Project: Guidelines for the use

of an LCA database
Solid waste management and treatment
A.y. 2020 - 2021
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Introduction

About the project:

In order to assess the Global Warming impact of the waste management
service, you need the emission factor (i.e. mass of CO2 eq. / unit of process)
of the processes included in your study. You can find the data from literature or
in LCA databases.
Some databases are free and you can consult them using OpenLCA (a free
LCA software).
In this guide, the procedure to import the databases in OpenLCA and find the
data that you need is explained.

Steps:
1. Download OpenLCA software https://www.openlca.org/download/
2. Download Environmental Footprints database
https://nexus.openlca.org/downloads (account registration needed)
3. Upload EF database

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1. Download OpenLCA software

The software is available here: https://www.openlca.org/download/

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2. Download Environmental Footprints database
Select and download the database: https://nexus.openlca.org/downloads

Select the database here

Database guide

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3. Upload the EF database
i. Open the OpenLCA software on your computer
ii. Click on Database
iii. Click on Restore database

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3. Upload the EF database

iv. Select the database EF that you have previously downloaded.

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3. Upload the EF database

v. Import the database

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Where can you find the emission factors?

Double click on the database and

open it

Processes:
Here you find the main processes related to
energy production, material production, waste
treatment, transports, etc…

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Example 1: landfill of paper and carboard

Here you find general information

and the description of the
geographical, temporal and
technological context.
In some cases, an image
representing the system is
included in this dataset.

Select the
process
dataset

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Example 1: landfill of paper and carboard
The flow in bold
represents the
reference unit for this
process.
In this case, it is the
disposal of 1 kg of
paper and paperboard
waste in landfill

Here you find all the

input and output flows
of the process

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Example 1: landfill of paper and carboard

The method used for the

impact assessment is
called Environmental
Footprint

This is the value you need for your

calculations. It is already
expressed as kgCO2eq/reference
unit (in this case kgCO2eq/kg
paper and paperboard waste). In
this calculation the emission of
fossil CO2 and fossil and biogenic
methane is considered.
The biogenic methane is released
during the degradation of paper
and paperboard waste in landfill.

Here you find the impacts, calculated

with the Environmental Footprint
method, of this process

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Example 2: PET recycling

Be aware of the amount

of input waste!

In recycling processes
the unit of reference is
the amount of
secondary material in
output

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Example 2: PET recycling

The value for climate

change impact refers to
the reference unit,
which is 1 kg of
secondary PET (output
product) and NOT to the
input waste!

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