Environmental Management II Study Guide

 

 

 

 

 

Environmental Management II

(EMG201T)

Study Guide

2009

 

Table of contents:

1.     Introduction

2.    Topics covered

3.    Study material

4.    Schedule

5.    Assessments

6.   Predicate marks

7.    Lecturer information

 

 

 

1. Introduction

In environmental management II we will cover two tools that environmental managers often use.  The one is called Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). LCA is a tool most often used to calculate the impact of a product or service throughout its life. The entire life of a product or service is included including the following components: raw material acquisition and extraction, production of intermediates, manufacture, use, re-use, and recycling and eventual disposal. The methodology includes a step of adding together all of the environmental inputs and outputs of all the stages in the life of the product and in another step calculating the environmental impacts of those environmental flows. The final step is called improvement analysis and its aim to is find ways to limit the environmental impact of products with the newly discovered knowledge of where most impacts occur during the life of a product.

 

The second tool we will be looking at is called Risk Assessment (RA).

In risk assessment we will learn a methodology of how to identify and rank risks to the environment. You will be introduced to a formally that take various risk factors into account including probability, the dose-response relationship, the effect and mitigation potential. Doing a simple calculation then allows the researcher to rank risks and to differentiate between insignificant, moderate and high risks. 

 

Both LCA and RA have in recent year found a very prominent place in the toolkit of the environmental manager along with others like EIA and EMS.

 

2. Topics covered

Here is a list of the topics that will be covered during the semester:

1.     Life cycle assessment

2.    Risk Assessment

 

 

 

 

 

3. Study material

You will be provided with some notes in hard copy, but the complete set of notes and slideshows will be burned to CD or DVD to save paper.

The Dvd

Here is the layout of the DVD that will be handed to you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are three folders in the root of the Dvd.

Contents includes the different chapters that we will be covering during the year. Under each of the chapters you will find the following folders:

File formats

Pdf files contain documents with the file extention .pdf

You can open these documents with Adobe Acrobat. I have included the installation files for Adobe Acrobat 8 on the dvd.

 

Slideshow Files contain Powerpoint slideshows and can be opened with Microsoft Powerpoint. The following versions of Powerpoint will open the files: Powerpoint in Office XP, Powerpoint in Office 2003 and Powerpoint in Office 2007.

I have included a viewer on the dvd if you do not have powerpoint installed on your computer.

 

The folder web files contain saved websites in html format. You can view them with any web browser including Internet explorer, Netscape, Firefox and Safari.

 

 

 

Textbooks

There is no prescribed textbook but the following textbooks are available in the library for further information (and you will definitely need further information).

 

Title Life cycle assessment : inventory guidelines and principles

Author B.W. Vigon

Publisher: Lewis Publishers, 1994.

ISBN 1566700159

Library: Science open collection, Arcadia

Shelf Number: 333.173 7 LIF

 

 

Title: Life cycle assessment : what it is and how to do it

Author: Reinout Heijungs

Publisher: United Nations Environment Programme, 1996.

ISBN: 9280715461

Library: Soshanguve North open collection

Shelf number: 363.7

 

Title: Conceptual framework for life-cycle impact assessment

Author: James Fava

Publisher:  SETAC

ISBN: Na

Library: Soshanguve North North Open Shelves

Shelf number: 363.7

 

Title: Environmental assessment of products : a textbook on life cycle assessment

Author: Pedersen Weidema

Publisher: Helsinki, Finland : Finnish Association of Graduate Engineers

ISBN: 9525005259

Library: Science Open Collection

Shelf number: 363.7

 

Title: Environmental assessment of products

Author: Henrik Wenzel, Michael Hauschild and Leo Alting.

Publisher: Chapman & Hall

ISBN: 0412824000

Library: Science Open Collection, Garankuwa and Soshanguve

Shelf number: 658.575

 

 

Title: Guidelines for life-cycle assessment a code of practice.

Author: Society of Environmental Toxicity and Chemistry (SETAC).

Publisher: Society of Environmental Toxicity and Chemistry (SETAC).

ISBN: Na

Library:  Soshanguve

Shelf number: 333.7 SOC.

