2. Methodology
2.1 Goal definition
The goal of this study is to assess and compare the environmental impacts of three management alternatives for the end-of-life of natural cork stoppers using LCA methodology. Several scenarios were considered within each alternative. The alternatives and associated scenarios under study are as follows:
A. Incineration, including:
• Scenario 1: incineration with electricity generation.
• Scenario 2: incineration with combined heat and power generation (CHP).
B. Landfilling, including:
• Scenario 3: landfilling without landfill gas recovery.
• Scenario 4: landfilling with landfill gas recovery for flaring.
• Scenario 5: landfilling with landfill gas recovery for electricity generation.
C. Recycling, including: …show more content…
3). Currently, the cork industry uses two ways for the production of the agglomerated cork used for the manufacturing of agglomerated cork products. Those are the use of ‘falca’ and the use of industrial cork waste (residues from the production of natural cork stoppers, namely punched planks). In this study, the recycling of used natural cork stoppers is evaluated for the substitution of the utilization of both ‘falca’ (Scenario 6) and industrial cork waste (Scenario 7). In both scenarios, the recycling process considers the trituration and agglomeration process (including consumption of electricity) for the refining of cork and preparation of cork blocks (ready to be cut and used for various agglomerated products). In both scenarios, the environmental impact considers the collection and transport of the used cork stoppers to the transformation unit and the impact from the trituration and agglomeration process. In Scenario 6, the avoided burdens include the production and transport of ‘falca’ from the forest and the trituration and agglomeration process. Likewise, in Scenario 7, the avoided burdens include the transport of the industrial cork waste (from the natural cork stoppers production unit to the transformation unit) and the impact from the trituration and agglomeration process. Considering that the impact from the trituration and agglomeration process will be self-annulled, in this alternative, the main influence derives from the transport
2.1 Goal definition
The goal of this study is to assess and compare the environmental impacts of three management alternatives for the end-of-life of natural cork stoppers using LCA methodology. Several scenarios were considered within each alternative. The alternatives and associated scenarios under study are as follows:
A. Incineration, including:
• Scenario 1: incineration with electricity generation.
• Scenario 2: incineration with combined heat and power generation (CHP).
B. Landfilling, including:
• Scenario 3: landfilling without landfill gas recovery.
• Scenario 4: landfilling with landfill gas recovery for flaring.
• Scenario 5: landfilling with landfill gas recovery for electricity generation.
C. Recycling, including: …show more content…
3). Currently, the cork industry uses two ways for the production of the agglomerated cork used for the manufacturing of agglomerated cork products. Those are the use of ‘falca’ and the use of industrial cork waste (residues from the production of natural cork stoppers, namely punched planks). In this study, the recycling of used natural cork stoppers is evaluated for the substitution of the utilization of both ‘falca’ (Scenario 6) and industrial cork waste (Scenario 7). In both scenarios, the recycling process considers the trituration and agglomeration process (including consumption of electricity) for the refining of cork and preparation of cork blocks (ready to be cut and used for various agglomerated products). In both scenarios, the environmental impact considers the collection and transport of the used cork stoppers to the transformation unit and the impact from the trituration and agglomeration process. In Scenario 6, the avoided burdens include the production and transport of ‘falca’ from the forest and the trituration and agglomeration process. Likewise, in Scenario 7, the avoided burdens include the transport of the industrial cork waste (from the natural cork stoppers production unit to the transformation unit) and the impact from the trituration and agglomeration process. Considering that the impact from the trituration and agglomeration process will be self-annulled, in this alternative, the main influence derives from the transport