Cleaner Environmental Systems最新文献

{"title":"Environmental impacts of Design for Deconstruction and Reuse in timber panel construction: A Life Cycle Assessment with a focus on Allocation","authors":"Raphaela Ivanica,&nbsp;Klaus Richter,&nbsp;Michael Risse","doi":"10.1016/j.cesys.2026.100496","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cesys.2026.100496","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Transforming the construction sector from a linear to a circular economy (CE) can contribute to achieving the European and German climate targets. The Design for Deconstruction and Reuse (DfDR) approach has the potential to contribute to a reduction in environmental impacts, the primary material demand, and the construction and demolition waste. The aim of this study is to evaluate the environmental performance of a timber panel construction designed in accordance with DfDR principles, compared with a traditional linear system. The reuse of wall and floor elements across two successive building life cycles is analyzed using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. Four different allocation methodologies are analyzed to demonstrate multiple use cycles in LCA: the cut-off approach, the end-of-life approach, the equally distributed approach, and the CE linear degressive approach. For the fossil Global Warming Potential, a reduction of 17–34 % can be identified for the different DfDR scenarios compared to the linear one. Furthermore, a reduction in the primary material supply of up to 45 % can be achieved by reusing 100 % of wall and floor elements, thereby reducing construction and demolition waste. The cut-off allocation approach has identified the least amount of uncertainty, since the environmental impacts are addressed at the time they occur. The end-of-life approach allocates impacts to the final life cycle, facilitating circular design. For the case study involving two use cycles, the CE linear degressive approach with a reduced allocation factor is the most suitable.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34616,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Environmental Systems","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100496"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148854402","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Organizational data readiness for corporate carbon footprint calculation: Current state and development pathways","authors":"Michael Rentschler,&nbsp;Maximilian Schutzbach,&nbsp;Ana Pinzon,&nbsp;Leon Diehl,&nbsp;Robert Miehe,&nbsp;Alexander Sauer","doi":"10.1016/j.cesys.2026.100501","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cesys.2026.100501","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Corporate carbon footprints are increasingly required for sustainability reporting and climate strategy development, yet their reliability is often limited by incomplete or insufficiently specific data, particularly in Scope 3. This study investigates data readiness (DR), defined as the availability, reliability, and systematic integration of relevant data, for calculating Corporate Carbon Footprints (CCF). The analysis is based on 17 company projects conducted in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The results reveal significant variations across emission scopes: average DR is approximately 65% for Scope 1, 51% for Scope 2, and 51% for Scope 3. Within Scope 3, purchased goods and services (3.1) represent the dominant emission driver and the top priority for data improvement. Major data gaps exist in processing of sold products (3.10) and end-of-life treatment of sold products (3.12), where reliable activity data and emission factors are often lacking. Differences also emerge between company sizes: small and medium-sized enterprises tend to have higher data quality but less comprehensive datasets, whereas large companies achieve greater data completeness but face more complex coordination challenges. A maturity model provides scope- and category-specific guidance for data collection and calculation procedures. Key recommendations include the early implementation of Scope 3 materiality analyses, clear data ownership, ERP-based tracking of quantity-related activity data, supplier engagement, and the use of hybrid accounting approaches. Overall, systematic data development and robust governance of data processes are essential to enhance DR and enable emissions accounting to serve as a strategic management instrument.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34616,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Environmental Systems","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100501"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148854401","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Appa LCA: A framework to ease the integration of Life Cycle Assessment into design flows","authors":"Maxime Péralta,&nbsp;Mathias Torcaso,&nbsp;Josua Guérid,&nbsp;Fabien Perdu,&nbsp;Chiara Sandionigi","doi":"10.1016/j.cesys.2026.100490","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cesys.2026.100490","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ecodesign requires system designers to consider environmental aspects throughout the design process with the aim of reducing adverse