Hello guys,
In conducting a gate-to-gate LCA for a reverse vending machine (RVM) that collects plastic bottles and metal cans with a boundary spanning from the assembly of the RVM, placing beverage containers into the RVM, automatic pressing & separating, issuing a monetary receipt to the client, and selling the collected stuff to recyclers, which functional unit (FU) should I define regarding boundary? i.e., 1000 plastic bottles / 1000 metal cans?
Your advice & help are highly appreciated.
For conducting a gate-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) of a reverse vending machine (RVM) that collects plastic bottles and metal cans, the functional unit (FU) should be defined in a manner that accurately represents the performance of the system being assessed. In this case, the FU should reflect the functionality of the RVM in terms of the materials it collects and processes.
Given the boundary of the assessment spanning from the assembly of the RVM to the selling of the collected materials to recyclers, the FU should encompass the complete operation of the RVM for a specific quantity of materials collected and processed.
A suitable FU for this scenario could be:
Collection and processing of a specific quantity of materials by the RVM. For example: Collection and processing of 1000 plastic bottles Collection and processing of 1000 metal cans Combination of both, such as 500 plastic bottles and 500 metal cans
Defining the FU in this way allows for a clear assessment of the environmental impacts associated with the entire lifecycle of the RVM, from material collection to final disposal or recycling, while also providing a basis for comparison with other systems or scenarios.
Dear Musa,
Thank you for your time & thorough response to my inquiry. Concerning the delineated scope, would it be advisable to bifurcate this study into two distinct phases: the assembly of RVM and the subsequent phases focused on its exploitation and utilization?
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