1. Comparative analysis of life cycle impact assessment methods for packaging productsGregor Radonjič, Matjaž Denac, 2025, objavljeni znanstveni prispevek na konferenci Opis: In assessing environmental impacts of packaging, it is necessary to use modern software tools, supported by verifiable databases based on the environmental life cycles of products. There are several software solutions that differ greatly from each other in terms of the complexity of life cycle modeling, accessibility to databases, LCIA methods used to determine environmental impacts, and the dynamics of database updating. The aim of this paper is to conduct LCA study for the case of a two-layered polymeric film made from low density polyethylene (PE-LD) and polyamide-6 (PA-6) laminated plastic packaging film using several LCIA methods to compare and comment the final LCA results in terms of the life-cycle environmental impacts. Results clearly show that the choice of LCIA method for evaluating environmental impacts within LCA study has a very large impact on the final result.
Ključne besede: packaging, life cycle assessment, LCIA methods, environmental impacts
Objavljeno v DKUM: 23.10.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 5
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2. Agricultural and food product assessment : methodological choices in sustainability reporting using the LCA methodTinkara Ošlovnik, Matjaž Denac, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Consumers are increasingly exposed to environmental claims on food products. These claims often lack scientific validation and there are different methodologies that can be used for grounding these claims, which can lead to misleading results. The European Union’s (EU) Environmental Footprint methodology excludes the aggregation of environmental impacts, including damage to human health. This fact reduces transparency and limits the consumers’ ability to make information-based sustainable choices. This study aims to address this issue by calculating aggregated impacts on human health via life cycle assessment (LCA) in the agriculture and food-production sectors. In the study the IMPACT World+ method was used, including trustworthy databases and proper functional unit definition. The assessment encompassed three types of vegetables, four types of fruit, and four types of ready meals. The study also attempts to assess the impact of different farming systems (organic and conventional) on human health. Two standardised functional units, i.e., the unit based on product weight and product energy value were considered for each group of products. Our findings showed significant differences in results when different functional units were used. Additionally, no conclusion could be drawn regarding which farming system is more sustainable. Therefore, it is essential that the regulator clearly defines the criteria for selecting the appropriate functional unit in LCA within the agriculture and food-production sectors. In the absence of these criteria, results should be presented for all alternatives. Although not required by EU regulation, the authors suggest that companies should nevertheless disclose information regarding the environmental impact of agriculture and food production on human health, as this is important for consumers.
Ključne besede: sustainable food production, environmental concerns, life cycle assessment, human health, responsible consumption
Objavljeno v DKUM: 24.09.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 9
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3. Method review for assessing damage to human health in LCA : implementation in the production of selected food productsMatjaž Denac, Tinkara Ošlovnik, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Agriculture and food production can cause a variety of adverse environmental impacts. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is the only standardised method so far that provides a comprehensive assessment of the environmental burden of products. LCA results can be expressed as environmental impacts (midpoint level) or environmental damage (endpoint level). Communication on environmental impact is mostly carried out as a part of the Carbon Footprint (CF) or Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), while reporting on environmental damage is rarely used. Due to the growing interest of consumers in ‘healthy’ food, it is important that food producers address the environmental damage. Therefore, an overview of existing Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) methods that provide insight into endpoint indicators describing damage to human health has been performed and presented in this paper. The application of the selected LCIA methods is demonstrated for the case of food products, highlighting the fact that the results obtained by different LCIA methods are not directly comparable due to a variety of methodological limitations, such as the existence of different environmental indicators and their structure. Finally, the usage of the LCA method for designing food products is presented, with the aim of enabling consumers to choose diets with lower environment and human health impacts.
Ključne besede: sustainable food consumption, eco-conscious choices, life cycle assessment, environmental impact, human health
Objavljeno v DKUM: 23.09.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 4
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4. A comprehensive review of the advances, manufacturing, properties, innovations, environmental impact and applications of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC)Gregor Kravanja, Ahmad Rizwan Mumtaz, Stojan Kravanja, 2024, pregledni znanstveni članek Opis: The article presents the progress and applications of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC), a revolutionary material in modern construction that offers unparalleled strength, durability, and sustainability. The overview includes the historical development of UHPC, covering its production and design aspects, including composition and design methodology. It describes the mechanical properties and durability of UHPC and highlights recent innovations and research breakthroughs. The potential integration of multifunctional properties such as self-heating, self-sensing, self-luminescence and superhydrophobicity, is explored. In addition, advances in nanotechnology related to UHPC are addressed. Beyond the actual material properties, the article presents an environmental impact assessment and a life-cycle cost analysis, providing an insight into the wider implications of using UHPC. To illustrate the environmental aspects, the determination of CO2 emissions is explained using three numerical examples. Finally, various applications of UHPC are presented, focusing on the construction of buildings and bridges. By synthesizing the above-mentioned aspects, this review paper captures the dynamic landscape of UHPC and serves as a valuable resource for researchers and engineers in the field of construction materials.
