Academic Publications

@article{Fries2025,

title = {Decentralized clinical trials are better for the participants and for the planet: the case study of a double-blind randomized controlled trial in Singapore (PROMOTE study)},

author = {Lisa R. Fries and Nadia Khaled and Ivan Viveros Santos and Elvira Suniega-Tolentino and Motshewa Sesing and Melissa P. S. Toh and Chui Yuen Yang and Shiao Yng Chan and Sara Colombo Mottaz},

doi = {10.3389/fpubh.2024.1508166},

issn = {2296-2565},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-01-01},

journal = {Frontiers in Public Health},

volume = {12},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Hajjar2025,

title = {Identifying influencing physical and environmental parameters on fate and characterization factors for microplastic emissions in the marine environment},

author = {Carla Hajjar and Cécile Bulle and Maxime Agez and Elena Corella-Puertas and Anne-Marie Boulay},

doi = {10.1007/s11367-024-02421-8},

issn = {0948-3349},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-01-01},

journal = {The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Rachid2025,

title = {Life cycle assessment of phosphate mining and beneficiation in Morocco: Performance evaluation},

author = {Safa Rachid and Yassine Taha and Elliot Muller and Mostafa Benzaazoua},

doi = {10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123453},

issn = {03014797},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Environmental Management},

volume = {373},

pages = {123453},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Surmont2025,

title = {Assessing the sustainability and safety of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) liners for lead service lines (LSL) upgrades},

author = {Amélie Surmont and Laura Rowenczyk and Ivan Viveros Santos and Fatemeh Hatam and Anne-Marie Boulay and Michèle Prévost},

doi = {10.1016/j.watres.2024.122686},

issn = {00431354},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-01-01},

journal = {Water Research},

volume = {268},

pages = {122686},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Chabas2024,

title = {À la croisée des savoirs : mettre en œuvre l’interdisciplinarité dans le cadre d’un projet d’aménagement urbain du secteur LaSalle/Ville Saint-Pierre/Lachine-Est},

author = {Camille Chabas and Marianne Tollemer and Justine Gonon and Marylou Filiatrault and Benjamin Gutzeit and Jordane Castonguay and Olivier Pesant and Cécile Bulle and Daniel Pearl and Claudiane Ouellet-Plamondon},

doi = {10.1522/revueot.v32n3.1676},

issn = {1493-8871},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-01-01},

journal = {Revue Organisations & territoires},

volume = {32},

issue = {3},

pages = {55-70},

publisher = {Universite du Quebec a Chicoutimi},

abstract = {Ce projet consiste à rechercher des synergies écosystémiques urbaines entre l’industrie existante, les infrastructures vertes, le patrimoine industriel et les besoins communautaires pour le secteur LaSalle/Ville Saint-Pierre/Lachine-Est, situé autour du canal de Lachine à Montréal. L’objectif de ce projet pluridisciplinaire est de concevoir un plan de réhabilitation urbain favorisant la création de quartiers mixtes, sécuritaires et abordables, soutenu par l’analyse du cycle de vie, l’analyse écosystémique urbaine et les concepts de l’économie circulaire. Le projet vise à répondre aux enjeux climatiques et à rendre le secteur plus résilient. Il présente différents scénarios de transformation du secteur inspirés des principes de l’économie circulaire pour le patrimoine bâti, le système alimentaire, les infrastructures vertes et le transport actif. Des liens entre les différentes industries sont simulés pour analyser la viabilité d’une symbiose industrielle dans le secteur de LaSalle.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Dazogbo2024,

title = {économie circulaire dans la filière céréalière au Québec pour réduire les émissions de gaz à effet de serre selon une perspective cycle de vie : le cas du maïs-grain},

author = {Samson Dazogbo and Pablo Tirado-Seco and Dominique Maxime and Nathalie Berthélemy and Cécile Bulle},

doi = {10.1522/revueot.v32n3.1677},

issn = {1493-8871},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-01-01},

journal = {Revue Organisations & territoires},

volume = {32},

issue = {3},

pages = {71-103},

publisher = {Universite du Quebec a Chicoutimi},

abstract = {Cette étude présente une approche itérative de priorisation de stratégies d’économie circulaire (ÉC) pertinentes en matière de réduction des émissions de gaz à effet de serre (GES) pour la production de grains dans Lanaudière, au Québec, à l’aide de l’analyse du cycle de vie (ACV). Après une revue de la littérature des stratégies d’ÉC généralement utilisées dans le domaine de l’agriculture, nous avons identifié les principaux contributeurs (points chauds) aux émissions de GES le long du cycle de vie de la production de grains. En partant du principe que les acteurs céréaliers devraient concentrer leurs efforts sur ces principaux contributeurs pour réduire les émissions de GES de manière efficace, nous avons identifié des stratégies d’ÉC axées sur ces contributeurs. Les impacts et les bénéfices environnementaux de la mise en place de ces stratégies ont été quantifiés à l’aide d’une analyse du cycle de vie (ACV) qui a permis de mettre en lumière les conditions nécessaires pour que l’ÉC rime bien avec réduction d’impacts. Des recommandations concrètes ont ainsi pu être établies, puis des stratégies d’ÉC sur mesure pour chaque producteur dans son contexte territorial ont été proposées.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Schnidrig2024,

title = {Power shift: quantifying the role of actors in the multi-actor Swiss energy system decentralization},

author = {Jonas Schnidrig and Arthur Chuat and Julia Granacher and Cédric Terrier and François Maréchal and Manuele Margni},

doi = {10.3389/fenrg.2024.1433921},

issn = {2296598X},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-01-01},

journal = {Frontiers in Energy Research},

volume = {12},

publisher = {Frontiers Media SA},

abstract = {The global transition to decentralized energy systems signifies a fundamental transformation toward sustainable energy paradigms. This study specifically focuses on the Swiss energy system, analyzing how dynamic pricing influences the strategic decisions of different actors. The main contributions include 1) a detailed examination of pricing models tailored to the Swiss context, 2) an exploration of strategic financial burden shifts among end-users, TSOs, and DSOs, and 3) a comparison of decentralized versus centralized energy models, highlighting their respective efficiencies and resilience. This research differentiates from existing literature by providing an in-depth actor-based analysis within a Swiss context, offering valuable insights into decentralized energy system optimization. This study tackles the problem of how pricing influences strategic decisions across different actors in Switzerland’s evolving decentralized energy landscape. Here we show that a carefully tailored pricing model, designed for the Swiss context, enables optimized strategies that balance local efficiencies with systemic equity and resilience. The analysis reveals that decentralized approaches, in contrast to centralized models, not only accommodate diverse stakeholder preferences but also enhance system robustness against market and operational disruptions. Moreover, the study illustrates the strategic financial burden shifting where end-users compensate for cost shifts, with observed additional costs up to 5200 CHF/year cap when service providers are prioritized as objective actors. Notably, the most frequently selected system configuration in the primal problem, which optimizes the total system costs, aligns with the preferences of TSO and DSO for a 47.1 GW PV deployment. However, end-users demonstrate a preference for increased PV installations, constrained by urban grid capacities. Additionally, the study highlights significant regional disparities across Switzerland, necessitating tailored pricing approaches that reflect varied urban forms. The emergence of prosumers catalyzes new business models, redistributing investments across TSOs (256–261 CHF/cap/year), DSOs (244–413 CHF/cap/year), and prosumers (556–764 CHF/cap/year), showcasing the evolving dynamics of energy system economics.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Greffe2024,