 

 

Title: Streamlined life-cycle assessment

Author: Thomas E. Graedel.

Publisher: Upper Saddle River, N.J. : Prentice Hall, 1998.

ISBN: 0136074251

Library: Science Open Collection

Shelf number: 658.408

 

 

 

Web resources

In addition to the material on the dvd, there are a number of websites with useful information. The folder bookmarks contain a number of sites with useful and relevant information on industrial processes. A few others have been listed here in the study guide.

Wikipedia is a very complete encyclopedia and can be found at

http://www.wikipedia.com

You can also access the Microsoft Encarta encyclopedia on the web at

http://encarta.msn.com/

Another encyclopedia called Britannica can be accessed at

http://www.britannica.com/

If you are looking for scientific articles for further research a good place to find them is at Sciendirect

http://www.sciencedirect.com

or you can search all of the scientific journals at Scirus

http://www.scirus.com

 

You can find information about Life Cycle Assessment on any of the following websites:

 

Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) | setac.org

http://www.setac.org/node/32

 

Life-cycle analysis – BioenergyWiki

http://www.bioenergywiki.net/index.php/Life-cycle_analysis

 

ISO 14040:2006 - Environmental management -- Life cycle assessment -- Principles and framework

http://www.iso.org/iso/catalogue_detail?csnumber=37456

 

LCA Life Cycle Assessment – Ecobilan

http://www.ecobilan.com/uk_lca.php

 

ACLCA Home

http://www.lcacenter.org/

 

Ecocycle - What is Life Cycle Management?

http://www.ec.gc.ca/ecocycle/en/whatislcm.cfm

 

Life Cycle Assessment explained

http://www.pre.nl/life_cycle_assessment/life_cycle_assessment.htm

 

Life Cycle Assessment | Centre for Design

http://www.cfd.rmit.edu.au/programs/life_cycle_assessment

 

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) | System Analysis | Sustainable Technology | Risk Management Research | Research and Development | US EPA

http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/lcaccess/

 

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) - A guide

http://reports.eea.eu.int/GH-07-97-595-EN-C/en

 

LC Initiative

http://www.uneptie.org/pc/sustain/lcinitiative/home.htm

 

Life Cycle Links

http://www.life-cycle.org/

 

Ecoinvent

http://www.ecoinvent.ch/

 

SPINE

http://www.globalspine.com/

 

APME

http://www.plasticseurope.org/content/default.asp?PageID=392

 

UNEP's Life Cycle Initiative Home

http://www.uneptie.org/pc/sustain/lcinitiative/home.htm

 

NREL: U.S. Life-Cycle Inventory Database Home Page

http://www.nrel.gov/lci/

 

The Global Ecolabelling Network

http://www.gen.gr.jp/index.html

 

ECOBILAN

http://www.ecobilan.com/index_fr.html

 

Athena Sustainable Materials Institute - Home Page

http://www.athenasmi.ca/

 

Korea National Cleaner Production Center

http://www.kncpc.re.kr/eng/topics/Lci.asp

 

How products impact

http://www.howproductsimpact.net/

United Nations Environment Programme – UNEP

http://www.unep.org/

 

Life Cycle Assessment - UNEP P & C

http://www.uneptie.org/pc/pc/tools/lca.htm

 

Economic Input-Output Life Cycle Assessment (EIO-LCA)

http://www.eiolca.net/

 

EPA/OPPT/Design for the Environment: Computer Display Publications - A Life-Cycle Assessment

http://www.epa.gov/oppt/dfe/pubs/comp-dic/lca/

 

ScientificJournals.com - LCA Life Cycle Assessment

http://www.scientificjournals.com/sj/lca

 

Life-Cycle Assessment - RTI International

http://www.rti.org/page.cfm?nav=68

 

Environment Agency - Life Cycle Assessment & IPP

http://www.netregs.gov.uk/netregs/275207/663774/?version=1&lang=_e

 

Pollution Prevention: Design for the Environment (DfE) Toolkit

http://www.moea.state.mn.us/p2/DFEtoolkit.cfm

 

