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(M/MC277) Production of metals and the environment : a life cycle assessment study from Finland. Seppälä, Jyri1, Koskela, Sirkka1, Palperi, Matti2, Melanen, Matti1, 1 2 ABSTRACT- In the study, life cycle inventory (LCI) data of the main products of the Finnish metals industry was produced. The metal products studied were (1) steel plates and hot rolled coils, (2) steel bars, (3) steel wires, (4) stainless steel coils, (5) copper products, (6) nickel cathodes and briquettes, (7) zinc ingots and (8) aluminium ingots. In the LCIs material inputs, primary energy use, emissions to water and air and wastes related to metal products were assessed, beginning from the extraction of raw materials and ending with the delivery of products from the factories. The primary energy consumption and emissions per tonne of metal produced in the Finnish metals industry were compared with the results of corresponding products studied in international investigations. The LCI data has been interpreted by an impact assessment model based on decision analysis and methods used in life cycle impact assessment (LCIA). With these results, it has been possible to identify the most harmful interventions (emissions, land use etc.) and environmental impacts caused by the various life cycle stages of the products of the Finnish metals industry. The outcome revealed that the metals industry sector is not at all homogenous from the point of view of its environmental impacts. There is also a need for R&D work in land use and landscape issues in particular, and corresponding impacts should be included in LCAs in the future. Notwithstanding the good situation of environmental protection in the Finnish metals industry, reduction of deposits, sludges, dusts, energy use and emissions of carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and metals should be continued. It is possible to improve eco-efficiency by producing more metals and by-products from smaller amounts of raw materials and by recovering wastes. Increasing the reusability and recyclability of metals is also a desirable trend. In the long term, eco-efficiency can be improved by decreasing the use of metals by developing and better utilising properties of materials and by increasing the life times of metallic end-products. Key words: metal, industry, life cycle assessment, environmental impacts |