title = {Byproduct-to-Host Ratios for Assessing the Accessibility of Mineral Resources},

author = {Titouan Greffe and Max Frenzel and Tim T. Werner and Gavin Mudd and Peng Wang and Manuele Margni and Cécile Bulle},

url = {https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.4c05293},

doi = {10.1021/acs.est.4c05293},

issn = {0013-936X},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-01-01},

journal = {Environmental Science & Technology},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Debarre2024,

title = {Assessing the potential human health impacts of freshwater consumption: considering inequalities in water availability to assess the consequences of domestic water deprivation},

author = {Laura Debarre and Masaharu Motoshita and Stephan Pfister and Anne-Marie Boulay and Manuele Margni},

doi = {10.1007/s11367-024-02395-7},

issn = {0948-3349},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-01-01},

journal = {The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Bolay2024,

title = {What drives companies’ progress on their emission reduction targets?},

author = {Anne-France Bolay and Anders Bjørn and Laure Patouillard and Olaf Weber and Manuele Margni},

doi = {10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.143124},

issn = {09596526},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Cleaner Production},

volume = {468},

pages = {143124},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Schnidrig2024b,

title = {Between green hills and green bills: Unveiling the green shades of sustainability and burden shifting through multi-objective optimization in Swiss energy system planning},

author = {Jonas Schnidrig and Matthieu Souttre and Arthur Chuat and François Maréchal and Manuele Margni},

doi = {10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.122537},

issn = {03014797},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Environmental Management},

volume = {370},

pages = {122537},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Suh2024,

title = {Conceptual framework for identifying polymers of concern},

author = {Sangwon Suh and Anne-Marie Boulay and Peter Fantke and Dingsheng Li and Dilip Menon and Raoul Meys and Llorenç Milà Canals},

doi = {10.3389/frsus.2024.1399431},

issn = {2673-4524},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-01-01},

journal = {Frontiers in Sustainability},

volume = {5},

abstract = {<p>With the increasing global concern over plastics' environmental and human health impacts, the urgency for effective regulatory measures is evident. The UN Environment Assembly's initiative to establish an international, legally binding instrument via the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on Plastic Pollution marks a significant step toward addressing this issue. However, the vast diversity of plastic types and their myriad applications present a complex challenge in pinpointing the most critical targets for regulation. This study builds on the existing body of literature to outline potential key criteria for identifying Polymers of Concern (PoC). We recommend a dual-focused definition of PoCs considering both (1) the type of the plastics and (2) their domain of applications based on the environmental and human health impacts throughout the polymer's life cycle. Recognizing the current gaps in our understanding of the full spectrum of plastics' impacts across their life cycles, we suggest adopting a precautionary approach that factors in the volume of plastics entering natural ecosystems alongside their life cycle impacts as reported in the literature. We then bring forward existing data on the assessment of some of the main polymer types and applications. We propose that policymakers examine a wide spectrum of strategies including not only bans and phaseouts but also economic incentives, innovation, and the redesign of plastic materials and products to mitigate the adverse impacts of PoCs. We further emphasize the importance of thoroughly assessing the feasibility, costs, and environmental, social and economic implications of alternative materials to avoid “regrettable substitution.” We conclude by identifying existing knowledge gaps and emphasizing the need for further research to refine the proposed criteria for identifying PoCs.</p>},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{deBortoli2024,

title = {Environmental life-cycle impacts of bitumen: Systematic review and new Canadian models},

author = {Anne Bortoli and Olutoyin Rahimy and Annie Levasseur},

doi = {10.1016/j.trd.2024.104439},

issn = {13619209},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-01-01},

journal = {Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment},

volume = {136},

pages = {104439},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{ProvostSavard2024,

title = {Substitution modeling can coherently be used in attributional life cycle assessments},

author = {Arianne Provost‐Savard and Guillaume Majeau‐Bettez},

doi = {10.1111/jiec.13480},

issn = {1088-1980},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Industrial Ecology},

abstract = {<p> Most life cycle assessment (LCA) studies use the attributional methodology. This approach attributes a share of global environmental impacts to one or multiple functions provided by a normatively circumscribed system. Multifunctional systems that are not technologically subdivisible between co‐functions are frequently encountered in LCA studies. It then becomes necessary to resort to co‐production modeling techniques, like the substitution approach. The use of substitution modeling in attributional LCA (ALCA) is, however, discouraged amongst practitioners, due to the alleged violation of central requirements of the attributional methodology. The objective of this research is to shed light on common misconceptions about the compatibility of substitution with ALCA. The first misconception is that the use of substitution in ALCA violates the conservation of total environmental impacts. We find that this idea arises from a confusion regarding the attribution of impacts to the secondary product(s). The second misconception stipulates that substitution is not coherent with the state‐descriptive characteristic of ALCA. We conclude that we can describe a given system <italic>as resulting</italic> from an inferred (substitution) change, rather than <italic>as disrupted</italic> by this change. Finally, we discuss the choice of the substituted technology, and argue there is a logic to marginal substitution in ALCA. We therefore recommend accepting substitution modeling in ALCA. </p>},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Schnidrig2024c,

title = {Power to the People: On the Role of Districts in Decentralized Energy Systems},

author = {Jonas Schnidrig and Arthur Chuat and Cédric Terrier and François Maréchal and Manuele Margni},

doi = {10.3390/en17071718},

issn = {1996-1073},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-01-01},

journal = {Energies},

volume = {17},

issue = {7},

pages = {1718},

abstract = {<p>The transition towards renewable and decentralized energy systems is propelled by the urgent need to address climate concerns and advance sustainable development globally. This transformation requires innovative methods to integrate stochastic renewable sources such as solar and wind power and challenging traditional energy paradigms rooted in centralized and continuous energy production. The present study focuses on the Swiss energy system to explore the optimization of energy planning strategies that incorporate decentralized energy production within a centralized framework. Here, we show that a strategic approach to decentralization can significantly reduce annual system costs by 10% to CHF 1230 per capita and increase self-consumption to 68% of the decentralized PV production, emphasizing the need for a hybrid energy-planning model that balances centralized and decentralized models for enhanced system resilience, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. This research underscores the strategic importance of diversifying energy sources, enhancing energy storage, improving grid flexibility, and laying a foundational framework for policy making and strategic planning. It encourages further investigation into climate impacts, technology synergy, and the integration of district heating, aiming to establish a resilient, sustainable, and autonomous energy future.</p>},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Kaddoura2024,

title = {Estimating and reducing dissipative losses in thermal spray: A parametrized material flow analysis approach},

