因台子中含有来自双亲的两套基因,故有性生殖过程能产生较多遗传性不同的后代,使种群的适应环境变化的能力加强,因而容易形成爆发种群;以ｃ生活史型为主的植物,其遗传物质与母体完全相同,故种群适应环境变化的能力较弱,因而容易导致种群濒危。     

Life Cycle Attribute Assessment

Practitioners of life cycle assessment (LCA) have recently turned their attention to social issues in the supply chain. The United Nations life cycle initiative's social LCA task force has completed its guidelines for social life cycle assessment of products, and awareness of managing upstream corporate social responsibility (CSR) issues has risen due to the growing popularity of LCA. This article explores one approach to assessing social issues in the supply chain—life cycle attribute assessment (LCAA). The approach was originally proposed by Gregory Norris in 2006, and we present here a case study. LCAA builds on the theoretical structure of environmental LCA to construct a supply chain model. Instead of calculating quantitative impacts, however, it asks the question “What percentage of my supply chain has attribute X?” X may represent a certification from a CSR body or a self‐defined attribute, such as “is locally produced.” We believe LCAA may serve as an aid to discussions of how current and popular CSR indicators may be integrated into a supply chain model. The case study demonstrates the structure of LCAA, which is very similar to that of traditional environmental LCA. A labor hours data set was developed as a satellite matrix to determine number of worker hours in a greenhouse tomato supply. Data from the Quebec tomato producer were used to analyze how the company performed on eight sample LCAA indicators, and conclusions were drawn about where the company should focus CSR efforts.     

Applying Leontief's Price Model to Estimate Missing Elements in Hybrid Life Cycle Inventories

This article presents an approach to estimate missing elements in hybrid life cycle inventories. Its development is motivated by a desire to rationalize inventory compilation while maintaining the quality of the data. The approach builds on a hybrid framework, that is, a combination of process‐ and input–output‐based life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. The application of Leontief's price model is central in the proposed procedure. Through the application of this approach, an inventory with no cutoff with respect to costs can be obtained. The formal framework is presented and discussed. A numerical example is provided in Supplementary Appendix S1 on the Web.     

Life cycle assessment of contaminated sites remediation

For the federal state of Baden-Wiirttemberg, Germany, the decision tool “Umweltbilanz von Altlastensanierungsverfahren” has been developed and found suitable for the quantification and evaluation of environmental impacts caused by remediation of contaminated sites. The developed tool complements the remediation toolbox of Baden-Wiirttemberg. The tool includes a streamlined life cycle assessment (LCA) and a synopsis of the LCA results with the results of a risk assessment of the contaminated site. The risk assessment tool is not explained here. The data base for the life cycle inventory includes several techniques used in remedial actions. The life cycle impact assessment utilises 14 impact categories. The method allows comparisons between remedial options for specific contaminated sites. A software tool has been developed to be available in 1999.     

Life cycle inventory of medium density fibreboard

Goal, Scope and Background Wood is the most important renewable material. The management of wood appears to be a key action to optimise the use of resources and to reduce the environmental impact associated with mankind’s activities. Wood-based products must be analysed considering the two-fold nature of wood, commonly used as a renewable material or regenerative fuel. Relevant, up-to-date environmental data are needed to allow the analysis of wood-based products. The main focus of this study is to provide comprehensive data of one key wood board industry such as the Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF). Moreover, the influence of factors with strong geographical dependence, such as the electricity profile and final transport of the product, is analysed. In this work, International Organization for Standardization standards (ISO 14040-43) and Ecoindicator 99 methodology have been considered to quantify the potential environmental impact associated to the system under study. Three factories, considered representative of the ‘state of art’, were selected to study the process in detail: two Spanish factories and a Chilean one, with a process production of around 150,000 m³ per year. The system boundaries included all the activities taking place into the factory as well as the activities linked to the production of the main chemicals used in the process, energy inputs and transport. All the data related to the inputs and outputs of the process were obtained by on-site measurements during a one-year period. A sensitive analysis was carried out taking into account the influence of the final transport of the product and the dependence on the electricity generation profile. Life Cycle Inventory Analysis LCI methodology has been used for the quantification of the impacts of the MDF manufacture. The process chain can be subdivided in three main subsystems: wood preparation, board shaping and board finishing. The final transport of the product was studied as a different subsystem, considering scenarios from local to transoceanic distribution and three scenarios of electricity generation profile were assessed. The system was characterised with Ecoindicator 99 methodology (hierarchic version) in order to identify the ‘hot spots’. Damage to Human Health, Ecosystem Quality and Resources are mainly produced by the subsystem of Wood Preparation (91.1%, 94.8% and 94.1%, respectively). The contribution of the subsystem of Board Finishing is considerably lower, but also significant, standing for the 5.8% of the damage to HH and 5.5% of the damage to Resources. Condusions With the final aim of creating a database of wood board manufacture, this work was focused in the identification and characterisation of one of the most important wood-based products: Medium Density Fibreboard. Special attention has been paid in the inventory analysis stage of the MDF industry. The results of the sensitive analysis showed a significant influence of both the final transport of the product and the electricity generation profile. Thus, the location of MDF process is of paramount importance, as both aspects have considerable site-dependence. Recommendations and Perspectives Research continues to be conducted to identify the environmental burdens associated to the materials of extended use. In this sense, future work can be focused on the comparison of different materials for specific applications.     

