LIFE-CYCLE ANALYSIS... real-world execution Dwight Schmidt President, Fibre Box Association PRESENTED BY:
Life Cycle Analysis Real World Execution Packaging Summit May 13, 2008 Dwight Schmidt President
Corrugated & The Environment 57% average new fiber content sourced from SFI or FSC forests certified as renewable. Uses 60% renewable energy Recognized as highly recyclable with a 76% recovery rate, and improving 43% average recycled content
Life Cycle Analysis Real World Execution If you don t know, or want to follow the rules don t start The importance of goal, scoping, boundary setting and functional unit Guidance to retaining the right LCA practitioner Engaging stakeholders and expert reviewers Understand that an LCA could be the beginning of a never-ending journey
Life Cycle Analysis Developed in late 60 s, focused initially on waste and energy 1996-2000 standardized by ISO, used by 1000 s of companies across a range of sectors product and process improvement Increasingly in forming public policy R&D, waste management, food vs. fuel, bio-fuels, renewable energy, product policy like WEEE/Rhos & LEED Numerous commercial software and data bases available don t have to start from scratch!
What Are We Trying To Accomplish? Life cycle thinking thinking within systems system boundary energy -electricity - mechanical - thermal utilities auxiliary material material extraction material energy disposal material production end of life semi finished product part production use-phase solid waste waste water waste heat by-product emission to -air - water -soil
Life Cycle Perspective Raw Materials Materials Manufacture Product Manufacture End Disposition Recycling Use Transportation & Distribution
Overview of an LCA Study Goal & Scope Definition: Determination of scope and system boundaries Life Cycle Inventory: Data collection, modeling & analysis Impact Assessment: Analysis of inputs and outputs using indicators Interpretation: Sensitivity analysis, monte carlo analysis, dominance analysis, etc. Life cycle assessment framework Goal and Scope Definition Inventory Analysis Impact Assessment Interpretation
Complete LCA Process
Sustainability Assessment Information Needs Social Factors Supply chain Labor/food production Technical Assessment Fit for Purpose Key functionality -Safety - Transport -Storage - Risk Assessment Eco-toxicity Human Health Material attributes - sustainability LCA - GWP - ODP - Primary Energy - Waste - Impact Categories Boundary of Influence Global Warming Potential Global Primary Energy Demand Global Ozone Depletion Potential Global Human Health Particulate Exposure Regional Acidification Regional Eutrophication Regional Smog formation Regional Fossil Fuel Use Regional Water Use Local/Regional Ecological Toxcity (terristric, aquatic) Local Human Health Toxicity (Cancer, Noncancer) Local Land Use Local Water Use Local/Regional Rating Key Appropriate to use universally Apply with caution Do not base business decisions based on current method Source: Five Winds International 2007 Rating
SF6 22,200x CO2
Why Do an Impact Assessment? LC Inventory Emission Amount Share Importance Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) Nitrous oxide (N 2 O) CFC 11 (CF 3 CHCl 2 ) 1,600 kg 20.5 kg 2.5 kg 98.59 % 1.26 % 0.15 %! - - LC Impact Assessment Emission Amount GWP contribution Share CO 2 N 2 O 1,600 kg 20.5 kg 1.600 5.535 2.6 % 9.0 % CFC 11 2.5 kg 55.000 88.4 %
Before You Start Think the process all the way through Commit to: Being Open, Objective, Transparent Reaching Consensus surrounding what you want to do Follow the rules of ISO 14040 Peer Review and Publishing Results
Goal & Scope: The most important step in LCA Document the purpose Internal/external, eco-design, support marketing, comparison of products, support policy Identify stakeholders Internal (design, marketing, mfg.) external (consumers, industry customers, NGOs, gov t, retailers) LCA coverage Scope, functional unit, time frame, geographical boundary, data requirements, selection of impact categories, allocation decisions Life cycle assessment framework Goal and Scope Definition Inventory Analysis Impact Assessment Interpretation
Goals of the U.S. Corrugated LCA Study 1. Construct a core LCI dataset for corrugated packaging 2. Respond to marketplace requests (e.g. Wal-Mart, etc.) 3. Identify relevant impact indicators and their key mechanisms for this industrial sector 4. Conforming to ISO 14040 series, necessary to support comparisons 5. Maintain confidentiality of data sources 6. Allow member companies to maintain their own disaggregated data to allow for private comparisons, benchmarking to industry average data 7. Build capacity within industry members on how to use LCA information
