Abstract
Purpose
Model uncertainties in life cycle assessment (LCA) can arise due to the lack or limited knowledge of the system (epistemic), or due to the inherent spatial and/or temporal variability of the processes that characterize it (stochastic). Scenario analysis is often used to address such uncertainties. However, the analysis does not provide information on which scenario is more representative of the system, or more likely to occur. To account for model uncertainties in LCA, the approach presented here estimates the likelihood of occurrence of the scenarios by assigning probabilities to the events characterizing them.
Method
An integrated life cycle assessment (LCA) and quantitative risk assessment (QRA) approach was developed to include the likelihood of occurrence of future events, and their consequences, in the definition of one representative scenario. The integration of the two tools was conceived at a framework level, with the inclusion of probability estimates as weighting factors for the scenario results. These probability estimates for each scenario allow improving the spatial and temporal representativeness of the model of the system.
The approach was applied to a landfill case study to test its applicability in defining the impacts of a landfill reference scenario. Twelve scenarios were developed to represent the potential variation of landfill conditions over time. In particular, the degradation and failure of the containment systems, and the flooding of the site, were the main events considered in the scenario definition. An event tree was built to estimate the probability of occurrence of each scenario.
Results
Expected values and standard deviations were computed for all impact categories based on the impacts and their probabilities. Additional information on the probability of obtaining a certain impact was further provided by the impact curve built as function of the impacts and their cumulative probability.
Conclusions
Overall, the results of the study highlight the potential of the approach and the relevance of the information that the results can provide on the impact of a landfill, and more generally a system, under varying conditions over time.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arvidsson R, Tillman A-M, Sandén BA, Janssen M, Nordelöf A, Kushnir D, Molander S (2017) Environmental assessment of emerging technologies: recommendations for prospective LCA. J Ind Ecol 00:1–9. https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.12690
Aven T, Renn O (2009) On risk defined as an event where the outcome is uncertain. J Risk Res 12(1):1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/13669870802488883
Bedford T, Cooke R (2001) Probabilistic risk analysis: foundations and methods. Cambridge University Press
Belevi H, Baccini P (1989) Long-term behavior of municipal solid waste landfills. Waste Manage Res 7(1):43–56. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X8900700106
Benetto E, Dujet C (2003) Uncertainty analysis and MCDA: a case study in the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) practice, (June) 1–11
Benetto E, Dujet C, Rousseaux P (2006) Possibility theory: a new approach to uncertainty analysis? Int J Life Cycle Assess 11(2):114–116. https://doi.org/10.1065/lca2005.06.212
Benetto E, Dujet C, Rousseaux P (2008) Integrating fuzzy multicriteria analysis and uncertainty evaluation in life cycle assessment. Environ Model Softw 23(12):1461–1467. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2008.04.008
Bisinella V (2017) Future scenario development within life cycle assessment of waste management systems
Björklund AE (2002) Survey of approaches to improve reliability in LCA. Int J Life Cycle Assess 7(2):64–72. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02978849
Calderón Márquez AJ, Cassettari Filho PC, Rutkowski EW, de Lima Isaac R (2019) Landfill mining as a strategic tool towards global sustainable development. J Clean Prod 226:1102–1115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.04.057
Clavreul J, Guyonnet D, Christensen TH (2012) Quantifying uncertainty in LCA-modelling of waste management systems. Waste Manage 32(12):2482–2495. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2012.07.008
Cleary J (2009) Life cycle assessments of municipal solid waste management systems: a comparative analysis of selected peer-reviewed literature. Environ Int. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2009.07.009
Cucurachi S, Giesen C, Van Der, Guinée J (2018) Ex-ante LCA of emerging technologies. Procedia CIRP 69(May):463–468. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2017.11.005
Damgaard A, Manfredi S, Merrild H, Stensøe S, Christensen TH (2011) LCA and economic evaluation of landfill leachate and gas technologies. Waste Manage 31(7):1532–1541. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2011.02.027
Danthurebandara M (2015) Environmental and economic performance of enhanced landfill mining
Darbra RM, Eljarrat E, Barcelo D (2008) How to measure uncertainties in environmental risk assessment. Trends Anal Chem 27(4):377–385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2008.02.005
Doka G (2003) Life cycle inventory of wastewater treatment. In: Life cycle inventories of waste treatment services—Ecoinvent Report 13(54)