Life Cycle Assessment Software: Selection Can Impact Results

When software is used to facilitate life cycle assessments (LCAs), the implicit assumption is that the results obtained are not a function of the choice of software used. LCAs were done in both SimaPro and GaBi for simplified systems of creation and disposal of 1 kilogram each of four basic materials (aluminum, corrugated board, glass, and polyethylene terephthalate) to determine whether there were significant differences in the results. Data files and impact assessment methodologies (Impact 2002, ReCiPe, and TRACI 2) were ostensibly identical (although there were minor variations in the available ReCiPe version between the programs that were investigated). Differences in reported impacts of greater than 20% for at least one of the four materials were found for 9 of the 15 categories in Impact 2002+, 7 of the 18 categories in ReCiPe, and four of the nine categories in TRACI. In some cases, these differences resulted in changes in the relative rankings of the four materials. The causes of the differences for 14 combinations of materials and impact categories were examined by tracing the results back to the life cycle inventory data and the characterization factors in the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) methods. In all cases examined, a difference in the characterization factors used by the two programs was the cause of the differing results. As a result, when these software programs are used to inform choices, the result can be different conclusions about relative environmental preference that are functions purely of the software implementation of LCIA methods, rather than of the underlying data.     

Implementing a Dynamic Life Cycle Assessment Methodology with a Case Study on Domestic Hot Water Production

This work contributes to the development of a dynamic life cycle assessment (DLCA) methodology by providing a methodological framework to link a dynamic system modeling method with a time‐dependent impact assessment method. This three‐step methodology starts by modeling systems where flows are described by temporal distributions. Then, a temporally differentiated life cycle inventory (TDLCI) is calculated to present the environmental exchanges through time. Finally, time‐dependent characterization factors are applied to the TDLCI to evaluate climate‐change impacts through time. The implementation of this new framework is illustrated by comparing systems producing domestic hot water (DHW) over an 80‐year period. Electricity is used to heat water in the first system, whereas the second system uses a combination of solar energy and gas to heat an equivalent amount of DHW at the same temperature. This comparison shows that using a different temporal precision (i.e., monthly vs. annual) to describe process flows can reverse conclusions regarding which case has the best environmental performance. Results also show that considering the timing of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduces the absolute values of carbon footprint in the short‐term when compared with results from the static life cycle assessment. This pragmatic framework for the implementation of time in DLCA studies is proposed to help in the development of the methodology. It is not yet a fully operational scheme, and efforts are still required before DLCA can become state of practice.     

The Life History Flora of Japan—A New Series

Abstract Plant Species Biology will publish a continuing series of papers on the biology and life history of vascular plant species indigenous to or well naturalized in the flora of Japan. This paper sets forth the guidelines and format for contributors to this series. This new series attempts to establish a record as complete as possible concerning all aspects of the life history characteristics as well as significant biosystematic characters of the species under consideration, and keen attention will be given to the species which are becoming very rare and endangered, especially in the lowland areas and aquatic habitats (e.g., rivers and ponds).     

北京市住宅建筑生命周期碳足迹

从生命周期角度看,建筑碳足迹与能源和建材生产系统具有密切关系。随着技术的进步和节能政策的推进,中国能源的生产和使用,以及建材生产过程中的环境排放都随着时间在持续降低,这将间接地影响到建筑的环境表现。依据1990—2010年期间每5a的中国能源与建材生命周期清单数据,对北京市20年间住宅建筑系统开展生命周期评价和碳足迹核算,以揭示北京市住宅建筑系统的环境负荷变化特征。结果表明,北京市住宅建筑生命周期碳足迹随时间推移呈现降低趋势,主要来自能源系统和建材生产系统的碳减排贡献。不同结构建筑的碳足迹尽管有差异,但也呈现了相似的下降趋势。从生命周期阶段看,建筑碳足迹主要体现在建筑使用阶段和建材生产阶段。尽管建筑使用阶段的节能对于降低建筑生命周期碳足迹具有重要贡献,但节能在经济成本及环境成本方面而言是有限度的。在可持续的环境政策管理制定中,应从生命周期角度,统筹考虑协调各行业减碳的协调发展。论文同时也验证了在生命周期评价中考虑时间变量将有助于更好地利用生命周期评价结果支持环境可持续管理。结论对于城市规划的政策制定、量化环境表现是有益的。     

Life cycle ofPseudodiamesa branickii (Chironomidae) in a small upland stream

The generation time ofP. branickii was studied using larval samples in conjunction with rearing experiments and continuous collection of egg masses across one year. This species produced three generations per year in a central German stream (280 m a.s.l., 50° 40 N). Its generation time was variable and obviously influenced by the photoperiod to which eggs and larvulae were subjected. It is thus concluded that two strains ofP. branickii were present in a single population, one bivoltine and the other trivoltine.     