author = {Mohamad Kaddoura and Guillaume Majeau-Bettez and Ben Amor and Dominique Poirier and Manuele Margni},

doi = {10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.141978},

issn = {09596526},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Cleaner Production},

volume = {450},

pages = {141978},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Beylot2024,

title = {Mineral resources depletion, dissipation and accessibility in LCA: a critical analysis},

author = {Antoine Beylot and Jo Dewulf and Titouan Greffe and Stéphanie Muller and Gian-Andrea Blengini},

doi = {10.1007/s11367-023-02278-3},

issn = {0948-3349},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-01-01},

journal = {The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Duval2024,

title = {Optimization of the end‐of‐life tire repartition within the European treatment system to minimize its environmental impacts},

author = {Lisa Duval and Guillaume Majeau‐Bettez and François Saunier and François Maréchal and Manuele Margni},

doi = {10.1111/jiec.13474},

issn = {1088-1980},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Industrial Ecology},

abstract = {<p>This study contrasts two different approaches to inform European‐scale decision‐making to mitigate the environmental impacts of the end‐of‐life tires (ELT) management system. The first analysis is a traditional life cycle assessment (LCA) that compares the environmental performances of the 12 main available European end‐of‐life (EOL) technologies in ELT processing while restricting the boundaries to the EOL stage. The second analysis has a broader scope, addressing the optimization of the ELT distribution within the 12 considered pathways to minimize the environmental impacts of the total tire use in Europe under present capacity and constraints. The results of the traditional LCA show that, except for landfill, all the tested EOL routes present environmental benefits. Material recovery pathways bring the most environmental credits, whereas civil engineering pathways are the least promising. The LCA results that emerged from the optimization of ELT management technologies yield two optimal technological mixes that maximize the quantity of ELT recycled in molded objects production: such results represent a hypothetical case with no constraints. When considering constraints, that is, limitations on maximum quantities of ELT that can undergo retreading, pyrolysis, or recycling in synthetic turfs, in molded objects and in production, the number of optimal technology mixes increases to five. The type of technologies favored depends on the minimized impact categories (climate change, fossil and nuclear energy use, human health, and ecosystem quality). A comparison between constrained and unconstrained scenarios shows that achieving the best environmental performances is conditional to the accessibility of the EOL technologies as well as their individual environmental impacts.</p>},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{deBortoli2024b,

title = {Banning short-haul flights and investing in high-speed railways for a sustainable future?},

author = {Anne Bortoli and Adélaïde Féraille},

doi = {10.1016/j.trd.2023.103987},

issn = {13619209},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-01-01},

journal = {Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment},

volume = {128},

pages = {103987},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Zhang2023,

title = {Remarkable Spatial Disparity of Life Cycle Inventory for Coal Production in China},

author = {You Zhang and Xuewei Liu and Laure Patouillard and Manuele Margni and Cécile Bulle and Hui Hua and Zengwei Yuan},

doi = {10.1021/acs.est.3c01860},

issn = {0013-936X},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {Environmental Science & Technology},

volume = {57},

issue = {41},

pages = {15443-15453},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{LHaridon2023,

title = {SPOT: A Strategic Life-Cycle-Assessment-Based Methodology and Tool for Cosmetic Product Eco-Design},

author = {Jacques L’Haridon and Laure Patouillard and Julien Pedneault and Anne-Marie Boulay and François Witte and Marcial Vargas-Gonzalez and Philippe Bonningue and Isabelle Rollat and Thierry Blanchard and Gabriel Goncalves and Alice Hervio and Laurent Gilbert},

doi = {10.3390/su151914321},

issn = {2071-1050},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {Sustainability},

volume = {15},

issue = {19},

pages = {14321},

abstract = {<p>The cosmetics industry is facing growing pressure to offer more sustainable products, which can be tackled by applying eco-design. This article aims to present the Sustainable Product Optimization Tool (SPOT) methodology developed by L’Oréal to eco-design its cosmetic products and the strategies adopted for its implementation while presenting the challenges encountered along the way. The SPOT methodology is based on the life cycle assessment (LCA) of a finished product and its subsystems (formula, packaging, manufacturing and distribution). Several environmental indicators are assessed, normalized and weighted based on the planetary boundaries concept, and then aggregated into a single footprint. A product sustainability index (a single rating, easy to interpret) is then obtained by merging the environmental product rating derived from the single environmental footprint with the social rating (not covered here). The use of the SPOT method is shown by two case studies. The implementation of SPOT, based on specific strategic and managerial measures (corporate and brand targets, Key Performance Indicators, and financial incentives) is discussed. These measures have enabled L’Oréal to have 97% of their products stated as eco-designed in 2022. SPOT shows how eco-design can be implemented on a large scale without compromising scientific robustness. Eco-design tools must strike the right balance between the complexity of the LCA and the ease of interpretation of the results, and have a robust implementation plan to ensure a successful eco-design strategy.</p>},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Corella-Puertas2023,

title = {MarILCA characterization factors for microplastic impacts in life cycle assessment: Physical effects on biota from emissions to aquatic environments},

author = {Elena Corella-Puertas and Carla Hajjar and Jérôme Lavoie and Anne-Marie Boulay},

doi = {10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.138197},

issn = {09596526},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Cleaner Production},

volume = {418},

pages = {138197},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Hajjar2023,

title = {Life cycle impact assessment framework for assessing physical effects on biota of marine microplastics emissions},

author = {Carla Hajjar and Cécile Bulle and Anne-Marie Boulay},

doi = {10.1007/s11367-023-02212-7},

issn = {0948-3349},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{deBortoli2023,

title = {Understanding the environmental impacts of virgin aggregates: Critical literature review and primary comprehensive life cycle assessments},

author = {Anne Bortoli},

doi = {10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.137629},

issn = {09596526},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Cleaner Production},

volume = {415},

pages = {137629},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Bjrn2023,

title = {Differentiation of greenhouse gases in corporate science-based targets improves alignment with Paris temperature goal},

author = {Anders Bjørn and Shannon Lloyd and Urs Schenker and Manuele Margni and Annie Levasseur and Maxime Agez and H Damon Matthews},

doi = {10.1088/1748-9326/ace0cf},

issn = {1748-9326},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {Environmental Research Letters},

