In the context of the circular economy, this paper analyses the case study of the Panta Rei reuse centre in Vimercate (MB), a structure where mainly collection and subsequent sale of reusable used goods are carried out. We want to examine whether and to what extent this activity can actually contribute to provide environmental benefits: the aim of the analysis is to quantify the environmental impact deriving from the sale of used goods, carried out during the year 2022, by the reuse centre. This assessment is performed through the application of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology applied to 10 product categories selected as significant. The system is composed of two main parts: the first life of the good (production, packaging, transport from industry to the first user’s home, use, collection of waste, transport of waste to the final treatment plant, end of life) and the second life of the good (transport of the good from the first user's home to the reuse centre, transport from the reuse centre to the second user's home, reuse). The impact allocated to the first life constitutes the avoided environmental impact, while the total impact allocated to the second life constitutes the additional environmental impact. From the composition of these two parts of the system, the quantification of the net environmental impact generated by the reuse of 1 item is obtained and, consequently, by integrating the information on the weight and number of items sold in 2022, the total net environmental impact associated to the entire activity of the centre is obtained. The analysis was carried out with the aid of the SimaPro 9.3 software and investigated 16 environmental impact categories proposed in the Environmental Footprint 3.0 characterization method. It emerged that the environmental benefit associated with reuse is not obvious, but depends on numerous factors: substitution rate, quality rate, energy performance rate, distance between the reuse centre and the second user's home and time use of the good. From the results relating to the base scenario, it was found that the activity of the Panta Rei reuse centre in Vimercate in 2022 allowed for environmental benefits in only 6 impact categories out of the 16 examined. The results would change if other values of the factors listed above were considered: if, for example, a 100% substitution between new and used goods was considered, there would be environmental benefits in all 16 impact categories. To improve the environmental performance of the Panta Rei reuse centre, three key actions have been identified: encouraging sustainable mobility, reducing distances between the reuse centre and consumers and promoting citizen awareness. It is precisely consumers who play a crucial role through their choices. Collaboration between institutions, the industrial sector and, above all, consumers emerges as a fundamental element to face the challenge of creating a sustainable society.
Nel contesto dell’economia circolare, il presente lavoro analizza il caso studio del centro del riuso Panta Rei di Vimercate (MB), una struttura in cui si svolgono principalmente attività di raccolta e successiva vendita di beni usati riutilizzabili. Si vuole esaminare se e in quale misura tale attività possa effettivamente contribuire a fornire benefici ambientali: lo scopo dell’analisi è quantificare l’impatto ambientale derivante dall’attività di vendita di beni usati, effettuata nel corso dell’anno 2022, da parte del centro del riuso. Tale valutazione è eseguita attraverso l’applicazione della metodologia dell’analisi del ciclo di vita (Life Cycle Assessment, LCA) applicata a 10 categorie di prodotto selezionate come significative. Il sistema è composto da due parti principali: la prima vita del bene (produzione, imballaggio, trasporto da industria ad abitazione del primo utente, utilizzo, conferimento del rifiuto, trasporto del rifiuto all’impianto di trattamento finale, fine vita) e la seconda vita del bene (trasporto del bene da abitazione del primo utente a centro del riuso, trasporto da centro del riuso ad abitazione del secondo utente, riutilizzo). L’impatto allocato alla prima vita costituisce l’impatto ambientale evitato, mentre l’impatto totale allocato alla seconda vita costituisce l’impatto ambientale aggiuntivo. Dalla composizione di queste due parti di sistema si ottiene la quantificazione dell’impatto ambientale netto generato dal riuso di 1 articolo e, conseguentemente, integrando le informazioni sul peso e il numero di articoli venduti nel 2022, si ottiene l’impatto ambientale netto totale associato all’intera attività del centro. L'analisi è stata effettuata con l’ausilio del software SimaPro 9.3 e ha indagato 16 categorie d’impatto ambientale proposte nel metodo di caratterizzazione Environmental Footprint 3.0. È emerso come il beneficio ambientale associato al riutilizzo non sia scontato, ma dipende da numerosi fattori: tasso di sostituzione, tasso di qualità, tasso di prestazione energetica, distanza tra centro del riuso e abitazione del secondo utente e tempo di utilizzo del bene. Dai risultati relativi allo scenario base, è stato rilevato che l’attività del centro del riuso Panta Rei di Vimercate nel 2022 ha consentito di avere benefici ambientali in sole 6 categorie d’impatto sulle 16 esaminate. I risultati cambierebbero se si considerassero altri valori dei fattori sopra elencati: se, ad esempio, si considerasse una sostituzione tra bene nuovo e bene usato pari al 100%, si avrebbero benefici ambientali in tutte e 16 le categorie d’impatto. Per migliorare le prestazioni ambientali del centro del riuso Panta Rei, sono state identificate tre azioni chiave: incentivare la mobilità sostenibile, ridurre le distanze tra centro del riuso e consumatori e promuovere la sensibilizzazione dei cittadini. Sono proprio i consumatori a svolgere un ruolo cruciale attraverso le proprie scelte. La collaborazione tra istituzioni, settore industriale, e, soprattutto, consumatori emerge come elemento fondamentale per affrontare la sfida della realizzazione di una società sostenibile.
Quantificazione dei benefici ambientali associati all'attivita' del centro del riuso "Panta Rei" tramite metodologia LCA
Nichilo, Mary Jo Floriana Antonia
2022/2023
Abstract
In the context of the circular economy, this paper analyses the case study of the Panta Rei reuse centre in Vimercate (MB), a structure where mainly collection and subsequent sale of reusable used goods are carried out. We want to examine whether and to what extent this activity can actually contribute to provide environmental benefits: the aim of the analysis is to quantify the environmental impact deriving from the sale of used goods, carried out during the year 2022, by the reuse centre. This assessment is performed through the application of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology applied to 10 product categories selected as significant. The system is composed of two main parts: the first life of the good (production, packaging, transport from industry to the first user’s home, use, collection of waste, transport of waste to the final treatment plant, end of life) and the second life of the good (transport of the good from the first user's home to the reuse centre, transport from the reuse centre to the second user's home, reuse). The impact allocated to the first life constitutes the avoided environmental impact, while the total impact allocated to the second life constitutes the additional environmental impact. From the composition of these two parts of the system, the quantification of the net environmental impact generated by the reuse of 1 item is obtained and, consequently, by integrating the information on the weight and number of items sold in 2022, the total net environmental impact associated to the entire activity of the centre is obtained. The analysis was carried out with the aid of the SimaPro 9.3 software and investigated 16 environmental impact categories proposed in the Environmental Footprint 3.0 characterization method. It emerged that the environmental benefit associated with reuse is not obvious, but depends on numerous factors: substitution rate, quality rate, energy performance rate, distance between the reuse centre and the second user's home and time use of the good. From the results relating to the base scenario, it was found that the activity of the Panta Rei reuse centre in Vimercate in 2022 allowed for environmental benefits in only 6 impact categories out of the 16 examined. The results would change if other values of the factors listed above were considered: if, for example, a 100% substitution between new and used goods was considered, there would be environmental benefits in all 16 impact categories. To improve the environmental performance of the Panta Rei reuse centre, three key actions have been identified: encouraging sustainable mobility, reducing distances between the reuse centre and consumers and promoting citizen awareness. It is precisely consumers who play a crucial role through their choices. Collaboration between institutions, the industrial sector and, above all, consumers emerges as a fundamental element to face the challenge of creating a sustainable society.| File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/10589/215278