流感病毒生命周期研究进展

流感病毒引起急性呼吸道感染,分为季节性流感和大流行流感。季节性流感每年都有发生,感染后可以导致肺炎和急性呼吸道衰竭,往往并发细菌共感染。大流行流感每隔一段时间发生一次,具有高致病性特点。近年来大流行流感频繁暴发,带来了巨大的经济和社会负担。本文从流感病毒生物学、生命周期等方面进行简要综述,有助于为预防和治疗流感病毒感染提供策略。     

Comparative evaluation of Life Cycle Impact assessment methods with a South African case study

Goal and Background  LCIA procedures that have been used in the South Africa manufacturing industry include the CML, Ecopoints, EPS and Eco-indicators 95 and 99 procedures. The aim of this paper is to evaluate and compare the applicability of these European LCIA procedures within the South African context, using a case study. Methods  The five European methods have been evaluated based on the applicability of the respective classification, characterisation, normalization and weighting approaches for the South African situation. Impact categories have been grouped into air, water, land and mined abiotic resources for evaluation purposes. The evaluation and comparison is further based on a cradle-to-gate Screening Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA) case study of the production of dyed two-fold wool yarn in South Africa. Results and Discussion  Where land is considered as a separate category (CML, Eco-indicator 99 and EPS), the case study highlights this inventory constituent as the most important. Similarly, water usage is shown as the second most important in one LCIA procedure (EPS) where it is taken into account. However, the impact assessment modelling for these categories may not be applicable for the variance in South African ecosystems. If land and water is excluded from the interpretation, air emissions, coal usage, ash disposal, pesticides and chrome emissions to water are the important constituents in the South African wool industry. Conclusions  In most cases impact categories and procedures defined in the LCIA methods for air pollution, human health and mined abiotic resources are applicable in South Africa. However, the relevance of the methods is reduced where categories are used that impact ecosystem quality, as ecosystems differ significantly between South Africa and the European continent. The methods are especially limited with respect to water and land resources. Normalisation and weighting procedures may also be difficult to adapt to South African conditions, due to the lack of background information and social, cultural and political differences. Recommendations and Outlook  Further research is underway to develop a framework for a South African LCIA procedure, which will be adapted from the available European procedures. The wool SLCA must be revisited to evaluate and compare the proposed framework with the existing LCIA procedures.     

上海地区悬铃木方翅网蝽的生活史及发生情况

观察悬铃木方翅网蝽Corythucha ciliata(Say)在上海的生活史和生活习性,并对其在上海的发生情况进行调查。悬铃木方翅网蝽在上海1年发生5代,第5代成虫于10月中下旬主要在悬铃木主干和支干的树皮下越冬,4月上旬越冬成虫上树为害,4月下旬开始产卵,5月上旬始见第1代若虫,第1代若虫期17～18d,世代历期约30d,7～8月间世代重叠现象明显。悬铃木方翅网蝽在上海11个区均有发生,株被害率最高的4条道路分别为徐汇区龙华西路、肇嘉浜路、松江区人民北路及长宁区延安西路,为害率达100%。为害程度最严重的的3条道路分别为松江区人民北路、长宁区延安西路和水城南路,虫情指数分别达95.6%、76.7%和72.2%。     

日本蚱的生活史及其它生物学特性

日本蚱Tetrix japonica是一种广布于东亚地区的直翅目昆虫。本文通过野外观察与室内饲养相结合的方法,研究了日本蚱的卵块和各虫龄的形态特征、生活史、若虫及成虫的主要生活习性。结果表明：日本蚱喜欢栖息于具苔藓的矮草地表,主要取食幼嫩苔藓及腐殖质;在羽化7 d后开始出现交配现象,交配时间为1~1.5 h;交配后1~3 d内将大米粒状卵粒产于苔藓泥土中,卵块的形状近似橘瓣状,卵粒数目通常为10~30粒;卵经过6~10 d可孵化为若虫;雄性共有6龄,雌性共有7龄,每个虫龄历期随虫龄的增长而增加;不同虫龄的日本蚱在形态上具有一定的差异。此外,研究还发现日本蚱的前胸背板与翅型存在多态现象,可能在进化适应中起重要作用。