abstract = {<p>Companies are increasingly setting greenhouse gas emission reduction targets to align with the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement. Currently, companies set these science-based targets (SBTs) for aggregate GHGs expressed in CO2-equivalent emissions. This approach does not specify which gases will be reduced and risk misalignment with ambitious mitigation scenarios in which individual gas emissions are mitigated at different rates. We propose that companies instead set reduction targets for separate baskets of GHGs, defined according to the atmospheric lifetimes and global mitigation potentials of GHGs. We use a sector-level analysis to approximate the average impact of this proposal on company SBTs. We apply a multiregional environmentally extended input output model and a range of 1.5°C emissions scenarios to compare 1-, 2- and 3-basket approaches for calculating sector-level SBTs for direct (scope 1) and indirect (scope 2 and upstream scope 3) emissions for all major global sectors. The multi-basket approaches lead to higher reduction requirements for scope 1 and 2 emissions than the current single-basket approach for most sectors, because these emission sources are usually dominated by CO2, which is typically mitigated faster than other gases in 1.5°C scenarios. Exceptions are scope 1 emissions for fossil and biological raw material production and waste management, which are dominated by other GHGs (mainly CH4 and N2O). On the other hand, upstream scope 3 reduction targets at the sector level often become less ambitious with a multi-basket approach, owing mainly to substantial shares of CH4 and, in some cases, non-CO2 long-lived emissions. Our results indicate that a shift to a multi-basket approach would improve the alignment of SBTs with the Paris temperature goal and would require most of the current set of companies with approved SBTs to increase the ambition of their scope 1 and scope 2 targets.</p>},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{ViverosSantos2023,

title = {Modelling the influence of climate change on characterization factors for copper terrestrial ecotoxicity},

author = {Ivan Viveros Santos and Annie Levasseur and Cécile Bulle and Louise Deschênes and Anne-Marie Boulay},

doi = {10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.137601},

issn = {09596526},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Cleaner Production},

volume = {414},

pages = {137601},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Schnidrig2023,

title = {On the role of energy infrastructure in the energy transition. Case study of an energy independent and CO2 neutral energy system for Switzerland},

author = {Jonas Schnidrig and Rachid Cherkaoui and Yasmine Calisesi and Manuele Margni and François Maréchal},

doi = {10.3389/fenrg.2023.1164813},

issn = {2296-598X},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {Frontiers in Energy Research},

volume = {11},

abstract = {<p>The transition towards renewable energy is leading to an important strain on the energy grids. The question of designing and deploying renewable energy technologies in symbiosis with existing grids and infrastructure is arising. While current energy system models mainly focus on the energy transformation system or only investigate the effect on one energy vector grid, we present a methodology to characterize different energy vector grids and storage, integrated into the multi-energy and multi-sector modeling framework EnergyScope. The characterization of energy grids is achieved through a traditional energy technology and grid modeling approach, integrating economic and technical parameters. The methodology has been applied to the case study of a country with a high existing transmission infrastructure density, e.g., Switzerland, switching from a fossil fuel-based system to a high share of renewable energy deployment. The results show that the economic optimum with high shares of renewable energy requires the electric distribution grid reinforcement with 2.439 GW (+61%) Low Voltage (LV) and 4.626 GW (+82%) Medium Voltage (MV), with no reinforcement required at transmission level [High Voltage (HV) and Extra High Voltage (EHV)]. The reinforcement is due to high shares of LV-Photovoltaic (PV) (15.4 GW) and MV-wind (20 GW) deployment. Without reinforcement, additional biomass is required for methane production, which is stored in 4.8–5.95 TWh methane storage tanks to compensate for seasonal intermittency using the existing gas infrastructure. In contrast, hydro storage capacity is used at a maximum of 8.9 TWh. Furthermore, the choice of less efficient technologies to avoid reinforcement results in a 8.5%–9.3% cost penalty compared to the cost of the reinforced system. This study considers a geographically averaged and aggregated model, assuming all production and consumption are made in one single spot, not considering the role of future decentralization of the energy system, leading to a possible overestimation of grid reinforcement needs.</p>},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Pedneault2023,

title = {How much sorting is required for a circular low carbon aluminum economy?},

author = {Julien Pedneault and Guillaume Majeau‐Bettez and Manuele Margni},

doi = {10.1111/jiec.13388},

issn = {1088-1980},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Industrial Ecology},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{ViverosSantos2023b,

title = {Prospective life cycle assessment of viticulture under climate change scenarios, application on two case studies in France},

author = {Ivan Viveros Santos and Christel Renaud-Gentié and Philippe Roux and Annie Levasseur and Cécile Bulle and Louise Deschênes and Anne-Marie Boulay},

doi = {10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163288},

issn = {00489697},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {Science of The Total Environment},

volume = {880},

pages = {163288},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Malli2023,

title = {Occurrence and risks of microplastics in the ecosystems of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)},

author = {Ali Malli and Ameed Shehayeb and Alissar Yehya},

doi = {10.1007/s11356-023-27029-7},

issn = {1614-7499},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {Environmental Science and Pollution Research},

volume = {30},

issue = {24},

pages = {64800-64826},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Askham2023,

title = {Generating environmental sampling and testing data for micro- and nanoplastics for use in life cycle impact assessment},

author = {Cecilia Askham and Valentina H. Pauna and Anne-Marie Boulay and Peter Fantke and Olivier Jolliet and Jérôme Lavoie and Andy M. Booth and Claire Coutris and Francesca Verones and Miriam Weber and Martina G. Vijver and Amy Lusher and Carla Hajjar},

doi = {10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160038},

issn = {00489697},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {Science of The Total Environment},

volume = {859},

pages = {160038},

abstract = {Ongoing efforts focus on quantifying plastic pollution and describing and estimating the related magnitude of exposure and impacts on human and environmental health. Data gathered during such work usually follows a receptor perspective. However, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) represents an emitter perspective. This study examines existing data gathering and reporting approaches for field and laboratory studies on micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) exposure and effects relevant to LCA data inputs. The outcomes indicate that receptor perspective approaches do not typically provide suitable or sufficiently harmonised data. Improved design is needed in the sampling, testing and recording of results using harmonised, validated and comparable methods, with more comprehensive reporting of relevant data. We propose a three-level set of requirements for data recording and reporting to increase the potential for LCA studies and models to utilise data gathered in receptor-oriented studies. We show for which purpose such data can be used as inputs to LCA, particularly in life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) methods. Implementing these requirements will facilitate proper integration of the potential environmental impacts of plastic losses from human activity (e.g. litter) into LCA. Then, the impacts of plastic emissions can eventually be connected and compared with other environmental issues related to anthropogenic activities.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Greffe2023,

title = {An instrumental value-based framework for assessing the damages of abiotic resources use in life cycle assessment},

author = {Titouan Greffe and Manuele Margni and Cécile Bulle},

doi = {10.1007/s11367-022-02107-z},

issn = {0948-3349},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment},

volume = {28},

issue = {1},

pages = {53-69},

abstract = {Introduction and literature review 

Abiotic resources are extensively used in industrialized societies to deliver multiple services that contribute to human well-being. Their increased extraction and use can potentially reduce their accessibility, increase competition among users, and ultimately lead to a deficit of those services. Life cycle assessment is a relevant tool to assess the potential damages of dissipating natural resources. Building on the general consensus recommending evaluating the damages on the instrumental value of resources to humans in order to assess the consequences of resources dissipation, this research work proposes a novel conceptual framework to assess the potential loss of services provided by abiotic resources, which when facing unmet demand can lead to a deficit to human users and have consequences on human well-being. 

