Author(s): Silva, Luiza ; Silva, Elisabete ; Brás, Isabel ; Domingos, Idalina ; Wessel, Dulcineia ; Ferreira, José
Date: 2021
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.19/6950
Origin: Repositório Científico do Instituto Politécnico de Viseu
Subject(s): Bathroom Materials; Circular Economy; Kitchen Materials; Life Cycle Assessment; Sustainability
The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is one of the most important analytical tools available to provide the scientific basis of engineering solutions for sustainability. The focus of this study was a LCA (cradle to gate) of a product intended to be used in countertops. The functional unit chosen was 1 m2 of finished panel (countertop) and the boundary system involved the study of raw materials and product packaging and the panel’s production process. The chosen method for impact assessment was EPD (2018) available in SimaPro PhD software and Acidification, Eutrophication, Global Warming, Photochemical Oxidation, Abiotic Depletion (elements), Abiotic Depletion (fossil fuels), Water Scarcity and Ozone Layer Depletion were the impact categories considered. Results showed that the panel’s manufacturing is the process that presented the highest influence in all categories analyzed ranging from 88% on Abiotic Depletion to approximately 101% on Water Scarcity. Polyvinylchloride (PVC) is the greatest contributors to all impact categories except to Photochemical Oxidation that is the Polyester.
