Creation of new processes

Question

Hello,

In my work we have to perform an LCA of different waste treatment methods. We have a license to EcoInvent but it´s lacking most of the processes required, being that it's a very specific waste and some of the treatment methos of study are also not very usual.

Can you please explain or link a source on how to create and design new processes? Which data is required and how should i process it?

I have seen the exchanges and consuming activities sections in ecoinvent, is this a correct way? Using and linking other existing processes to create a new one?

Thank you for your help!

Answer 1

Hello tapmbot,

You can find an LCI of the process you want to use. I would recommend searching in literature. If you have an LCI, input it in OpenLCA, in a new process, and you can use that process as a supplier/waste processing process.

Alternatively, you can build it yourself from proxy processes. Similarly to the first option, you would need to make a new process, and then add input and output to that.

If no data is available, you will have to find alternatives with lower data quality, such as using a proxy process for the waste treatment.

Best of luck

Comments

In order to practice and to assess if im using the right methodology to create new processes, my boss asked me to start by creating a know process in order to have a reference. I choose "treatment of biowaste - Row". So i went to the section of "consuming activities" in ecoinvent and created a process with those inputs, exactly the same processes, same locations and same input value. When i run a impact assessment calculation, it gives me fairly different. Any suggestion to why? How should i proceed to create a similiar process with other processes from ecoinvent or appropriate literature?

Answer 2

Hello!

Ecoinvent is a tool for processes which are without your reach. Often it is an average at the desired process, e,g, rolling of aluminium, which differs in alloys, sheet thickness. So you will be not so exact in your evaluation

For detailed analysis of your process you have determine specific process chain, specific inputs... this is the most time consuming phase.

In Open LCA then you create a specific process (or a specific process chain) with all the flows you have determined. Ecoinvent processes act as auxiliary inputs (e.g. el. energy, natural gas).

Hope that helps!

Kind regards,

Dieter