Results 

A framework is proposed to describe the mechanisms that link human intervention on the resources in the accessible stock to competition among users. Users facing the deficit of resource services are assumed to have to pay to recover the services, using backup technologies. The mechanisms that are proposed to be characterized are dissipation and degradation. Data needed to later operationalize the framework for abiotic resources are identified. It also proposes a framework at the life cycle inventory level to harmonize life cycle inventories with the current impact assessment framework to fully characterize impacts on resource services. It regards ensuring mass balances of elements between inputs and outputs of life cycle inventory datasets as well as including the functionality of resource flows. 

Discussion and conclusions 

The framework provides recommendations for the development of operational life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) methods for resource services deficit assessment. It establishes the impact pathway to damage on the area of protection “Resource Services”, data needed to feed the model and recommendations to improve the current state of life cycle inventories to be harmonized with the LCIA framework.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Provost-Savard2023,

title = {Parametrized regionalization of paper recycling life-cycle assessment},

author = {Arianne Provost-Savard and Robert Legros and Guillaume Majeau-Bettez},

doi = {10.1016/j.wasman.2022.11.018},

issn = {0956053X},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {Waste Management},

volume = {156},

pages = {84-96},

abstract = {Recycling is a commonly acknowledged strategy to reduce the environmental impacts linked to primary resource exploitation. Large regional variations can be observed in recycling processes’ parameters, like efficiency, energy mix and treatment of rejects. Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is widely used to evaluate the environmental impacts of recycling processes, but existing studies are neither harmonized nor sufficient to provide a comprehensive geographical and technological coverage of recycling processes. The purpose of this research is to develop an efficient and iterative approach for the parametrized generation of semi-automated regionalized life-cycle inventories that take into account technological and geographical variabilities in the recycling sector. The regionalization framework is then applied to create a parametrized paper recycling regionalization tool. This tool is used in the results section to compare the national climate change impacts of recycling three paper grades. Results show a significant global warming impact variability between countries for recycled graphic paper (0.36 to 2.25 kg CO2-Eq/kg wastepaper recycled), newsprint (0.27 to 1.84 kg CO2-Eq/kg wastepaper recycled) and corrugated cardboard (0.28 to 1.68 kg CO2-Eq/kg wastepaper recycled) productions. A regionalized LCA of the international recycling of the mixed wastepaper exported from Quebec’s (Canada) sorting centers is also performed with the tool and compared to the non-regionalized mixed wastepaper recycling process available in the ecoinvent database. Only nine midpoint ReCiPe impact categories remain environmentally advantageous compared to virgin paper production when applying the regionalization methodology, compared to sixteen when using the ecoinvent process, illustrating how regionalization can substantially influence LCA results.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{deBortoli2023b,

title = {Environmentally-extended input-output analyses efficiently sketch large-scale environmental transition plans: Illustration by Canada's road industry},

author = {Anne Bortoli and Maxime Agez},

doi = {10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.136039},

issn = {09596526},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Cleaner Production},

volume = {388},

pages = {136039},

abstract = {Industries struggle to build robust environmental transition plans as they lack the tools to quantify their ecological responsibility over their value chain. Companies mostly turn to sole greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reporting or time-intensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), while Environmentally-Extended Input-Output (EEIO) analysis is more efficient on a wider scale. We illustrate EEIO analysis' usefulness to sketch transition plans on the example of Canada's road industry: estimation of national environmental contributions, most important environmental issues, main potential transition levers of the sector, and metrics prioritization for green purchase plans. To do so, openIO-Canada, a new Canadian EEIO database, coupled with IMPACT World+ v1.30–1.48 characterization method, provides a multicriteria environmental diagnosis of Canada's economy. The construction sector carries the second-highest environmental impacts of Canada (8–31% depending on the indicator) after the manufacturing industry (20–54%). The road industry generates a limited impact (0.5–1.8%), and emits 1.0% of Canadians' GHGs, mainly due to asphalt mix materials (28%), bridges and engineering structures materials (24%), and direct emissions (17%). The industry must reduce the environmental burden from material purchases - mainly concrete and asphalt products - through green purchase plans and eco-design and invest in new machinery powered with cleaner energies such as low-carbon electricity or bioenergies. EEIO analysis also captures impacts often neglected in process-based pavement LCAs - amortization of capital goods, staff consumptions, and services – and shows some substantial impacts advocating for enlarging system boundaries in standard LCA. Yet, pavement construction and maintenance only explain 5% of the life cycle carbon footprint of Canada's road network, against 95% for the roads' usage (72% from vehicle tailpipes releases, 23% for manufacturing vehicles). Thereby, a carbon-neutral pathway for the road industry must first focus on reducing vehicle consumption and wear through better design and maintenance of roads. Finally, EEIO databases and analysis must be developed further as a powerful tool to fight planet degradation, and openIO-Canada must be specifically expanded and refined to allow for more robust and larger multicriteria assessments.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{deBortoli2023c,

title = {BIM can help decarbonize the construction sector: Primary life cycle evidence from pavement management systems},

author = {Anne Bortoli and Yacine Baouch and Mustapha Masdan},

doi = {10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.136056},

issn = {09596526},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Cleaner Production},

pages = {136056},

abstract = {Transforming the construction sector is key to reaching net-zero, and many stakeholders expect its decarbonization through digitalization, but no quantified evidence has been brought to date. This article proposes the first environmental quantification of the impact of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in the construction sector. Specifically, the direct and indirect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated by a monofunctional BIM to plan road maintenance – a Pavement Management System (PMS) - are evaluated using field data from France. The related carbon footprints are calculated following a life cycle approach, using different sources of data – including ecoinvent v3.6 – and the IPCC 2013 GWP 100a characterization factors. Three design-build-maintain pavement alternatives are compared: scenario 1 relates to a massive design and surface maintenance, scenario 2 to a progressive design and pre-planned structural maintenance, and scenario 3 to a progressive design and tailored structural maintenance supported by the PMS. First, results show the negligible direct emissions due to the PMS existence – 0.02% of the life cycle emissions of scenario 3's pavement, e.g. 0.52 t CO2eq for 10 km and 30 years. Second, the base case and two complementary sensitivity analyses show that the use of a PMS is climate-positive over the life cycle when pavement subgrade bearing capacity improves over time, neutral for the climate otherwise. The GHG emissions savings using BIM can reach up to 14 and 30% of the life cycle emissions respectively compared to scenario 2 and 1, and resp. 47 and 65% when restraining the scope to maintenance and rehabilitation and excluding original pavement construction. Third, the neutral effect of BIM in case of a deterioration of the bearing capacity of the subgrade may be explained by design practices and safety margins, that could in fact be enhanced using BIM. Fourth, the decarbonization potential of a multifunctional BIM is discussed, and research perspectives are presented.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Henderson2023,

title = {Spatialized Life Cycle Assessment of Fluid Milk Production and Consumption in the United States},

author = {Andrew D. Henderson and Anne Asselin-Balençon and Martin C. Heller and Jasmina Burek and Daesoo Kim and Lindsay Lessard and Manuele Margni and Rosie Saad and Marty D. Matlock and Greg Thoma and Ying Wang and Olivier Jolliet},