Pollution Prevention: Product Design + Environment

http://www.moea.state.mn.us/p2/design.cfm

 

Australian Department of Environment and Heritage Life Cycle Assessment

http://www.deh.gov.au/settlements/industry/corporate/lca.html

 

Building LCA Project Home Page

http://buildlca.rmit.edu.au/

 

Global Sustainability at RMIT

http://www.global.rmit.edu.au/

 

Consortium on Green Design and Manufacturing, UC Berkeley

http://greenmfg.me.berkeley.edu/

 

Design for Environment Guide Homepage - Industrial Research Assistance Program

http://dfe-sce.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/home_e.html

 

PPRC | Solutions for Environmental and Economic Vitality

http://www.pprc.org/

 

The Center for Clean Products – Welcome

http://eerc.ra.utk.edu/ccpct/index.html

 

ISO 14040 - The ISO 14000 Information Zone

http://www.iso-14001.org.uk/iso-14040.htm

 

The Environmental Literacy Council - Life Cycle Analysis

http://www.enviroliteracy.org/article.php/322.html

 

Aluminium's Life Cycle Results

http://www.world-aluminium.org/environment/lifecycle/lifecycle3.html

Australian Life Cycle Assessment(LCA)Society (ALCAS)

http://www.alcas.asn.au/

 

Vinyl Council Australia - Life Cycle Assessments

http://www.vinyl.org.au/environment/lifecycle.cfm

 

Life-cycle assessment | Business tools | Strategies & tools | BSDglobal

http://www.bsdglobal.com/tools/systems_lca.asp

 

Department of Industrial Ecology

http://www.leidenuniv.nl/cml/ssp/

 

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

http://www.reckenholz.ch/doc/en/forsch/control/bilanz/bilanz.html

 

Agroscope Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

http://www.reckenholz.ch/doc/en/forsch/control/bilanz/bilanz.html

 

Institute for Lifecycle Environmental Assessment

http://www.ilea.org/

 

Good Environmental Choice – Australia

http://www.aela.org.au/

 

Department of Energy

http://www.energy.qld.gov.au/

 

Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Water Queensland home page

http://www.nrm.qld.gov.au/

 

Australian Green Procurement

http://www.greenprocurement.org.au/

 

Australian Green Development Forum : AGDF

http://agdf.org.au/

 

Australia's Environment Portal Home Page

http://www.environment.gov.au/

 

Banksia Environmental Foundation – Homepage

http://www.banksiafdn.com/index.php

 

Continental Corporation -LIfe Cycle Assessment

http://www.conti-online.com/generator/www/com/en/continental/portal/themes/esh/life_cycle_assessments_en/life_cycle_assessment_en.html

 

Australian Water Association | Home

http://www.awa.asn.au/AM/Template.cfm

 

Australian Green Procurement

http://www.greenprocurement.org/

 

Environment Industry Action Agenda

http://www.industry.gov.au/content/itrinternet/cmscontent.cfm?ObjectID=BA5F292F-6628-4E2C-9C5A630BDEF8F394

 

EIANZ: Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand

http://www.eianz.org/

 

Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources

http://www.industry.gov.au/

 

Green Building Council of Australia

http://www.gbcaus.org/default.asp

 

Institute of Environmental Sciences Leiden (CML)

http://www.leidenuniv.nl/interfac/cml/

 

LCAinfo: welcome

http://www.lcainfo.ch/welcome.htm

 

Battery research

http://homepage.te.hik.se/personal/tryca/battery/rydhlicabstract.htm

 

Residential-Home Life Cycle Analysis, National Pollution Prevention Center

http://www.umich.edu/~nppcpub/research/lcahome/index.html

 

ECO-it: Ecodesign / Design For Environment (DFE) software

http://www.pre.nl/eco-it/

 

SINUM – Software

http://www.sinum.com/htdocs/e_software.shtml

 

 

Eco-indicator 99: Principles

http://www.pre.nl/eco-indicator99/eco-indicator_99.htm

 

ECOCYCLE

http://www.ec.gc.ca/ecocycle/

 

MIT Press Journals - Journal of Industrial Ecology

http://www.mitpressjournals.org/loi/jiec?cookieSet=1

 

