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(82-14) LCA and Decision Making - Conclusions from a Review and a Case Study about Paper Recycling. Reichart, Inge1, Hischier, Roland*,1, Werner, Frank2, 1 Swiss Federal Laboratories for Material Testing and Research (EMPA), St. Gallen, Switzerland2 Swiss Federal Laboratories for Material Testing and Research (EMPA), Dübendorf, Switzerland ABSTRACT- A multitude of studies about the ecological impacts of paper recycling has been conducted during the last couple of years. Arguments for or against recycling of paper are therefore numerous. While one part of the studies conclude in preferring the recycling option, others conclude that - ecologically - the best option is to burn waste paper and use the energy. Based on an exemplary newspaper production in Switzerland, the influences of a multitude of choices within the different stages of an LCA study on the results were examined. Inquiries and sensitivity analyses were conducted concerning the production place of the paper (Switzerland, Germany or Norway), the used raw materials for the paper production (wood for primary paper, waste paper for recycling paper) as well as the energy sources for steam and electricity production. In addition to these assumptions about the system, different allocation procedures were compared to each other. Last but not least, beyond the LCA framework, the issue of the unused wood / waste paper was discussed. The LCA results shows that the lower energy demand in case of paper recycling leads to an ecological advantage only if steam is produced mainly of renewable resources and when the electricity consumption is based on ecologically produced power, not on average European grid power. Concerning the unused wood it has a potential to replace fossil resources as far as the net wood production is still positive. But beyond that, primary use as construction material and only secondary use as an energy source is preferable. Key words: LCA, Decision Making, Paper production, Allocation |