doi = {10.3390/su15031890},

issn = {2071-1050},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {Sustainability},

volume = {15},

issue = {3},

pages = {1890},

abstract = {Purpose: Understanding the main factors affecting the environmental impacts of milk production and consumption along the value chain is key towards reducing these impacts. This paper aims to present detailed spatialized distributions of impacts associated with milk production and consumption across the United States (U.S.), accounting for locations of both feed and on-farm activities, as well as variations in impact intensity. Using a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) approach, focus is given to impacts related to (a) water consumption, (b) eutrophication of marine and freshwater, (c) land use, (d) human toxicity and ecotoxicity, and (e) greenhouse gases. Methods: Drawing on data representing regional agricultural practices, feed production is modelled for 50 states and 18 main watersheds and linked to regions of milk production in a spatialized matrix-based approach to yield milk produced at farm gate. Milk processing, distribution, retail, and consumption are then modelled at a national level, accounting for retail and consumer losses. Custom characterization factors are developed for freshwater and marine eutrophication in the U.S. context. Results and discussion: In the overall life cycle, up to 30% of the impact per kg milk consumed is due to milk losses that occur during the retail and consumption phases (i.e., after production), emphasizing the importance of differentiating between farm gate and consumer estimates. Water scarcity is the impact category with the highest spatial variability. Watersheds in the western part of the U.S. are the dominant contributors to the total water consumed, with 80% of water scarcity impacts driven by only 40% of the total milk production. Freshwater eutrophication also has strong spatial variation, with high persistence of emitted phosphorus in Midwest and Great Lakes area, but high freshwater eutrophication impacts associated with extant phosphorus concentration above 100 µg/L in the California, Missouri, and Upper Mississippi water basins. Overall, normalized impacts of fluid milk consumption represent 0.25% to 0.8% of the annual average impact of a person living in the U.S. As milk at farm gate is used for fluid milk and other dairy products, the production of milk at farm gate represents 0.5% to 3% of this annual impact. Dominant contributions to human health impacts are from fine particulate matter and from climate change, whereas ecosystem impacts of milk are mostly due to land use and water consumption. Conclusion: This study provides a systematic, national perspective on the environmental impacts of milk production and consumption in the United States, showing high spatial variation in inputs, farm practices, and impacts.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Lorenz2023,

title = {Combining Membrane and Zero Brine Technologies in Waste Acid Treatment for a Circular Economy in the Hot-Dip Galvanizing Industry: A Life Cycle Perspective},

author = {Manuel Lorenz and Georg Seitfudem and Serena Randazzo and Rosa Gueccia and Florian Gehring and Tobias M. Prenzel},

doi = {10.1007/s40831-023-00668-3},

issn = {2199-3823},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy},

abstract = {An innovative approach of combining membrane and zero brine technologies for a joint treatment of industrial liquid waste is investigated regarding its environmental impacts compared to the existing liquid waste treatment. The object of investigation is the generation of waste acid solution by a hot dip galvanizing plant in Sicily, Italy. The waste acid solution contains hydrochloric acid, iron and zinc, which makes it a hazardous waste according to EU classifications. Environmental impacts are studied for two scenarios in the Tecnozinco hot-dip galvanizing plant in Sicily, Italy: (i) the current process of pickling with linear disposal of waste acid and (ii) the pickling combined with in-situ treatment of the waste acid using a combination of diffusion dialysis (DD), membrane distillation (MD) and a precipitation reactor. Results are obtained via an attributional life cycle assessment (LCA) approach focusing on the water footprint profile of the process. The linear disposal path creates significant costs, environmental burdens and risks during the 1500 km transport of hazardous liquid waste. The combination of DD and MD, complemented with a zero-brine precipitation reactor, closes internal material loops, could save local water resources and reduces costs as well as environmental impacts. Reduction potentials of 70–80% regarding most LCA impact categories can be expected for the application of the novel technology combination supporting the galvanizing pre-treatment process under study. Therefore, the application of such technology on the way forward to a more circular economy is recommended from an environmental viewpoint, especially in process plants similar to the investigated one.</p>},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{deBortoli2023d,

title = {Planning sustainable carbon neutrality pathways: accounting challenges experienced by organizations and solutions from industrial ecology},

author = {A. Bortoli and Anders Bjørn and François Saunier and Manuele Margni},

doi = {10.1007/s11367-023-02147-z},

issn = {0948-3349},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Song2022,

title = {Blockchain Adoption in Agricultural Supply Chain for Better Sustainability: A Game Theory Perspective},

author = {Luona Song and Yiqing Luo and Zixi Chang and Chunhua Jin and Merveille Nicolas},

url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/3/1470/htm https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/3/1470},

doi = {10.3390/SU14031470},

issn = {2071-1050},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-01-01},

journal = {Sustainability 2022, Vol. 14, Page 1470},

volume = {14},

issue = {3},

pages = {1470},

publisher = {Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute},

abstract = {Within the context of the rise of the Internet of Things, blockchain, and other new technologies, telecommunications operators are committed to applying technologies to promote business transformation and upgrading. The government also actively applies technologies to traditional fields to promote social progress. In agriculture, the agricultural supply chain has a low information level and low degree of digitization. The application of blockchain technology in agriculture offers exceptional advantages because of its decentralization, openness, and transparency. Based on the application of blockchain in an agricultural scenario, an evolutionary game model made up of governments, telecom operators, and agricultural enterprises was established to analyze the model’s equilibrium stability and evolutionary stable strategy. Then, numerical simulation was carried out to study the influence of the initial green level, equipment deployment cost, technology operation cost, and other core factors on the tripartite evolution behaviour. The results show that each factor influences the behaviour of a third party in different ways. Finally, according to the simulation results, this paper puts forward practical suggestions, explores the long-term impact of the application cost and sustainable income of blockchain technology on cooperation, and provides new ideas for the governance of China’s traditional fields from the perspective of new technology application.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Majeau-Bettez2022,

title = {Data innovation in industrial ecology},

author = {Guillaume Majeau-Bettez and Jean Marc Frayret and Anu Ramaswami and Yang Li and Niko Heeren},

doi = {10.1111/JIEC.13256},

issn = {15309290},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Industrial Ecology},

volume = {26},

issue = {1},

pages = {6-11},

publisher = {John Wiley and Sons Inc},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Agez2022,

title = {Correcting remaining truncations in hybrid life cycle assessment database compilation},

author = {Maxime Agez and Elliot Muller and Laure Patouillard and Carl Johan H. Södersten and Anders Arvesen and Manuele Margni and Réjean Samson and Guillaume Majeau-Bettez},

doi = {10.1111/JIEC.13132},

issn = {15309290},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Industrial Ecology},

