Fully integrated modelling for sustainability assessment of resource recovery from waste

Abstract

• We develop a multidimensional model for assessing resource recovery systems.• Social, environmental, technical and economic domains of value are fully integrated.• We propose a new typology for metrics better suited to integrated modelling.• We apply the model to a case linking electricity and concrete/cement production.• Interdependencies between domains and temporal dynamics can be modelled. G R A P H I C A L A B S T R A C Ta b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f o This paper presents an integrated modelling approach for value assessments, focusing on resource recovery from waste. The method tracks and forecasts a range of values across environmental, social, economic and technical domains by attaching these to material-flows, thus building upon and integrating unidimensional models such as material flow analysis (MFA) and lifecycle assessment (LCA). We argue that the usual classification of metrics into these separate domains is useful for interpreting the outputs of multidimensional assessments, but unnecessary for modelling. We thus suggest that multidimensional assessments can be better performed by integrating the calculation methods of unidimensional models rather than their outputs. To achieve this, we propose a new metric typology that forms the foundation of a multidimensional model. This enables dynamic simulations to be performed with material-flows (or values in any domain) driven by changes in value in other domains. We then apply the model in an illustrative case highlighting links between the UK coal-based electricity-production and concrete/cement industries, investigating potential impacts that may follow the increased use of low-carbon fuels (biomass and solid recovered fuels; SRF) in the former. We explore synergies and trade-offs in value across domains and regions, e.g. how changes in carbon emissions in one part of the system may affect mortality elsewhere. This highlights the advantages of recognising complex system dynamics and making high-level inferences of their effects, even when rigorous analysis is not possible. We also indicate how changes in social, environmental and economic 'values' can be understood as being driven by changes in the technical value of resources. Our work thus emphasises the advantages of building fully integrated models to inform conventional sustainability assessments, rather than applying hybrid approaches that integrate outputs from parallel models. The approach we present demonstrates that this is feasible and lays the foundations for such an integrated model. Crown

A pathway to circular economy: Developing a conceptual framework for complex value assessment of resources recovered from waste

“…The modelling utilises a bespoke, integrated, multidimensional assessment model that we describe elsewhere (Millward-Hopkins et al, 2018). Its integrated nature allows simulated changes in social, environmental, economic or technical values to drive the dynamics of the physically-based material flow layer, both temporally and spatially.…”

“…A detailed description of the analysis performed and evaluation of the results can be found elsewhere (Millward-Hopkins et al, 2018).…”

“…LCA to assess the environmental performance), or they collapse many values onto one dimension (typically monetary, as in CBA). Integrating results across domains from different, potentially inconsistent models, can also be problematic (Millward-Hopkins et al, 2018). Occasionally, economic and environmental assessments are integrated without collapsing values in this way (Vadenbo et al, 2014), but important trade-offs in values e such as potential social impacts of increasing recycling rates via exports to places of very low environmental and public/occupational health standards (Velis, 2015) e remain obscured.…”

Delineating and preventing plastic waste leakage in the marine and terrestrial environment

“…Nonetheless, to achieve a successful journey into the "circular" world, it would require the harmonic coexistence and cooperation of all players and stakeholders involved (consumers, decision makers, industries, governmental entities, waste management infrastructure, etc. ), plus the development and use of adequate frameworks and tools that will enable us to properly and transparently assess the creation and dissipation of a "multidimensional" value that spans the environmental, social, economic and technical domains (Iacovidou et al 2017a, b;Millward-Hopkins et al 2018).…”

Life Cycle Environmental Impact Assessment of Circular Agriculture: A Case Study in Fuqing, China

“…As an effective method to evaluate the environmental factors and their potential impact on the whole life cycle of products, from raw materials to production processes to final disposal, a life cycle assessment (LCA) has been widely used to evaluate the environmental load caused by these processes since it was first proposed [25,26]. Currently, LCA is also widely used in agriculture-related industries, specifically involving fisheries, animal husbandry, planting, food processing, packaging, and waste disposal, etc.…”