environmental impacts across the life cycle of the system. Many ecodesign tools based on quantitative environmental impact assessment have been proposed. These tools tend to be either generic, offering versatility but requiring expertise and being difficult to interface with design software, or specialized, offering ease of use for designers but lacking of flexibility. We propose Appa LCA (Automatable, Portable and Parametric Life Cycle Assessment), a framework composed of two independent tools that combines the benefits of both categories by introducing the concept of impact models, which are standalone parametric and modular LCA templates. The impact models are produced by a first LCA tool and integrated into the design environment by a second, lightweight tool that is easy to interface with. This grants flexibility to both the LCA expert and the system engineer. We have implemented the two tools that make up the Appa LCA framework as open-source Python packages, along with extensive documentation. We validated the Appa LCA workflow through two case studies in the field of digital systems, demonstrating the advantages of using Appa LCA for ecodesign compared to using an ad hoc tool or a generic LCA software.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34616,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Environmental Systems","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100490"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148854400","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Toward robust life cycle assessment of nanoelectronics: Resolving database gaps with transparent and reusable input datasets","authors":"P.I. Cano,&nbsp;S. Ospina-Corral,&nbsp;G. Cavero","doi":"10.1016/j.cesys.2026.100482","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cesys.2026.100482","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;The nanoelectronics sector relies on complex combinations of photoresists, developers, stripping agents, high-purity solvents, and metal-organic precursors used in lithography and atomic layer deposition (ALD). However, many of these substances are not represented as standalone unit processes in current Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) databases (e.g., Ecoinvent), forcing practitioners to rely on generic proxy datasets or to omit relevant contributors, thereby undermining the robustness and transparency of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) applied to nanoelectronics manufacturing.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;In this work, a set of new cradle-to-gate LCI datasets was developed for ten representative materials widely used in lithography and ALD processes: i) the novolak-based photoresist &lt;strong&gt;AZ 1518&lt;/strong&gt;, ii) the metal-ion-free developer &lt;strong&gt;AZ 726 MIF&lt;/strong&gt;, iii) the lift-off resist &lt;strong&gt;LOR 5A&lt;/strong&gt;, iv) the positive-tone photoresist &lt;strong&gt;PR S1813&lt;/strong&gt;, v) the epoxy-based negative resist &lt;strong&gt;SU-8&lt;/strong&gt;, vi) the photoresist stripping solvent N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (&lt;strong&gt;NMP&lt;/strong&gt;), vii) the casting solvent propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (&lt;strong&gt;PGMEA&lt;/strong&gt;), viii) the cationic photoacid generator TAS·SbF&lt;sub&gt;6&lt;/sub&gt; (&lt;strong&gt;PAG&lt;/strong&gt;), ix) the ALD precursor tetrakis(dimethylamido)hafnium (&lt;strong&gt;TDMAH&lt;/strong&gt;), and x) the ALD precursor tetrakis(dimethylamido)zirconium (&lt;strong&gt;TDMAZ&lt;/strong&gt;). Each dataset was modeled as a single unit process with a functional unit (FU) of 1 kg of product and cradle-to-gate system boundaries, covering synthesis, formulation, purification, and associated material and energy inputs. The reconstruction of process flowcharts and inventories was supported by a systematic review of 322 scientific and technical sources (including patents, peer-reviewed articles, technical documentation, and industrial process descriptions), ensuring transparency and reproducibility of the datasets. The datasets were subsequently harmonized using standardized units, consistent allocation procedures, and pedigree-matrix-based uncertainty scoring.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Environmental impacts were quantified using the ReCiPe 2016 Midpoint (H) method. Global warming impacts ranged from 0.66 to 1.30 kg CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;-eq kg&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; for AZ 726 MIF to 18.70–34.93 kg CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;-eq kg&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; for TDMAH, with central values reaching 26.81 kg CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;-eq kg&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; for this precursor. Mineral resource scarcity impacts also varied substantially across materials, ranging from 1.84·10&lt;sup&gt;−3&lt;/sup&gt;-3.71·10&lt;sup&gt;−3&lt;/sup&gt; kg Cu-eq for AZ 726 MIF to 0.79–1.66 kg Cu-eq for TDMAZ, reflecting the influence of metal supply chains and the resource intensity of high-purity organometallic precursor synthesis. Land-use indicators were likewise influenced by precursor synthesis and