Doka G (2009) Life cycle inventories of waste treatment services. ecoinvent report. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories 13
Doka G, Hischier R (2005a) Waste treatment and assessment of long-term emissions. Int J Life Cycle Assess 10(1):77–84. https://doi.org/10.1065/lca2004.12.181.9
Doka G, Life D, Assessments C (2005b) Assessing long-term effects of municipal solid waste. Proceedings of the 1st BOKU Waste Conference. Waste Management in the Focus of Controversial Interests, Vienna, Austria, 4-6 April 2005
European Commission - JRC (2011) ILCD handbook: recommendations for life cycle impact assessment in the European context. Vasa. https://doi.org/10.2788/33030
Ferdous R, Khan F, Sadiq R, Amyotte P, Veitch B (2013) Analyzing system safety and risks under uncertainty using a bow-tie diagram: an innovative approach. Process Saf Environ Prot 91(1–2):1–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psep.2011.08.010
Flemstrom K, Carlson R, Erixon M (2004) Relationships between life cycle assessment and risk assessment
Gusca J, Fainzilbergs M, Muizniece I (2015) Life cycle assessment of landfill mining project. Energy Procedia. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2015.06.047
Haes HAUDe, Heijungs R, Suh S (2004) Three strategies to overcome the limitations of life-cycle assessment. J Industrial Ecol 8(3):19–32. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1162/1088198042442351
Heijungs R, Huijbregts MaJ (2004) A review of approaches to treat uncertainty in LCA. IEMSs 2004 International Congress 8. http://www.iemss.org/iemss2004/pdf/lca/heijarev.pdf
Hennequin T, Sørup HJD, Dong Y, Arnbjerg-Nielsen K (2018) A framework for performing comparative LCA between repairing flooded houses and construction of dikes in non-stationary climate with changing risk of flooding. Sci Total Environ 642:473–484. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.404
Hermann R, Baumgartner RJ, Vorbach S, Wolfsberger T, Ragossnig A, Pomberger R (2016) Holistic assessment of a landfill mining pilot project in Austria: methodology and application. Waste Manage Res 34(7):646–657. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X16644517
Hjelmar O, Andersen L, Hansen J (2000) Leachate emissions from landfills. AFR Rapport, (January). Retrieved from http://www.naturvardsverket.se/Documents/publikationer/afr-r-265-se.pdf
Höjer M, Ahlroth S, Dreborg K-H, Ekvall T, Finnveden G, Hjelm O (2008) Palm, V. Scenarios in selected tools for environmental systems analysis 16:1958–1970. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2008.01.008
Huijbregts M (2002) Uncertainty and variability in environmental life-cycle assessment. Int J Life Cycle Assess 7. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02994052
Huijbregts MAJ (1998) Application of uncertainty and variability in LCA. Part I: a general framework for the analysis of uncertainty and variability in life cycle assessment. Int J Life Cycle Assess 3(5):273–280. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02979835
Jones PT, Geysen D, Tielemans Y, Van Passel S, Pontikes Y, Blanpain B, Hoekstra N (2013) Enhanced landfill mining in view of multiple resource recovery: a critical review. J Clean Prod 55:45–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.05.021
Jones RN (2001) An environmental risk assessment/management framework for climate change impact assessments 1997–1998
Kaplan S, Garrick B (1981) On the quantitative definition of risk. J Risk Anal 1:11–27. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1539-6924.1981.tb01350.x
Khakzad N, Khan F, Amyotte P (2012) Dynamic risk analysis using bow-tie approach. Reliab Eng Syst Saf 104:36–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ress.2012.04.003
Kjeldsen P, Barlaz MA, Rooker AP, Baun A, Ledin A, Christensen TH (2002) Present and long-term composition of MSW landfill leachate: a review. Crit Rev Environ Sci Technol 32(4):297–336. https://doi.org/10.1080/10643380290813462
Kobayashi Y, Peters GM, Khan SJ (2015) Towards more holistic environmental impact assessment: hybridisation of life cycle assessment and quantitative risk assessment. Procedia CIRP 29:378–383. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2015.01.064
Krook J, Baas L (2013) Getting serious about mining the technosphere: a review of recent landfill mining and urban mining research. J Clean Prod 55:1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.04.043
Laner D (2009) The consideration of long-term emissions from landfills within life-cycle assessment. Waste Management & Research, (December 2008) 463–470. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X09102335
Laner D (2011) Understanding and evaluating long-term environmental risks from landfills [online]. PhD Dissertation: 1–225. Retrieved from https://www.wien.gv.at/umweltschutz/nachhaltigkeit/pdf/laner.pdf.Accessed. 26 June 2016
Laner D, Cencic O, Svensson N, Krook J (2016) Quantitative analysis of critical factors for the climate impact of landfill mining. Environ Sci Technol 50:6882–6891. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6b01275
Laner D, Fellner J, Brunner PH (2009) Flooding of municipal solid waste landfills: an environmental hazard? Sci Total Environ 407(12):3674–3680. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2009.03.006
