1

Case study: Environmental hotspots identification of GECCO bio-diesel production from cooked oil within an ecodesign approach

Gecco is a social solidarity-based enterprise that aims collecting and recycling

used oils and fats into bio-diesel or bio-lubricant. More generally, Gecco collects all

waste food from catering such as coffee grounds, bio-waste or used plastic always

in a perspective of local value within different sectors such as biogas or

manufacturing fuel bricks / pellets / splint.

Description of

the company

The project plans to conduct a LCA on a new

biodiesel industry and on the existing biodiesel

industry obtained by chemical and

petrochemical means.

Short

description of

the project

Key

Objectives of

the Project

There are three objectives within this study

during the project. The first is to extract in the

value chain established by Gecco, the most

impacting processes or flow. The aim is to

implement corrective actions within the value

chain even to change it. For example, one of

the first results allowed us to see that the use

of petrochemical production of alcohol is

detrimental and need to work on an

appropriate choice of alcohol. The second

objective is to compare Gecco with the

existing value chains of fuels and biofuels in

order to, once again, be able to act on the

value chain to change the processes or the

most impacting flow. Finally, Gecco wants to

communicate these results through scientific

communication (scientific publications,

conferences) but also to the general public in

order to promote its business model to

potential new customers.

Timeline

Life Cycle Assessment and ecodesignLC Approach

used in the

Project

SectorOctober 2015

–

February 2016

The environmental approach through eco-

design and LCA is part of the DNA of Gecco.

Since the beginning, the choice was made not

to rely on a model taking into account the only

economic factor but the three economic, social

and environmental factors for the future

development of the company. Gecko has

quickly set up circular economy thinking and an

environmental approach using LCA as a

decision tool. Furthermore, it allows opening up

new market opportunities, and demonstrating

competitive advantage over other companies

or existing value chain.

Motivation

Factors

• LCiP partner : Aubin ROY and Naeem

ADIBI – (plateforme [avniR]);

• Life Cycle Champion : Marc Haquette

(Cd2e)

• Entreprise : Cedric His (Research

engineer) and Michel Millares

(Innovation, Quality Safety and

Environment Management)

Project team

2

At the time of writing this report, two main findings arise from the study. The major two impacts on the entire value

chain have been identified, the main one being a product used to synthesize the biodiesel and the second being the

collection of the waste.

In terms of communication, the project starts promoting information of our approach thanks to the video we started

broadcasting.

Case studies: Environmental hotspots identification of GECCO bio-diesel production from cooked oil within an ecodesign approach

The LCA has been subjected to several issues. First of

all, the lack of internal knowledge of the tool within the

company. Secondly, the lack human resources, with

only 8 employees, none of which could be mobilized

full-time or even a sufficient time to carry out the

project. The last obstacle was the access to certain

data included specific products of the process which

none LCA had been conducted or published yet.

Currently, if the study should be done again, a half-

time job should be allocated to it.

Implementation

challenges /

lessons learnt

Expected

Impact

Results of the

project

The BIOHEC-LCA project aims to experience the life cycle assessment to evaluate the biodiesel production chain,

from collecting waste oil and fat from catering to biodiesel mixed with B30 type and petroleum diesel as fuel for

buses. In this context, the life cycle analysis will be carried out on the current biodiesel industry (synthesis of methyl

esters of waste food oils and fats obtained by chemical means) and the industry that wants to set up Gecco. For thatpurpose, a prospective study has already been carried out. This study will be supplied by the data fromthe simultaneously pilot project.

Description of

the Project

Environmental impacts

In terms of environmental impact, the expected results are a 85%

reduction of GHG, decreased consumption of non-renewable energy by

70%, improved effects on human toxicity impact of 100% and a decrease

of oxidation and eutrophication of soil and water respectively of 20% and

10% compared to conventional diesel industry.

Social impacts

In the long term, for the same volume of fuel produced, the industry set up

by Gecco will create 10 additional FTEs compared to conventional diesel

industry. Moreover, these jobs will be located in each development region that cannot be relocated.

3

Case studies: Environmental hotspots identification of GECCO bio-diesel production from cooked oil within an ecodesign approach

Description of

maturity in LC

approaches

before the

project

Gecco had prior the start of project an

ecodesign approach but mainly focused

on the process that was being developed

and implemented. In addition, three main

impacts, social impacts, economic

impacts and environmental impacts

although present in the company's DNA

was not yet linked in a coherent

commercial speech.

Description of

maturity in LC

approaches

after the

project

Maturity and Strategy

Life Cycle Thinking is now applied to the

entire value chain of the biodiesel industry

that Gecco wishes to implement. A new

coherent discourse between the various

impacts has been found. Moreover, Life

Cycle Thinking will be applied more

naturally to new activities Gecco will

develop such as collecting coffee grounds

or biowaste.

4

Case studies: Environmental hotspots identification of GECCO bio-diesel production from cooked oil within an ecodesign approach

The project is well advanced but incomplete for the moment. The two main strengths of the project are the

environmental and social gains that it will generate. By collecting waste in one territory, transforming and recovering

within the same territory and finally using the product in local authorities, the circular economy aims implicative loop

and gives regional or local meaning to every action conducted:

Environmental Standpoint The direct distribution decrease immediately the impacts related to transportation of

materials and products. In addition, each supplier within the process was seleted on the basis of its local situation

(Brabant company in Tressin, Equinox in Wavrin, etc.) to further minimize the transportation, which has an effect on

GHG emissions and consumption of non-renewable energy.

Economic Standpoint The weakness of the project is the complexity of implementation as each new franchise

establishment, at least two local stakeholders must be involved: a collector and a local authority.

Social Standpoint The creation of 10 additional FTEs and upgrading of the local authority’s actions are one of the

great strengths of the project.

Evaluation of

the project

Economic

feasibility:

expected ROI

and payback

periods

During the LCA project, the economic feasibility started to be evaluated but is unfinished. Although not measurable,

the LCA conducted provides the basis of the arguments on the environmental interest of the model developed by

Gecco for new territories.

For Gecco, each new franchise could generate income through the economic model in place (Diagnostics, machine sales, training, etc.), which amount is estimated at € 200k per franchise.

• For the LCiP consortium: Aubin ROY

(a.roy@cd2e.com)

• Life Cycle Champion : Marc Haquette

(m.haquette@cd2e.com)

• Entreprise : Cedric His

(cedric.his@gecco.fr)

• Website of the projet :

http://www.lifelcip.eu/

www.lifelcip.eu

Planned follow

up activitiesThe project is beginning to mature. The next

steps that will be undertaken are the biodiesel

synthesis process validation and its use in

vehicles of the city of Lille (buses, washer /

sweeper) for technical validation and feasibility.

Subsequently, a large-scale validation of the

entire circular economy loop will be made

(BIOHEC-Life project).

During these steps, the LCA study will continue

to be implemented and matured to give the real

impacts of the Gecco’s business model within a

territory.

Links and

contacts for

further

information

This project has been funded with support from the LIFE+ Programme of the EU. The views expressed here

are purely the authors’ own and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made

of the information contained herein.

Icons made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com