Parameters of Paper for Recycling grades in Europe for allocation methods used in environmental assessment

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1 Parameters of Paper for Recycling grades in Europe for allocation methods used in environmental assessment Gert Meinl, Lydia Tempel, PTS Heidenau Germany Workshop on 19 th of April 2016, Darmstadt, Germany 1

2 Outline 1. How take recycling in environmental assessment into account? Standards Key parameters 2. How to calculate the key parameters in a given recycling system? Material Flow Analysis Formulas 3. What are recent results for European fibre flows? Mean Fibre Age / Mean Number of Material Uses Allocation factors 2

3 1. How take recycling in environmental assessment into account? 3

4 Technical Specifications for Recycling in LCA Different allocation methods for recycling are documented in various standards and guidance documents for life cycle calculations of products (for an overview see: P. Cederstrand et al, Evaluation of recycling and allocation methods for paper, SCA, 2014) Some of the recommended specifications share the burdens between various product systems Example: ISO/TS Annex C: C.2 Recycling as an allocation issue: - unit processes for extraction and processing of raw materials - unit processes for the final disposal of products including recycling are to be shared by more than one product system C.4 Open loop allocation procedure: The number of subsequent uses of the recycled material can be applied for the allocation if this number can be determined and justified. How to calculate the allocation factors? 1. How take recycling in environmental assessment into account? 4

5 Consumption / Collection U Consumption / Collection R Co-funded by How many times a fibre was used before it enters the paper mill? ( Mean fibre age) Fibre flow (on paper mill level) Virgin pulp How many times a fibre will be used after it leaves the paper mill? ( Mean number of uses) 1-U L 1-R U: Utilization rate of paper for recycling R: Recycling rate L: Reject rate ( Losses ) Rejects Not recycled 1. How take recycling in environmental assessment into account? 5

6 Key Parameters MFA(X): Mean fibre age within a paper product X (mean number of fibre uses including the actual paper product X)* MNU(X): Mean number of future uses of a paper product X (mean number of fibre uses from now until end of life )* MFA(X)+MNU(X)-1: Mean number of fibre uses from cradle to grave (when used at least one time in a given paper product X) U: Paper for Recycling (PfR) utilization rate R: Recycling rate L: Reject rate *) Counting starts with 1 Aside U and L none of the above mentioned parameters are known on paper mill level MFA, MNU and R must be calculated on a more global level (regional, national, international) 1. How take recycling in environmental assessment into account? 6

7 2. How to calculate the key parameters in a given recycling system? 7

8 Material Flow Analysis Calculation of MFA, MNU and R based on a fibre mass flow chart Before building up a flow chart, some levels must be decided: 1. Level of regional differentiation: regional, multiple regional, national, multiple national, international 2. Level of differentiation into paper grades 3. Level of differentiation into processes 4. Level of differentiation into materials 5. Time scale 6. Static or dynamic modelling Procedure to establish a fibre flow chart: Material Flow Analysis Some examples should illustrate different static fibre mass flow charts. They yield different results concerning the key parameters (even for the same region) 2. How to calculate the key parameters in a given recycling system? 8

9 Example 1: CEPI European level Only paper in general; no differentiation of paper products ( one recycling loop) High resolution of individual process steps including net trade No differentiation of materials (water, fibres, pigments, chemicals) Source: CEPI: Annual Statistics. European Pulp and Paper Industry" 2. How to calculate the key parameters in a given recycling system? 9

10 Example 2: France National level 3 paper grades with two grades to be recycled (Graphic Papers, Packaging) and one not recycled (Tissue) Process steps: production, consumption, collection & sorting No differentiation of materials (water, fibres, pigments, chemicals) Source: Robert J-F. "French graphic paper EPR: an incentive to eco-design" 2. How to calculate the key parameters in a given recycling system? 10

11 In detail: See next slide Co-funded by Example 3: REFFIBRE From OGPFrom CM From OP From NP From CM From OP NP OGP To SH To OGP To CM To OP To OPB To SH To NP To CM To OP To OPB From NP From OGPFrom OP From NP From OGPFrom CM CM OP To SH To NP To OGP To OP To OPB To SH To NP To OGP To CM To OPB From NP From OGPFrom CM From OP From NP From OGPFrom CM From OP SH 207 OPB National and European level 6 paper product sectors: NP: Newsprint, OGP: Other Graphic Papers CM: Case Materials OP: Other Packaging SH: Sanitary & Household OPB: Other Paper & Board Process steps: Production and consumption Paper products only of the sectors NP, OGP, CM and OP are recycled but reused in all 6 sectors No recycling of SH and OPB Material in the mass flow: Only fibres (including 10 generations) and pigments; no water and chemicals 2. How to calculate the key parameters in a given recycling system? 11

12 Example 3 Detail : The Case Material Loop (CEPI region, 2014) The proportions reflects the composition of PfR used for CM production From NP From OGPFrom OP CM To SH To NP To OGP To OP To OPB Legend: xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx Virgin fibres Fillers/ Pig. Product loop (Production, Paper for Recycling) PfR migration Rejects Losses (Incineration, Landfill, Longtime Usage) Net Trade (PfR) Net Trade (Products) * *) does also include net trade of paper & board and converted products 2. How to calculate the key parameters in a given recycling system? 12