Ključne besede: ultra-high-performance concrete, UHPC, manufacturing, mechanical properties, durability, multifunctionality, environmental impact assessment, life-cycle costs
Objavljeno v DKUM: 02.07.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 28
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5. Environmental impact assessment of organic rankine cycle using waste heat from the aluminium industryMonika Dokl, Gaja Strajnar, Annamaria Vujanović, Jan Puhar, Zdravko Kravanja, Lidija Čuček, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Waste heat recovery technologies play an important role in enhancing energy efficiency and supporting sustainable energy production. This study investigates the utilization of waste heat from aluminium production through an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system to generate electricity and heat simultaneously. Based on operational data from an aluminium plant, the system is firstly optimized from both the thermodynamic and economic perspectives. To maximize performance and to identify optimal configurations, a mathematical model is developed and solved using GAMS, capturing the complex interdependencies between the operational, economic and thermodynamic parameters. The environmental impact of the optimized scenarios is subsequently evaluated using a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), considering a broad range of impact categories. The results indicate a maximum power output of 830.9 kW and a maximum net present value (NPV) of 51.71 M€, confirming the system’s technical and economic viability. The environmental assessment demonstrates the potential of ORC systems as sustainable energy solutions, with significant environmental unburdening under optimized operating conditions (up to -606.0 kg CO2 eq./h). A sensitivity analysis indicates that the greatest environmental benefits occur under the optimal thermodynamic scenario, achieved through the utilization of higher-energy flue gas streams (up to -515.0 kg CO2 eq./h), and under the optimal economic scenario by balancing the electricity and heat prices optimally for simultaneous heat and power production (up to -696.7 kg CO2 eq./h). These findings highlight the importance of the thermal input quality and availability in maximizing ORC performance. With the ability to prioritize electricity, heat, or both, the optimized ORC systems support flexible energy solutions tailored to specific applications and environmental conditions, offering a promising pathway for unburdening the environment through the efficient utilization of industrial waste heat.
Ključne besede: waste heat recovery, aluminium production, organic rankine cycle, environmental impact, life cycle assessment, sustainable energy solutions
Objavljeno v DKUM: 13.06.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 16
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6. The environmental and biodiversity impacts of a new cableway system : a comprehensive life cycle assessmentAnnamaria Vujanović, Andrea Mio, Rok Pučnik, Nicola Blasuttigh, Damjan Krajnc, Maurizio Fermeglia, 2024, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Cars are still used as the primary mode of transportation for daily commuting, with their emissions significantly affecting urban air quality, contributing to overall greenhouse gas emissions. Efforts to reduce car dependency have led to exploration of alternative transportation options such as cableway systems in urban areas. However, limited information exists regarding the environmental impacts and biodiversity implications of such systems. This study conducted a comparative life cycle assessment between a proposed cableway system for the city of Trieste, Italy and its current car transportation mode. The analysis considered both daily operational profiles and passenger occupancy rates of the cableway system. Drawing from similar cableway systems worldwide, it was calculated that the proposed Trieste cableway would accommodate 2007 daily passengers, on average. Results from the environmental assessment revealed that the cableway's operational phase had by far the greatest impact on all environmental categories, followed by its construction and by land clearance. Additionally, the use phase was found to be the major cause for most biodiversity loss, particularly towards terrestrial ecosystems. Comparisons of life cycle GHG emissions between the cableway and car transportation indicated that the cableway system would be a preferable option if the daily average passengers would reach at least 3,908, which is almost double than the expected ones. Furthermore, the cableway system exhibited larger environmental impacts across most categories compared to current car transportation. Thus, this study challenges the perception that the cableway system is a more sustainable option compared to conventional modes of transport, as additional factors need to be considered for a broader overview of the environmental performances.
