Environmental assessment of potential industrial waste management in the Czech Republic

Abstract

In contrast to municipal waste, the much larger quantities of industrial waste are less frequently addressed, both in legislation and in life cycle assessment (LCA). However, LCA studies can identify opportunities to reduce national environmental impacts by improving the management of industrial waste, and they can inform legislation that brings us closer to a net-zero, circular economy. This study analyzes the impact mitigation potential of 10 industrial waste categories in a case study of the Czech Republic. By adopting consequential, fraction-specific LCA modeling of current waste management practices, we clarified their hierarchy and quantified maximum transport distances from the environmental perspective. We further linked the environmental impacts with material flow analysis of these waste categories in the Czech Republic and compared the current situation with a potential scenario based on legislation targets and the maximum demand for recycled materials. The results indicate a potential to mitigate approximately 2.3% of the current environmental impacts for the Czech Republic and reduce primary energy resource consumption by about 1.7%. The highest potential was attributed to ferrous metal waste, where an increased recycling rate could additionally substitute up to 942 kt of primary steel, resulting in substantial environmental savings. The second highest potential was reported for coal combustion fly ash utilized in concrete production. The findings indicate that these materials, which are currently underemphasized in public policies, deserve greater attention.