Using LCA to Prioritize Process
Changes: A Mushroom
Packaging LCA Case Study
By
Brian Hilton, LCACP
Rochester Institute of Technology
Sam Harrington
Ecovative Design
October 1, 2013
Contains materials initially prepared with support of the New York State’s Empire
State Development (ESD) Environmental Investment Program (EIP)
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Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
© 2013 New York State Pollution Prevention Institute
NYSP2I - Core Programs
Research &
Development
Direct
Assistance
Led by Technical
Advisory Committee
(TAC)
Facilitate the use
of P2 for solving
environmental
problems
Provide financial &
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to community
organizations
Assessment &
Implementation
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& understanding
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research
Green Initiatives
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Sector
Projects
Projects that
have the
potential to
impact NYS on a
high level
• Dry Cleaning
• Farm to Fork
• Healthcare
• Green Buildings
About Ecovative
• Ecovative was started in
2007 by two students with a
wild idea; to make materials
better than Styrofoam out
of... mushrooms!
• Today Mushroom Materials
are replacing thousands of
petrochemical based
packaging parts
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Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
3
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Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
LCA model
• Our Goal: to provide Ecovative with an industrial tool (LCA
Model) that would enable them to make business decisions
taking full life cycle environmental impact into consideration.
• The LCA model purpose was to:
– evaluate the full environmental impact of two competing
Ecovative internal inoculation processes
– Answer manufacturing question such as material changes,
supplier locations, transportation impacts, energy use, etc.
– Highlight specific manufacturing processes of interest in the
results
• One primary goal was to mentor Ecovative in the LCA process
– worked as a partnership
• Model provided to Ecovative for future use and sensitivity
studies
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Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
5
Process Definition and Modeling
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Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
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Primary Data collection
• Primary data collection
completed by Ecovative.
– RIT performed multiple site
visits for validation.
– Ecovative able to fit validation
equipment install and
measurements into
production schedule.
• Data collected from
agricultural waste collection
to product composting
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Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
7
LCA Challenges
• Growth of mushrooms –
biological process
• End of life – need
further understanding
– Pass through process for
waste material
– Mycelium EOL
– Compost versus
municipal waste
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Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
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Sharing Results
• LCA – Helping make a great product even
better
Life Cycle Stage Contribution to ReCiPe Damage Categories
90%
70%
40%
56%
48%
50%
30%
37.0%
10%
20.6%
12.9%
-10%
Human Health
Ecosystem Quality
Resources
1 NYS Blend Structure with Inoculum
3 Structural Material Pasteurization Process
4 Material Mixing Process
5 Material forming process
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Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
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Lessons Learned
Life Cycle Environmental Impact
(ReCiPe Data normalized to Grain process)
• Inoculum type
did not have
significant
impact
differences
• Shifted research
focus based on
these results
Climate change
Human Health…
Fossil depletion ($) 125%
Metal depletion ($)
Ozone depletion (DALY)
100%
Human toxicity (DALY)
75%
Natural land transformation
(species.yr)
Photochemical oxidant
formation (DALY)
50%
25%
Urban land occupation
(species.yr)
Particulate matter formation
(DALY)
0%
Agricultural land occupation
(species.yr)
Ionising radiation (DALY)
Marine ecotoxicity (species.yr)
Freshwater ecotoxicity
(species.yr)
Terrestrial ecotoxicity
(species.yr)
Baseline
Climate change Ecosystems
(species.yr)
Terrestrial acidification
(species.yr)
Freshwater eutrophication
(species.yr)
Liquid
Environmental Impacts Normalized to Baseline
90%
100%
103.1%
100%
100%
102.2%
85.7%
70%
50%
Human Health
(DALY)
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Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
Ecosystem Quality
(species◦yr)
Baseline Liquid
Resources
($)
10
Lessons Learned
• The part drying process = 53.3% of the entire
life cycle carbon footprint
• Now testing a microwave drying process that
uses about 1/3 the energy
• Dries in minutes instead
of hours/days
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Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
11
Lessons Learned
• Strength to weight is critical
• Shifting to local feedstocks that deliver higher
performance
Life Cycle Environmental Impact
(ReCiPe Data normalized to Grain process)
Fossil depletion ($)
Metal depletion ($)
Climate change
Human Health
(DALY)
125%
100%
Ozone depletion (DALY)
Human toxicity (DALY)
75%
Natural land transformation (species.yr)
50%
Photochemical oxidant formation (DALY)
25%
Urban land occupation (species.yr)
Particulate matter formation (DALY)
0%
Agricultural land occupation (species.yr)
Ionising radiation (DALY)
Marine ecotoxicity (species.yr)
Climate change Ecosystems (species.yr)
Freshwater ecotoxicity (species.yr)
Terrestrial ecotoxicity (species.yr)
Baseline
Terrestrial acidification (species.yr)
Freshwater eutrophication (species.yr)
Hemp
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Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
12
Future Work
• Comparing to common
alternatives
– EPS, EPE, EPP foams
• Assessing new processes
and materials
– Engineered wood
replacements
– Automotive parts
• New factory in Iowa
– New equipment, process
changes
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Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
13
Thank You
Sam Harrington
Marketing, Sales & LCA
70 Cohoes Ave. Green Island, NY
Email: sam@ecovativedesign.com
Phone: (518) 273-3753 x1004
www.EcovativeDesign.com
Brian Hilton, LCACP
Director of the Staples Sustainable Innovation Laboratory
Golisano Institute for Sustainability
Rochester Institute of Technology.
Email: Brian.Hilton@rit.edu
Phone: (585) 475-5379
www.rit.edu/gis
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