Reducing subjectivity when performing LCA for recycling systems in the paper industry through a comprehensive evaluation of different allocation methods

Abstract

The allocation of environmental burdens for products in recycling systems remains a significant challenge within the life cycle assessment (LCA) field with a lack of consensus on which methodology should be applied. The present study compared fourteen allocation methods in a corrugated containerboard made of recycled and virgin fibers base case scenario with the aim to showcase the implications and outcomes when applying each methodology. The total CO2 eq. emissions per fifty recycling cycles were calculated by each method, showing variations ranging from 6.3 % to 17.9 % compared to the base case scenario. However, this range decreased to between 0 % and 12 % when acknowledging fiber losses in the system. Thus, this work highlights the importance of including fiber losses when applying the allocation methodologies. The cut-off method proved to be more accurate for allocating emissions in the system studied due to its simplicity of application and lower deviations from the baseline.