purification, with TDMAZ showing the highest central value (1.17 m&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;a crop-eq kg&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;) due to upstream burdens assoc","PeriodicalId":34616,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Environmental Systems","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100482"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148854405","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing and comparing carbon emissions in the construction industry: A comprehensive methodological review and insights","authors":"Salih D. Abdulahi,&nbsp;Laith A. Hadidi,&nbsp;Rida Assaggaf,&nbsp;Awsan Mohammed,&nbsp;Firas M. Tuffaha,&nbsp;Muhammad Asif","doi":"10.1016/j.cesys.2026.100489","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cesys.2026.100489","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As urbanization and economic development continues, greenhouse gas emissions are steadily increasing, further intensifying global warming. The construction industry is a major contributor to these emissions; consequently, researchers and practitioners are actively exploring sustainable pathways toward low-carbon construction to mitigate its environmental impact. Achieving this transition requires accurate and reliable carbon accounting to inform effective mitigation strategies. This study presents a systematic literature review of carbon accounting methods in the construction industry using a PRISMA-based approach. The methods are synthesized and evaluated in terms of their accounting principles, system boundaries and scope, data requirements, practical applicability, and intended purpose. The review covers key approaches, including IPCC-based inventory methods, emission factor (EF) methods, process-based life cycle assessment (LCA), input–output (IO) analysis, and hybrid LCA. The findings indicate that while choice of method depends on the purpose and desired level of accuracy, process-based LCA remains the most comprehensive and rigorous approach, enabling detailed identification of emission hotspots across life-cycle stages. Hybrid LCA further enhances completeness by integrating process-based and IO methods, thereby addressing data gaps and reducing truncation errors while capturing both direct and supply-chain emissions. Integration of BIM–LCA further improves the accuracy and efficiency of carbon assessment, allowing faster and more dynamic accounting. However, key challenges persist, including the lack of standardized frameworks, inconsistencies in system boundaries, data interoperability, and difficulties in digital integration. Accurate carbon accounting methods not only support emission quantification but also serve as essential tools for guiding effective decarbonization strategies and support sustainable development goals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34616,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Environmental Systems","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100489"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148854408","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Benefit-cost analysis of enhanced rock weathering in Japan using experimentally derived agronomic responses and site-specific supply-chain parameters","authors":"Rendi Ahmad Rustandi,&nbsp;Naomi Kitagawa,&nbsp;Shota Imai,&nbsp;Almaz Akhmetov,&nbsp;Misaki Kurahashi,&nbsp;Keiichi Okajima,&nbsp;Yutaro Akimoto,&nbsp;Hidehiko Kikuno,&nbsp;Yoshinori Utsumi,&nbsp;Motoaki Seki,&nbsp;Shinichirou Morimoto","doi":"10.1016/j.cesys.2026.100494","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cesys.2026.100494","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Enhanced rock weathering (ERW) is a carbon dioxide removal technology that helps mitigate climate change while providing agronomic benefits. However, its feasibility depends on site-specific supply chain conditions and crop responses, and project-level financial performance remains underexplored. This study presents a site-specific assessment of ERW using life cycle and techno-economic analysis and calculates conventional investment indicators (net present value and break-even conditions) by constructing datasets incorporating quarry mineral composition, experimentally derived grinding energy, and geographic information systems-based transport distances. Agronomic co-benefits were evaluated using cassava field experiment data from previous literature, together with greenhouse experiments conducted in this study, showing 18–30% yield increases for olivine and 0–6% for basalt relative to untreated controls, which were converted into economic revenue. ERW scenarios for 18 Japanese quarry sites were evaluated over 20 years, assuming 2000 t-rock annual spreading. Crushing and grinding were the main emission sources, accounting for 53.8 kg CO₂-eq t⁻¹ rock yr⁻¹, while transport emissions ranged from 0.88 to 38.27 kg CO₂-eq t⁻¹ rock yr⁻¹, depending on distance. Highly reactive olivine sites achieved net CO₂ removals of up to 1077 kg CO₂-eq t⁻¹ rock yr⁻¹. In contrast, three basalt sites indicated ineffective CO₂ removal due to low mineral reactivity and higher process-related emissions. Under base-case assumptions, net present value analysis incorporating