Ključne besede: life cycle assessment, cableway, ropeway, urban, biodiversity, carbon footprint
Objavljeno v DKUM: 23.04.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 3
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7. Public handling of protective masks from use to disposal and recycling options to new productsKatarina Remic, Alen Erjavec, Julija Volmajer Valh, Sonja Šterman, 2022, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: A study was conducted on the waste of disposable surgical masks and their problematic impact on the environment. The studies examined have shown the negative effects on the environment that are likely to occur and those that have already occurred. In this article, society's relationship to the potential recycling of disposable surgical masks is considered and projected onto the possibilities of the cradle-to-cradle design approach. The development of a product from recycled surgical masks is driven by two different surveys. The first focuses on wear and disposal habits, and the second on the relationship to recycling. As a result, the flooring was developed with thermally treated recycled surgical masks replacing the filler layer. The goal of the product design was to improve the long-term life cycle analysis of a waste surgical mask.
Ključne besede: maske, medicinski odpadki, okolje, recikliranje izdelka z dodano vrednostjo, analiza življenjskega cikla, masks, medical waste, recycling added-value product, life-cycle-analysis
Objavljeno v DKUM: 26.03.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 3
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8. When technology meets sustainability: microplastic removal from industrial wastewater, including impact analysis and life cycle assessmentJan Puhar, Michael Toni Sturm, Erika Myers, Dennis Schober, Anika Korzin, Annamaria Vujanović, Katrin Schuhen, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Microplastics (MPs) that are ubiquitous in aquatic environments and industrial wastewater streams have been identified as key hotspots of MP contamination. It is significantly more effective to remove MPs at these points before they enter municipal wastewater streams. This study is an environmental assessment of a novel pilot plant for the removal of MPs and the chemical oxygen demand (COD) from wastewater with a high MP contamination from a plastics manufacturer in Germany. MP removal is based on physical–chemical agglomeration–fixation by organosilanes. Formed agglomerates are separated using a belt filter. The COD is removed by an adsorption process. The resulting MP removal was 98.0 ± 1.1% by mass and 99.9987 ± 0.0007% by particle count, while the COD was reduced by 96 ± 2.7%. The system’s sustainability is evaluated using the Life Cycle Assessment methodology, evaluating system construction, operation, and end-of-life considerations. The current pilot plant is also compared to an optimized circular and sustainable upgrade, where drivers of environmental burdens are eliminated and collected MPs are reused. Significant reductions in environmental impact categories are achieved and the global warming potential is reduced by 96%. This study provides a sustainability assessment of a novel technology and circular solution to remove MPs from highly polluted industrial wastewater.
Ključne besede: microplastics, life cycle assessment, impact analysis, removal technology, sustainable process design, carbon footprint, water quality, circular economy
Objavljeno v DKUM: 14.03.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 4
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9. Life cycle assessment (LCA) of the impact on the environment of a cosmetic cream with gold nanoparticles and hydroxylated fullerene ingredientsRebeka Rudolf, Peter Majerič, Zorka Novak-Pintarič, Andrej Horvat, Damjan Krajnc, 2024, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: This review provides a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a cosmetic cream to assess the environmental impacts throughout its entire life cycle, from raw material extraction to disposal, using the methodology according to international standards. The LCA was performed using the OpenLCA 2.0.1 software, with data from the Ecoinvent 3.8 database and relevant literature. The assessment focused on multiple impact categories, including climate change, acidification, eutrophication (freshwater, marine and terrestrial), ecotoxicity (freshwater), human toxicity (cancer and non-cancer), ionizing radiation, land use, ozone depletion, photochemical ozone formation, resource use (fossils, minerals and metals), and water use. The LCA of a cosmetic cream containing gold nanoparticles revealed significant environmental impacts across critical categories. The total climate change potential was 2596.95 kg CO2 eq., driven primarily by nanoparticle synthesis (60.7%) and electricity use (31.9%). Eutrophication of freshwater had the highest normalized result (3.000), with nanoparticle synthesis contributing heavily, indicating the need for improved wastewater treatment. The resource use (minerals and metals) scored 1.856, while the freshwater ecotoxicity reached 80,317.23 CTUe, both driven by the nanoparticle production. The human toxicity potentials were 1.39 × 10−6 CTUh (cancer) and 7.45 × 10−5 CTUh (non-cancer), linked to emissions from synthesis and energy use. The LCA of the cosmetic cream revealed several critical areas of environmental impact. The most significant impacts are associated with gold nanoparticle synthesis and electricity use. Addressing these impacts through optimized synthesis processes, improved energy efficiency, and alternative materials can enhance the product’s sustainability profile significantly.
Ključne besede: life cycle assessment, cosmetic cream, environmental impacts, gold nanoparticles
Objavljeno v DKUM: 17.12.2024; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 16
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