Laner D, Fellner J, Brunner PH (2011a) Environmental compatibility of closed landfills—assessing future pollution hazards. Waste Manage Res 29(1):89–98. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X10387655
Laner D, Fellner J, Brunner PH (2011b) Future landfill emissions and the effect of final cover installation—a case study. Waste Manage 31(7):1522–1531. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2011.02.022
Laner D, Fellner J, Brunner PH (2012) Site-specific criteria for the completion of landfill aftercare. Waste Manage Res: The Journal of the International Solid Wastes and Public Cleansing Association, ISWA. 30(9 Suppl):88–99. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X12453610
Laurent A, Clavreul J, Bernstad A, Bakas I, Niero M, Gentil E, Hauschild MZ (2014) Review of LCA studies of solid waste management systems—Part II: methodological guidance for a better practice. Waste Manage 34(3):589–606. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2013.12.004
Linkov I, Trump BD, Wender BA, Seager TP, Kennedy AJ, Keisler JM (2017) Integrate life-cycle assessment and risk analysis results, not methods. Nat Nanotechnol 12(8):740–743. https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2017.152
Manfredi S, Christensen TH, Scharff H, Jacobs J (2010a) Environmental assessment of low-organic waste landfill scenarios by means of life-cycle assessment modelling (EASEWASTE). Waste Manage Res, (October 2008) 130–140. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X09104127
Manfredi S, Tonini D, Christensen TH (2009) Landfilling of waste: accounting of greenhouse gases and global warming contributions. Waste Manage Res 27(8):789–799. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242x09348529
Manfredi S, Tonini D, Christensen TH (2010b) Contribution of individual waste fractions to the environmental impacts from landfilling of municipal solid waste. Waste Manage 30(3):433–440. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2009.09.017
Matthews HS, Lave L, Maclean H (2002) Life cycle impact assessment : a challenge for risk analysts CYCLE ASSESSMENT. Risk Analysis 22(5)
Mazzorana B, Hübl J, Fuchs S (2009) Improving risk assessment by defining consistent and reliable system scenarios. Nat Hazards Earth Syst Sci 9(1):145–159. https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-9-145-2009
Neuhold C, Nachtnebel HP (2011) Assessing flood risk associated with waste disposals: methodology, application and uncertainties. Nat Hazards 56(1):359–370. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-010-9575-9
Obersteiner G, Binner E, Mostbauer P, Salhofer S (2007) Landfill modelling in LCA—a contribution based on empirical data. Waste Manage 27:S58–S74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2007.02.018
Pivato A (2011) Landfill liner failure: an open question for landfill risk analysis. Journal of Environmental Protection 2(May):287–297. https://doi.org/10.4236/jep.2011.23032
Rausand M, Hoyland A (2004) System reliability theory
Sauve G, Van Acker K (2020) The environmental impacts of municipal solid waste landfills in Europe: a life cycle assessment of proper reference cases to support decision making. J Environ Manage 261 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110216
Spielmann M, Scholz RW, Tietje O, De Haan P (2005) Scenario modelling in prospective LCA of transport systems: application of formative scenario analysis. Int J Life Cycle Assess 10(5):325–335. https://doi.org/10.1065/lca2004.10.188
Villa V, Paltrinieri N, Khan F, Cozzani V (2016) Towards dynamic risk analysis: a review of the risk assessment approach and its limitations in the chemical process industry. Saf Sci 89:77–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2016.06.002
Wille E (2018) Flooding risks at old landfill sites: linear economy meets climate change. Proceedings of the 4th International Symposium on Enhanced Landfill Mining, Mechelenl, Belgium, 5–6 February 2018
Winterstetter A, Wille E, Nagels P, Fellner J (2018) Decision making guidelines for mining historic landfill sites in Flanders. Waste Manage 77:225–237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2018.03.049
Wolfsberger T, Aldrian A, Sarc R, Hermann R, Höllen D, Budischowsky A, Pomberger R (2015) Landfill mining: resource potential of Austrian landfills—evaluation and quality assessment of recovered municipal solid waste by chemical analyses. Waste Manage Res 33(11):962–974. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X15600051
Funding
The NEW-MINE project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 721185. Project website: http://new-mine.eu/
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Communicated by Mark Huijbregts
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary Information
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sauve, G., Van Acker, K. Integrating life cycle assessment (LCA) and quantitative risk assessment (QRA) to address model uncertainties: defining a landfill reference case under varying environmental and engineering conditions. Int J Life Cycle Assess 26, 591–603 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-020-01848-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-020-01848-z