Uniting Materials Security with LCA

A wider view on adding value to sustainability

Dr Adrian Chapman

Oakdene Hollins

14th November 2012 JRC Workshop, Ranco

Oakdene Hollins - Materials Security • Critical Raw Material Flows in the UK Economy (focussing on

EEE) (WRAP & Defra (UK), on-going)

• Critical metals in Strategic Energy Technologies - with Fraunhofer ISI and HCSS (JRC IET, 2011 & on-going)

• Study on by-product metals (International Lead & Zinc, Copper and Nickel Study Groups, 2012)

• Expert Review of Material Criticality Studies (Private client, 2011)

• Study into the feasibility of protecting and recovering critical raw materials (European Pathway to Zero Waste, 2011)

• Lanthanides resources and alternatives (UK Departments for Transport & Business, Innovation & Skills 2010)

(Reports available from www.oakdenehollins.eu)

Materials Security and LCA

Materials Security Analysis

Lifecycle Assessment

Sustainability

?

Avoid “square peg in round hole” response

Criticality is Context Dependant

Sources: KITECH, GEC, EU RMI, EC JRC IET

Region

Company

Technology

2-Axis Criticality Matrix

Source: US DoE

Data collection and

dissemination

Resource efficiency strategies

Primary production

Trade and international co-operation

Procurement and stockpiling

Responses to Materials Criticality

Source: Oakdene Hollins

Design and Innovation

Environmental Impact in Criticality Methodologies

EU Raw Materials Initiative, 2010 -

Environmental impact considered as part of analysis

LCA also investigated • Quality and availability of data an issue • Cradle-to-grave approach suggested • Too involved to model for this project

Graedel et al, 2011 • Environmental Implications 1 of 3

measures • LCA factors include cradle-to-gate

(materials), 2 factors • Flexible approach to what is included in

assessment

JRC data on materials impacts

Source: JRC, IES

LCA & Criticality

Impact vs Risk

Supply Chain vs Single Step

Most appropriate use of LCA?

– Criticality assessment? • Facilitate prioritisation

• Identify hotspots

• Increased production, changing ore grades, by-production, climatic risks on security of supply and prices of materials

– Comparator between critical materials? • Trade-off between environmental benefits

• Compare lifecycle stages and uses

– Evaluating mitigation strategies? • Substitution - role of system, component or material

• Higher production impact vs lower use phase

E.g. critical materials flow in Solar Panels in the UK, 2011

Source: Oakdene Hollins

Product lifetime view with materials flow instead of focus on specific material

LCA thinking and supply chain risk

Move away from single issue risk analysis to wider supply chain risk

Product Supply Chain Profile

Production Product End of Life Manufacturing Refining

Criticality

Simple Supply Chain Profile

Mining Refining Manufacturing Product End of Life

Static, small number of large players

Criticality typically refers to mining

Largest risks associated with mining?

Supply Chain Profile of Textile Based Product

Cultivation Production Manufacturing Product End of Life

Large number of smaller sites Rapidly changing

Criticality yet to be fully defined

Largest risks…? Can “impact” be quantified?

LCA thinking and supply chain risk

• Product based – “Functional Unit” • System boundaries • Hot spots • Indicators • ….

Move away from “single issue risk” to wider supply chain risk

Utilise LCA thinking?

Adrian Chapman Oakdene Hollins

adrian.chapman@oakdenehollins.co.uk

14th November 2012 Ranco, Italy