Goals of the U.S. Corrugated LCA Study 8. Data collection is format compatible to support potential inclusion in databases (e.g. US LCI data set, commercial db packages), support other uses, communication strategies, etc. 9. Establish a context that enables brainstorming of applicable scenarios in the future Modular structure to allow for streamlining of initial analysis and future expansion of analysis Establish system boundaries and other rule-sets necessary for comparable studies that can become industry standard Approach international community for comment
Scope: Audience To whom will this LCA be directed? Corrugated Packaging Alliance (internal) Member CEOs, top management All industry members Who are the potential external stakeholders? Wal-Mart (as a representative customer), CPGs MERGE, U.S. LCI data base Sustainable Packaging Coalition, EPA, other NGOs International corrugated community Academics, LCA practitioners, software providers
Scope: Audience Considerations Are there format requirements? Retailer scorecards, GreenBlue data template ISO standards U.S. LCI data base MERGE Plain English written report Flexible communication formats (Word, PPT, web)
Scope: Product System(s): Functional Unit Functional Units: Per ton of U.S. Industry Average Box shipped Shipped = saleable Per MSF average basis weight combined board shipped Includes conversion
Scope: System Boundaries Included Raw materials Feedstock, ancillaries, consumables Energy Processing of materials Operation of primary production equipment Waste Packaging of products Transportation of raw and processing materials Overhead (heating, lighting) of manufacturing facilities Internal transportation of materials Excluded Capital equipment and maintenance Maintenance and operation of support equipment Manufacture and transport of packaging materials not associated to final product Transportation of employees
Scope: U.S. Corrugated Data Collection Matrix Image from Dr. Sergio Galeano, Georgia Pacific
Scope: Data Quality Time coverage 2006 for primary data, latest/best available for proxy data Technology coverage Representative industry technology mix within process flow model specifications Geographical coverage (production) U.S. Raw and Process Materials By existing studies, available proxy data sets where possible Fuels and Energy Consumptions: Industry averages distinguished by fuel type Sources: Ideally, regional grid mixes based on location, else U.S. averages Distinguish renewables from fossil Include greenhouse gas information: direct vs. indirect vs. biomass
Scope: Impact Assessment Methodologies LCIA methodologies: CML 2001, CML 1996, EcoIndicator99, EcoIndicator95, TRACI, IMPACT 2002+, and EDIP include the following impact categories: Global Warming Potential Ozone Depletion Potential Smog Creation Potential Acidification Potential Aquatic Ecotoxicity* Eutrophication Potential Abiotic Depletion Resource Depletion, incl. fuels We are also interested in: Primary Energy Demand Renewable, fossil Water Consumption Waste Production
Identifying Best Practitioner Reach Consensus on goal, scope, boundaries and functional unit Interview/review prospective firms Should consider scope, history and data bases Prepare a Request for Proposal Standard RFP process and evaluation criteria, including: quality, expertise, reputation, on-time, completeness of response, price Explicitly explain industry contributions within the RFP Develop contract that defines cost, responsibilities, deliverables and timeline
Engaging Reviewers LCA Expert Panel (reviews all three steps) Other Stakeholders (before publication) NGOs Academics Packaging Leaders CPGs Consultants International Industry
Never-Ending Journey? Investment in baseline understanding Investigate changes Comparison tool For industry improvement To other materials Benchmarking for industry members improvement Tools for Industry Consistent calculation Customer inquiries
Sustainability and life cycle approaches are a strategic bridge to prioritize and implement sustainable initiatives thus creating value for an industry, company or a product
Things to Remember Begin with the end in mind What is important to you and your audience(s)? Follow ISO 14040 guidelines Assures you re open, objective and transparent Credible basis for communications & comparisons Choose the best LCA practitioner & reviewers Use the results to improve your industry, company or product Enjoy the never-ending journey!
THANK YOU