volume = {26},

issue = {1},

pages = {121-133},

publisher = {John Wiley and Sons Inc},

abstract = {Hybrid life cycle assessment (HLCA) strives to combine process-based life cycle assessment (PLCA) and environmentally extended input–output (EEIO) analysis to bridge gaps of both methodologies. The recent development of HLCA databases constitutes a major step forward in achieving complete system coverage. Nevertheless, current applications of HLCA still suffer from issues related to incompleteness of the inventory and data gaps: (1) hybridization without endogenizing the capital inputs of the EEIO database leads to underestimations, (2) the unreliability of price data hinders the application of streamlined HLCA for processes in some sectors, and (3) the sparse coverage of pollutants in multiregional EEIO databases limits the application of HLCA to a handful of impact categories. This paper aims at offering a methodology for tackling these issues in a streamlined manner and visualizing their effects on impact scores across an entire PLCA database and multiple impact categories. Data reconciliation algorithms are demonstrated on the PLCA database ecoinvent3.5 and the multiregional EEIO database EXIOBASE3. Instead of performing hybridization solely with annual product requirements, this hybridization approach incorporates endogenized capital requirements, demonstrates a novel hybridization methodology to bypass issues of price unavailability, estimates new pollutants to EXIOBASE3 environmental extensions, and thus yields improved inventories characterized in terms of 13 impact categories from the IMPACT World+ methodology. The effect of hybridization on the impact score of each process of ecoinvent3.5 varied from a few percentages to three-fold increases, depending on the impact category and the process studied, displaying in which cases hybridization should be prioritized. This article met the requirements for a Gold—Gold JIE data openness badge described at http://jie.click/badges.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Bjrn2022,

title = {Reply to Comment on ‘From the Paris Agreement to corporate climate commitments: evaluation of seven methods for setting “science-based” emission targets’},

author = {Anders Bjørn and Shannon Lloyd and Damon Matthews},

doi = {10.1088/1748-9326/ac548e},

issn = {1748-9326},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-01-01},

journal = {Environmental Research Letters},

volume = {17},

issue = {3},

pages = {038001},

abstract = {The Science Based Targets initiative has published a Comment to our study (Bjørn et al 2021 Environ. Res. Lett. 16 054019). We see the Comment as an important step towards addressing our study's call for more systematic presentation of methods for setting science-based targets and increased transparency behind the initiative's method recommendations. We also agree with some of the Comment's points of criticism of our study and the related nuances introduced. Yet, we find other points to be inaccurate or misdirected. Here, we reply to the Comment by clarifying misunderstandings on our study's aims, providing additional methodological details, and elaborating on our perspectives.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Corella-Puertas2022,

title = {Development of simplified characterization factors for the assessment of expanded polystyrene and tire wear microplastic emissions applied in a food container life cycle assessment},

author = {Elena Corella-Puertas and Pauline Guieu and Alessio Aufoujal and Cécile Bulle and Anne-Marie Boulay},

doi = {10.1111/jiec.13269},

issn = {1088-1980},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Industrial Ecology},

volume = {26},

issue = {6},

pages = {1882-1894},

abstract = {To date, life cycle assessment (LCA) does not include a methodology for assessing the impacts of plastic litter leaked to the environment. This limits the applicability of LCA as a tool to compare the potential impacts of single-use plastics and their alternatives on ecosystem quality and human health. As a contribution to tackle this issue, this work proposes simplified fate and characterization factors (CFs) for modeling the impacts of two types of microplastics—expanded polystyrene and tire and road wear particles—in the marine environment. In terms of fate mechanisms, this work explores different sedimentation, degradation, and fragmentation rate scenarios, based on literature values and expert estimates. Whereas the fate of expanded polystyrene is sensitive to the different fragmentation, degradation, and sedimentation scenarios, for tire and road wear particles the fate is primarily sensitive to sedimentation. The fate factors are integrated into CFs using an existing exposure and effect factor for microplastics in aquatic environments. Since the CFs of the two studied microplastics show important differences, these results reveal the need for developing polymer-specific CFs. Finally, the CFs are tested in a case study of on-the-go food containers (one single-use plastic, two compostable alternatives, and one reusable plate). Depending on the fate scenario, plastic litter impacts range from barely noticeable to more than doubling the total potential damage to ecosystem quality, compared to no plastic litter impact assessment. The high uncertainty of the results encourages further research on modeling microplastic fate and impacts in detail.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Kaddoura2022,

title = {Investigating the role of surface engineering in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions of energy technologies: An outlook towards 2100},

author = {Mohamad Kaddoura and Guillaume Majeau-Bettez and Ben Amor and Christian Moreau and Manuele Margni},

doi = {10.1016/j.susmat.2022.e00425},

issn = {22149937},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-01-01},

journal = {Sustainable Materials and Technologies},

volume = {32},

pages = {e00425},

abstract = {Energy improvements in the energy sector constitute a key strategy to mitigate climate change. These expected improvements increasingly depend on the development of materials with improved surface characteristics. To prospectively assess the large-scale benefits and trade-offs of such novel surface engineering (SE) technology deployments in the energy sector, an integrated modelling framework is proposed. This paper links an integrated assessment model (IAM) forecasting socio-economic changes in energy supply with life cycle assessment (LCA) models of targeted technology candidates. Different shared socio-economic pathway narratives are used with the MESSAGE IAM to forecast future energy supply scenarios. A dynamic vintage model is employed to model plants decommissioning and adoption rates of innovative SE. Potential benefits and impacts of SE are assessed through prospective LCA. The approach is used to estimate the prospective GHG emission reduction potential achieved by large-scale adoption of innovative SE technologies to improve the efficiency of four energy conversion technologies (coal power plants, gas turbines, wind turbines and solar panels) until 2100. Applying innovative SE technologies to the energy sector has the potential of reducing annual CO2-eq emissions by 1.8 Gt in 2050 and 3.4 Gt in 2100 in an optimistic socio-economic pathway scenario. This corresponds to 7% and 8.5% annual reduction in the energy sector in 2050 and 2100, respectively. The mitigation potential of applying innovative SE technologies highly depends on the energy technology, the socio-economic pathways, and the implementation of stringent GHG mitigation policies. Due to their high carbon intensity, fossil-based technologies showed a higher GHG mitigation potential compared to renewables. Besides, GHG emissions related to the SE processes are largely offset by the GHG savings of the energy conversion technologies where the innovative SE technologies are applied.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Bjrn2022b,

title = {Can Science-Based Targets Make the Private Sector Paris-Aligned? A Review of the Emerging Evidence},

author = {Anders Bjørn and Joachim Peter Tilsted and Amr Addas and Shannon M. Lloyd},