13 Composition of major PfR grades The migration of paper products between the various recycling loops is calculated based on a given composition of PfR grades. Assumed composition of PfR grades for CEPI region 2014 Composition of grades Mixed grades Corrugated / Kraft Newspapers / Magazines High grades Newsprint Other Graphic Papers Case Materials Carton Board 1.01/ % 43% 27% 19% 1.04/4.x 0% 4% 65% 32% % 63% 0% 3% 2.x/3.x 20% 76% 0% 4% predefined values calculated according to paper consumption 2. How to calculate the key parameters in a given recycling system? 13

14 Calculation of U and R Definitions: Recycling Rate R: Percentage of PfR utilisation + net trade compared to total paper & board consumption* Utilisation Rate U: Percentage of PfR utilisation compared to the total paper production* Reject Rate L: Percentage of losses compared to PfR utilisation *) Source: CEPI: Pulp and Paper Industry - Definitions and Concepts According to these definitions, R,U and L can be calculated 2. How to calculate the key parameters in a given recycling system? 14

15 From a mathematical point of view a fibre flow chart is an directed weighted graph (a Network ). The weights of the edges are mass ratios which can be assumed as likelihoods, that a fibre goes from one paper product to another (or the same) due to recycling. MFA(X): Mean weighted length of all paths starting from a source and ending on the node representing the paper product X. MNU(X): Mean weighted length of all paths starting from the node representing the paper product X to a sink. Calculation of MFA and MNU NP CM 2. How to calculate the key parameters in a given recycling system? SH OPB Source : Fibre Input (Virgin Fibres) Sink : Material Output (Rejects, Net Trade, Landfill/Incineration) (Inner) Node : Paper product OP OGP 15

16 Example 4: Only one (inner) node Proportions of the different fibre generations at node X: 1-a Fibre age Number of uses a X 1-a G 1 = 1 a G 2 = a 1 a G i = ai(1 a) U 1 = 1 a U 2 = a 1 a U i = ai(1 a). Mean fibre age MFA = 1 1 a Mean number of uses MNU = 1 1 a Utilisation Rate / Recycling Rate U = a = R CEPI 2014: a=71.7%, MFA=MNU= How to calculate the key parameters in a given recycling system? 16

17 Example 5: Two (inner) nodes Proportions of the different fibre generations at node X: ab 1-a a(1-b) X 1-ab Fibre age G 1 = 1 a G 2 = a 1 ab G i = a i 1 b i 2 (1 ab) Number of uses U 1 = 1 a U 2 = a 1 a U i = ai(1 a) This example was discussed in detail by Hunold M., Göttsching L.: Das Papier, No.10A, 1993 Mean fibre age MFA = 1 + a 1 ab Mean number of uses MNU = 1 1 a Utilisation Rate / Recycling Rate U = a R = ab 2. How to calculate the key parameters in a given recycling system? 17

18 Example 6: REFFIBRE case For a network representing the fibre mass flow which is in focus of REFFIBRE explicit formulas do not exist. Instead a recursive method can be applied. Major principals: 1. At every node a distribution vector of fibre age G resp. a distribution vector of number of uses U is defined 2. Start of recursion: At every source yields: G=(G 1,,G i )=(1,0,,0) At every sink yields: U=(U 1,,U i ) =(1,0,,0) 3. At every (inner) node: The weighted sum of incoming streams yields the new vector of fibre age distribution and the weighted sum of leaving streams yields the new vector of number of uses distribution 2. How to calculate the key parameters in a given recycling system? 18

19 3. What are the recent results for European fibre flows? 19

20 CEPI 2014: Fibre Age / Number of Material Uses Distributions Newsprint Other Graphic Gapers Case Materials Other Packaging 3. What are the recent results for European fibre flows? 20

21 Key parameters (CEPI region 2014) Paper products ** * ** MFA MNU U R Ash NP 2,00 4,20 0,97 0,89 9% OGP 1,14 3,01 0,13 0,75 19% CM 3,02 3,09 0,93 0,87 14% OP 1,85 2,79 0,46 0,90 17% *) Beside incineration or landfill disposal a certain portion of fibres (about 10% in CEPI region) are used at life's end for composting and other treatments. This should be assumed (according to EU waste legislation) as an additional life cycle but is not taken into account at the moment. **) The MFA and MNU values depend solely on the mass balance that was derived from data reported by the national associations to CEPI. Some additional assumptions had to be made to fill those gaps, where no information was available. However, due to inconsistencies these assumptions need further research and can lead to changes in MFA and MNU values. 3. What are the recent results for European fibre flows? 21

22 Consumption / Collection U=93% Consumption / Collection R=87% Co-funded by Results for an average case material mill (based on CEPI data) MFA = 3.02 Virgin pulp MNU = U L=7% 1-R U: Utilization rate of paper for recycling R: Recycling rate L: Reject rate ( Losses ) Rejects 3. What are the recent results for European fibre flows? Not recycled 22

23 Many thanks for your attention! Dr. Gert Meinl +49 (0) Dipl.-Ing. Lydia Tempel +49 (0) PTS Heidenau Pirnaer Str Heidenau 23

24 Acknowledgement The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme under grant agreement n