agronomic co-benefits and carbon credit revenue showed that olivine sites achieved positive direct profitability, whereas basalt sites did not reach break-even, indicating that higher crop selling prices or carbon credit values are required to achieve profitability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34616,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Environmental Systems","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100494"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148854406","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Data-driven circular procurement of para-aramid using handheld spectroscopy","authors":"Sanwouly Marlene Yao,&nbsp;Diogo Barros Goncalves,&nbsp;Sin Yong Teng,&nbsp;Gerjen Tinnevelt,&nbsp;Sebastian van Klooster,&nbsp;Carlo Bertinetto,&nbsp;Jeroen Jansen","doi":"10.1016/j.cesys.2026.100495","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cesys.2026.100495","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Reliable quality assessment of End-of-Life (EoL) materials remains a bottleneck in operationalizing the circular economy. The heterogeneity of EoL materials, limited traceability, and inadequate sensing technologies at collection points create inefficiencies that undermine the entire value chain. Handheld near-infrared (NIR) and Raman spectroscopy offer a promising route toward real-time, non-destructive material analysis. However, lower precision and high sensitivity to environmental variation hinder practical implementation. This study introduces a dual-perspective decision framework that integrates handheld spectroscopy with chemometrics to guide circular procurement. By linking material composition to value from the seller's perspective and acceptability thresholds from the buyer's perspective, the framework enables quantitative, evidence-based decision-making at the point of collection. Using EoL para-aramid materials as a proof of concept, four handheld spectrophotometers (Trinamix, Neospectra, Tellspec, and Mira) were benchmarked across multiple quality thresholds. Spectral data were used to develop classification models for the buyer perspective and regression models for the seller perspective, while environmental and economic assessments quantified the broader impact of handheld screening. Trinamix emerged as the optimal device, achieving 100% balanced accuracy at the 92% para-aramid threshold and the lowest root mean square error of prediction (RMSE_P) of 0.56% with support vector regression. By redefining EoL materials screening from a constraint into a data-driven analytical process, handheld spectroscopy delivers measurable environmental and financial benefits and advances the transition toward low-carbon circular systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34616,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Environmental Systems","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100495"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148854404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"System performance and constraints of material recovery facilities in Thailand: Analytical insights for circular economy transition","authors":"Sutisa Samitthiwetcharong,&nbsp;Kultip Suwanteep,&nbsp;Orathai Chavalparit,&nbsp;Wilailuk Niyommaneerat","doi":"10.1016/j.cesys.2026.100500","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cesys.2026.100500","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Given Thailand's waste management challenges and increasing pressure to advance circular economy (CE) and climate goals, this study investigates the performance and operational constraints of Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs), an area where comparative empirical evidence remains limited. This study employed a mixed-methods approach across eight MRF sites, integrating Material Flow Analysis (MFA), greenhouse gas (GHG) avoidance estimation, economic co-benefit analysis, and stakeholder interviews. Three MRF models in Thailand cases were examined: a community-based Clean MRF, a municipality-operated Dirty MRF, and a public–private partnership (PPP)-operated Dirty MRF. The Clean MRF achieved over 99% recovery through source separation, incentives, and community networks, despite limited capacity. Municipality-operated Dirty MRFs achieved recovery rates of 2–81% due to mixed and contaminated waste inputs, whereas PPP-operated Dirty MRFs achieved recovery rates of 72–97%, supported by higher processing capacity, integrated operational systems, and diversified recycling markets. Across the MRF models, estimated GHG avoidance ranged from 0.28 to 2.73 tCO₂e per tonne of input. The estimated gross economic value ranged from USD 63 to 145 per tonne of recovered material for Dirty MRFs, compared with approximately USD 285 per tonne for the Clean MRF. Stakeholder evidence indicated that weak source separation, mixed waste collection, inconsistent stakeholder participation, operational constraints, and limited market linkages contribute to a contamination penalty and misalignment between upstream and downstream waste management processes. MRFs serve as material recirculation infrastructure linking source separation, recovery operations, and downstream markets, while feedstock contamination represents a measurable