doi = {10.1007/s40641-022-00182-w},

issn = {2198-6061},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-01-01},

journal = {Current Climate Change Reports},

volume = {8},

issue = {2},

pages = {53-69},

abstract = {Purpose of Review Companies increasingly set science-based targets (SBTs) for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We review literature on SBTs to understand their potential for aligning corporate emissions with the temperature goal of the Paris Agreement. Recent Findings SBT adoption by larger, more visible companies in high-income countries has accelerated. These companies tend to have a good prior reputation for managing climate impacts and most appear on track for meeting their scope 1 and 2 SBTs. More research is needed to distinguish between substantive and symbolic target-setting and understand how companies plan to achieve established SBTs. There is no consensus on whether current target-setting methods appropriately allocate emissions to individual companies or how much freedom companies should have in setting SBTs. Current emission accounting practices, target-setting methods, SBT governance, and insufficient transparency may allow companies to report some emission reductions that are not real and may result in insufficient collective emission reductions. Lower rates of SBT diffusion in low- and middle-income countries, in certain emission-intensive sectors, and by small- and medium-sized enterprises pose potential barriers for mainstreaming SBTs. While voluntary SBTs cannot substitute for more ambitious climate policy, it is unclear whether they delay or encourage policy needed for Paris alignment. Summary We find evidence that SBT adoption corresponds to increased climate action. However, there is a need for further research from a diversity of approaches to better understand how SBTs may facilitate or hinder a just transition to low-carbon societies.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Debarre2022,

title = {Freshwater consumption and domestic water deprivation in LCIA: revisiting the characterization of human health impacts},

author = {Laura Debarre and Anne-Marie Boulay and Manuele Margni},

doi = {10.1007/s11367-022-02054-9},

issn = {0948-3349},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-01-01},

journal = {The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment},

volume = {27},

issue = {5},

pages = {740-754},

abstract = {Purpose 

An insufficient amount of available domestic water can lead to an increase in the occurrence of water-related diseases. No LCIA consensus has been reached on how to model the potential impacts on human health resulting from water use implying domestic water deprivation. Building on Boulay et al. (2011), this research work provides an updated and revisited characterization model and factors assessing the potential impact on human health induced along this impact pathway. 

Method 

This work consolidates the cause-effect chain linking water use to domestic impacts on human health. The revised fate factor aligns current water use assessment methods and includes information not only on the physical water scarcity but also on the level of population access to water in a region. Building on Boulay et al. (2011), the global effect factor is revised. The data source is updated, and a novel approach is developed estimating the domestic water deficit. Country-scale exposure factors are updated, building on Boulay et al. (2011)’s proposal to rely on the gross national income per capita as a proxy for a country’s capacity to adapt to water shortages. 

Results and discussion 

Compared to Boulay et al. (2011), the revised fate and exposure factors show lower values as a result of different methodological choices and of the overall increase of GNI per capita, respectively. The revised value of the effect factor is equal to 3.13E-3DALY/m3 which compares to the value of 3.11E-3 in Boulay et al. (2011). Revised characterization factors (CF) range from 0 DALY/m3 (the potential impact on human health due to water use is null with respect to domestic water deprivation) to 3.13E-3 DALY/m3. The distribution of the new CFs shows an order of magnitude decrease compared to the previous model. These CFs assess the consequences on human health induced by water use leading to short-term water deprivation. 

Conclusion and recommendations 

This research work helps to better account for the impacts of water use at the endpoint level. However, it underlines significant limitations in the current calculation of the effect factor, in particular regarding current quantification of domestic water deprivation. These shortcomings prevent the model from considering a difference in vulnerability to health damages from the deprivation of 1 m3 of domestic water. This research work argues for additional research efforts aimed at developing an alternative calculation method for this factor.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Bjrn2022c,

title = {Renewable energy certificates threaten the integrity of corporate science-based targets},

author = {Anders Bjørn and Shannon M. Lloyd and Matthew Brander and H. Damon Matthews},

doi = {10.1038/s41558-022-01379-5},

issn = {1758-678X},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-01-01},

journal = {Nature Climate Change},

volume = {12},

issue = {6},

pages = {539-546},

abstract = {Current greenhouse gas accounting standards allow companies to use renewable energy certificates (RECs) to report reductions in emissions from purchased electricity (scope 2) as progress towards meeting their science-based targets. However, previous analyses suggest that corporate REC purchases are unlikely to lead to additional renewable energy production. Here we show that the widespread use of RECs by companies with science-based targets has led to an inflated estimate of the effectiveness of mitigation efforts. When removing the emission reductions claimed through RECs, companies’ combined 2015–2019 scope 2 emission trajectories are no longer aligned with the 1.5 °C goal, and only barely with the well below 2 °C goal of the Paris Agreement. If this trend continues, 42% of committed scope 2 emission reductions will not result in real-world mitigation. Our findings suggest a need to revise accounting guidelines to require companies to report only real emission reductions as progress towards meeting their science-based targets.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Bjrn2022d,

title = {Renewable energy certificates allow companies to overstate their emission reductions},

author = {Anders Bjørn and Shannon M. Lloyd and Matthew Brander and H. Damon Matthews},

doi = {10.1038/s41558-022-01385-7},

issn = {1758-678X},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-01-01},

journal = {Nature Climate Change},

volume = {12},

issue = {6},

pages = {508-509},

abstract = {Many companies purchase renewable energy certificates to report reduced emissions, but this may not lead to actual emission reductions. We need emission accounting that is both accurate and that incentivizes companies to make impactful contributions to decarbonizing electricity grids.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{deBortoli2022,

title = {Towards Road Sustainability—Part II: Applied Holistic Assessment and Lessons Learned from French Highway Resurfacing Strategies},

author = {Anne Bortoli and Adélaïde Féraille and Fabien Leurent},

doi = {10.3390/su14127336},

issn = {2071-1050},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-01-01},

journal = {Sustainability},

volume = {14},

issue = {12},

pages = {7336},

abstract = {Roads are major transportation infrastructure whose sustainability of maintenance practices has never been holistically assessed due to a lack of a proper method. This paper applies a newly developed assessment method (see article part I) on a 10-km-long section of French highway to fully compare the performance of various types of pavement resurfacing policies, for all the maintenance stakeholders, and considering pavement–vehicle interaction (PVI). After presenting the highway section and the parametrization of the model, four alternative resurfacing frequencies are compared to the French standard maintenance scenario over the pavement lifespan. Results show that increasing resurfacing frequency generates gains in terms of domestic production and employment, environmental damage (health, biodiversity, resources), user budgets, and local residents’ health damage created by traffic noise. Conversely, it entails financial losses for the road operator and government (tax revenues and net present value), as well as time losses for users. On the contrary, the consequences of a decrease in this frequency are the opposite. Excess fuel consumption due to PVI governs the scale of the environmental and financial gains or losses of highway maintenance policies. Optima in terms of health returns on investment and user savings appear to be around a 50% increase in maintenance funding: for each additional euro spent by the operator, there is a user gain of 3.5 euros and a human health gain of 710 euros. Sensitivity analyses indicate that the marginal gains are highly sensitive to the thickness of the resurfacing technique for macroeconomic indicators, global Net Present Value, and operator savings, while the gains are proportional to the traffic and International Roughness Indicator deterioration speed for tax revenue, users’ savings, time savings, noise, and environmental metrics. The other indicators are either slightly or not sensitive to these parameters. To conclude, the entire road maintenance system must be redesigned, from the tax system and funding schemes to the prioritization of road “green practices”, to align all the stakeholders’ interests towards a globally more sustainable road system.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}