NCEDR Guides - ISO 14001

http://www.ncedr.org/guides/iso.htm

 

Recycling & Sustainable Development - Life Cycle Assessment

http://www.nickelinstitute.org/index.cfm/ci_id/114.htm

 

BlueScope Steel Australia: Life Cycle Analysis & Ecologically Sustainable Development

http://www.bluescopesteel.com.au/go/brands/zincalume-steel/life-cycle-analysis

 

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

http://www.scienceinthebox.com/en_UK/sustainability/lifecycleassessment_en.html

 

Life Cycle Assessment

http://www.vestas.com/uk/environment/2005/life_cycle_assessment/life_cycle_assessment.asp

 

Pollution Research Group - Home

http://www.ukzn.ac.za/department/extra.asp?id=15&dept=prgund

Institute for Lifecycle Environmental Assessment NB!

http://www.ilea.org/

 

ICLEI Global: Homepage

http://www.iclei.org/

 

Intelligent Design Network :: Seeking Objectivity in Origins Science

http://www.intelligentdesignnetwork.org/

 

Other bookmarks are already on the dvd under the folder named bookmarks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Schedule

A detailed schedule was not available at the time of burning the dvd. The calenders below have been provided to allow you to add this information. The schedule will remain flexible as far as possible as additional time may need to be spent on some of the chapters. Unfortunately it cannot be determined beforehand which of the chapters will take up more than one week.

Scheduled dates for tests are also not available yet and space has been provided for you to fill in the date and topics of tests.

 

 

Here is a draft breakdown of what will be covered per week. Keep in mind that the dates can and probably will change.

10th of February 2009	Overview of the study guide and the cd.
17th of February 2009	An introduction to Life cycle assessment The life cycle of products and services
24th of February 2009	Goal and scope definition
3rd of March 2009	Inventory analysis
10th of March 2009	Test 1
17th of March 2009	Impact Assessment
24th of March 2009	Improvement analysis
31st of March 2009	Holidays
7th of April 2009	Holidays
14th of April 2009	Software used in LCA – An overview
21st of April 2009	Hands on LCA exercise
28th of April 2009	Test 2
5th of May 2009	An introduction to risk assessment Risk identification
12th of May 2009	Calculating risk through a mathematical formula
19th of May 2009	Managing risk
20th of May 2009	Test 3
2nd of June 2009	Revision of both LCA and RA
3rd of June 2009	Predicate day

 

5. Assessments

You will be given three semester tests to write during the semester in addition to one assignment. All four of these assessments have been given equal weighting and are therefore equally important.

Space has been provided for you to fill in the topics covered in each of the tests. This cannot be determined so far in advance because of uncertainty factors.

 

Test 1

Date: 10^th of March 2009

Topics: An introduction to Life cycle assessment

The life cycle of products and services

Goal and scope definition

Inventory analysis

 

Test 2

Date: 28^th of April 2009

Topics: Impact Assessment

Improvement analysis

Software used in LCA – An overview

Hands on LCA exercise

 

 

Test 3

Date: 20^th of May 2009

Topics: An introduction to risk assessment

Risk identification

Calculating risk through a mathematical formula

Managing risk

 

Assignment 1:

Hand in date: 4^th of May 2009.02.09

Topic: You will be asked to perform a life cycle assessment on a specific product or service.

 

 

6. Predicate marks, exam requirements etc.

The predicate will be calculated as follows:

Predicate = 25% for test 1 + 25% for test 2 + 25% for test 3 +

25% for assignment 1

A 40% predicate will be required to gain entrance into the main exam. You will then require a 50% mark to pass the exam. If you get between 40% and 50% you will be allowed to write a supplementary exam.

Final mark = 50% for predicate + 50% for exam.

Your final mark must be above 50% to pass the subject.

 

 

 

7. Lecturer information

Lecturer: Rudolph PJ Robbertze

Email: RobbertzeRPJ@tut.ac.za

Tel: 012 382 6320

Cel: 082 860 4573

Office: 4-218 or 3-131

Hours: Tuesdays to Wednesdays from 08:30 to 16:00