manifestation of socio-technical and institutional misalignment. These findings were elaborated into policy recommendations for integrating MRFs into national waste-management and CE frameworks and positioning them as material recirculation infrastructure linking upstream source separation, midstream recovery operations, downstream markets which enforceable EPR mechanisms would advance Thailand's waste-to-resource transition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34616,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Environmental Systems","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100500"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148854407","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The need to make surgical placement practices more circular for dental implants: Results of a life cycle assessment study","authors":"Sylvain Maladière ,&nbsp;Takunda Yeukai Chitaka ,&nbsp;Philippe Loubet ,&nbsp;Guido Sonnemann ,&nbsp;Frédéric Cuisinier","doi":"10.1016/j.cesys.2026.100450","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cesys.2026.100450","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>There has been growing concern surrounding the environmental impacts of the healthcare sector in recent years. Placing a dental implant is a surgical discipline that uses natural resources and emits pollution, indirectly harming human health. Life cycle assessment (LCA) has been increasingly applied in this sector to gain an understanding of the environmental impacts.</div><div>LCA was used to assess the potential environmental impacts associated with the manufacture and placement of a titanium dental implant. A combination of primary and secondary data were used to inform the life cycle inventory. Implant manufacturing data were sourced from the Brånemark Integration company whilst placement data were collected in the Hospital of Montpellier (France). The LCA was modelled using OpenLCA Software with the EcoInvent 3.5 APOS database, and impacts calculated using the ReCiPe 2016 method.</div><div>The cradle-to-door life cycle of one implant emits 15 kg CO₂ eq, consuming 340 l of water. Most impacts occur during placement of the implant. This is attributed to the amount of single use products used during the process. For placing one implant weighing 0.5 g, 2.5 kg of waste is thrown away, of which 1.8 kg is plastic. A scenario analysis exploring the potential impacts of instituting recycling found it could potentially reduce impacts by 10%. In addition, the application of reuse results in lower global warming impacts.</div><div>The application of circular economy principles has the potential to decrease the environmental impacts of a dental implant. However, dental maintenance is associated with fewer impacts, hence prevention is critical.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34616,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Environmental Systems","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100450"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148183763","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Life cycle assessment of a new pyrometallurgical approach for dezincing and valorisation of iron and steelmaking sludge in the UK","authors":"Edis Glogic ,&nbsp;Hichem Hakka ,&nbsp;Kehinde Makinde ,&nbsp;Lucy Smith ,&nbsp;Ji Fuzhong ,&nbsp;Stuart Higson ,&nbsp;Richard Thackray","doi":"10.1016/j.cesys.2026.100453","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cesys.2026.100453","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A new pyrometallurgical route enables the removal of zinc (dezincing) from iron-rich sludges from iron and steelmaking processes, allowing their reintroduction into the steel production cycle as a sinter feedstock for the blast furnace. The new technology was introduced and the life cycle assessment (LCA) was carried out to evaluate the environmental impacts arising in the treatment of seven steelmaking sludges. The technology involves preparation and roasting of sludges in a top-blown rotary converter at 1200 °C for 60 min resulting in a high degree of dezincing and retention of iron oxide. The inventory for the LCA was collected in situ and scaled up to emulate industrial conditions. The impacts were calculated for eight categories of the CML impact assessment method. The assessment determined the main environmental hotspots and compared the dezincing of sludges with the disposal to the landfill. The dezincing route was presented for the process-only burdens scenario and the avoided-burdens scenario (incorporating credits for valorisation of the dezinced product). The findings suggest that the dezincing of sludges is beneficial in majority of the impact categories compared to the landfill. On average, the dezincing results in a 9% reduction in CO₂ emissions, or 25% reduction when avoided burdens credits are factored in. Several process design strategies are identified to further reduce the impacts of dezincing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34616,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Environmental Systems","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100453"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148183765","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}