Joan Berzosa of Knoell Iberia shows how life cycle assessment is a valuable tool for multiple reasons
The potential of life cycle assessment in the chemical industry
Joan Berzosa of Knoell Iberia shows how life cycle assessment is a valuable tool for multiple reasons
Figure 1 - Chemical industry production & emissions evolution 2013-2022
Due to the wide range of products and raw materials it uses and their potential hazardousness , the chemical industry has a high potential for contributing to water , soil and atmosphere pollution .
In this regard , environmental regulations are not aimed at banning products and procedures , but to give the industry standards and methodologies in order to reduce uncertainties and risks in the environmental sphere . Furthermore , environmental regulations can enhance innovation to the industry , encouraging the companies to cleaner technologies , practices and products , thus becoming more competitive and improving their environmental performance .
When comparing the evolution of chemicals production during the last ten years , different trends can be spotted . Chemical production was between 260 and 290 million tonnes / year during this time frame but CO 2 emissions were decoupled from growth . From 2014 to 2016 , emissions were cut by 5,000 tonnes of CO 2 equivalent , perhaps due to efficiency upgrade on production systems . 1 , 2
These emissions reacted to the growth in production during 2017 and 2018 and stayed at similar levels during the fall in production caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 . After an increase in production and emissions in 2021 , which seems to break the trend , 2022 changed it again , reducing emissions by 10,000 tonnes CO 2 eq . during the fall in production .
CO2 emissions ( thousands tons CO2eq )
64,000
62,000
60,000
58,000
56,000
54,000
52,000
50,000 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
CO 2 equivalent emissions
Year
Net Zero : How LCA can help ?
The European Commission ( EC ) is aware of the importance of climate change and environmental degradation . That is why , the European Green Deal aims to transform the EU , with the aims of :
• Having no net greenhouse gas emissions ( GHG ) by 2050
• Economic growth being decoupled from resource use
• No person being left behind
The EC is therefore working on many different subjects , like climate , energy , environment and oceans , agriculture , transport , industry , and research and innovation , among others . Within the industrial field , one of its main aims is to increase the resource efficiency and competitiveness of European industry , by harnessing potential of low-emission technologies , sustainable products and services in global markets . To achieve these goals the Commission is promoting
Chemical production - Hazardous and non-hazardous
295 290 285 280 275 270 265 260 255 250 245 240
Chemical production ( milloin tons ) the use of different environmental modelling and quantifying tools .
The Product Environmental Footprint ( PEF ) methodology aims to increase the trust and comparability of environmental claims by limiting uncertainty and choices , and stating different considerations depending on the products under study .
The objective of Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism ( CBAM ) is to avoid carbon leakage and providing fair prices to carbon emissions on goods produced outside the EU . For that reason , intensive-carbon emitting sectors are under its scope ( aluminium , iron and steel , cement , hydrogen , electricity and fertilisers ). Emissions are to be reported quarterly .
The Safe and Sustainable by Design ( SSbD ) methodology relies on an integrated and holistic approach , which embodies a framework to build in safety and sustainability from the design phase . The SSbD framework is nowadays embedded in several
44 SPECIALITY CHEMICALS MAGAZINE ESTABLISHED 1981