To meet the national and international climate goals every potential GHG mitigating effort needs to be addressed. The aim of this thesis is to investigate if the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), Ekebyhov, can reduce its GHG emissions by making changes inthe treatmentprocess. The main GHGs emitted from WWT areN2O, CH4and CO2. To begin with, Ekebyhov’scurrent carbon footprintwas calculated in a base line scenario, using a calculation tool (ECT). The results showed that the total footprintamounted to 522 tons CO2eqper year, with the majority of the emissions (83 %) from the activated sludge process. Five GHG-mitigating measures were identified and potential GHG emission reduction (PGER) was calculated from 1) optimized WWT, 2) urea treated sludge, 3) change of chemicals, 4) green transports and 5) added anaerobic digestion (AD) process. The largest PGER came from added AD, followed by optimized WWT. Finally, the PGER for all measures was calculated and resulted in net negative emissions of -95 tons CO2eq per year. The thesis shows that it is possible to reduce the carbon footprint of Ekebyhov WWTP, even to a net negative result. It is, however important to address other impact categories in a full LCA to be able to make fully informed decisions.

No description available.

No description available.

To reach the Paris Agreement targets, the remaining carbon budget is about 2.3 tons of CO2e per person per year. However, current per capita emissions exceed the target, with a global average carbon footprint of 4.81 tons. PCAs provide a cap-and-trade system to limit emissions of private individuals. The thesis explores the compatibility of PCAs with existing legal regulations, the legal challenges of implementing and governing PCAs, and the potential human rights and equity implications of such schemes from a de lege lata and a de lege ferenda perspective. The findings highlight various regulatory and design deficiencies in current PCA proposals and emphasize the need to address data protection, privacy concerns, and the protection of individual rights. Additionally, the governance dimension of PCAs, including participation rights, transparency, and enforcement mechanisms, needs further development. The thesis concludes that while PCAs can be effective in achieving climate goals, careful consideration of legal requirements and individual rights is essential for their successful implementation. It emphasizes the necessity of comprehensive designs that go beyond technical and economic aspects and take into account legal requirements, individual rights, and equitable distribution.

Wood is often perceived as a flawed material. When painted, technologically treated or sealed, in a pursuit to make it more predictable and durable, some of its most important qualities are mislaid. This project explores the aesthetic, material and constructional possibilities of wood, and suggests the possibility of a wood brutalism architecture. The project includes a written manifesto for the benefits of wood in the human habitat, proposes a CO₂ based economic strategy for our built environment and promotes massive wood buildings as our carbon savings account. To find out what a wood brutalism of today might be, the project includes an analysis of the relationship between the material concrete, Betón-brut and the zeitgeist of the 60´s and 70´s. In the application of the manifesto and Bois-brut on a case study housing project in Östberga, Stockholm, the Trellick tower has acted as a brutalist mirror reference. Vernacular timber buildings have provided clues in the search for the essence of wood.

The worldwide consumption of meat continues to increase and in Sweden the annual consumption has gone from 24 kg/person in 1990 to about 78 kg/person in 2005. This contributes to large environmental impacts such as an increase of greenhouse gas emissions, unsustainable land and resource use and shortage of water. A solution to the problem is to change our diets to be more sustainable. The purpose with this research is therefore to study the positive environmental and health aspects of alternative protein rich products based on soya, grown meat, algae and insects in comparison with meat. The goal is then to compare the environmental impacts from these products by studying different LCA-studies. Furthermore, also to understand how the future will be developed by interviewing producers of meat substitutes in Sweden. Some difficulties of comparing different LCA-studies are the choice of system boundaries, functional units and environmental aspects in the studies. Nevertheless, after studying a large amount of reports and articles about the products conclusions could yet be drawn. The carbonfootprint from beef is up to 20 times larger than from the substitutes and the land use is up to 125 times larger for beef compared to substitutes. Pork and chicken have lower impact but the lowest impact seems to come from producing substitutes based on soya beans. Insects and algae also have a low impact, but the products are still in the stage of development in Sweden due to laws, regulations and lack of knowledge. Regarding the health aspects substitutes could possibly replace meat since both insects and soya are rich of protein. Insects are also rich oniron and other nutrition. Algae consist as well of good nutrition. The companies interviewed in this study were Kung Markatta, Ekko gourmet and Veggi. They had some different opinions on future products, but they could all agree on that we need to eat less meat and more substitutes. The conclusions of this research are that the environmental aspects considered in the analysed LCA-studies are mostly carbon footprint and land use. They show that beef have a larger environmental impact than meat substitutes. It is however recommended to do new studies on products with the same system boundaries and functional units to get a more accurate and comparable result.

Despite the increasing public awareness about the waste that is created while consuming and disposing of products, the waste created by the raw material extraction and production phases is usually invisible to the consumers. In this respect, a product waste footprint indicator based on the life cycle perspective was recently proposed to address this knowledge gap, offering a better understanding of the environmental consequences of human consumption behaviour. Using product waste footprint as an environmental indicator would be limited in capturing the full suite of life cycle environmental damages associated with a product. On the other hand, the strict interpretation of life cycle assessment is quite technical, costly and ineffective for communicating with broader audiences. Therefore, there is still a need for simpler and less costly options, such as the product waste footprint, for environmental decision making and communication. The aim of this study is to find out if product waste footprint is a good proxy for the life cycle environmental impacts for different products. Data for 1400+ products from different product categories (agricultural, forestry, animal products; basic metal and alloys; chemicals; glass and other non-metallic products; machinery; ores, minerals and fuels; processed biobased products) were collected from the Ecoinvent 3.5 cut-off database using Brightway2 LCA framework. The results from linear regression analyses suggest that there is indeed a statistically significant and positive relationship between the product waste footprint and environmental damages to ecosystem diversity, human health, and resource availability. The regression models can explain up to more than 90% of the variance in environmental damages and they predict around 0.8% increase in environmental damages for each 1.0% increase in the waste footprints. The strong association between the waste footprints and environmental damage indicators suggest that the waste footprint is a strong candidate to be part of the environmental sustainability communication between product companies, customers and other decision makers in the product supply chains. While the waste footprint does not aim to replace other environmental indicators, it can be used to increase customer awareness on the invisible waste, influence consumption behaviour and to promote circular economy. / Trots allmänt ökad medvetenhet om avfallet vid konsumtion och bortskaffande av produkter, är avfall från råmaterialutvinning och produktionsfaser vanligtvis osynligt för konsumenterna. I detta avseende föreslogs nyligen en avfallsindikator för produktavfall baserat på livscykeltänkande för att hantera detta kunskapsgap, vilket ger en bättre förståelse för miljökonsekvenserna av människors konsumtionsbeteende. Att använda avfallsfotavtryck som en miljöindikator skulle vara begränsande för att fånga upp en produkts totala miljöpåverkan. Å andra sidan är den strikta tolkningen av livscykelbedömningen ganska teknisk, kostsam och ineffektiv för att kommunicera med bredare publik. Därför kvarstår behovet av enklare och billigare alternativ som PWFindikatorn för miljöbeslut och kommunikation. Syftet med denna studie är att ta reda på om avfallsfotavtryck är en bra proxy för livscykelns miljöpåverkan för olika produkter. Data för 1400+ produkter från olika produktkategorier (jordbruk, skogsbruk, animaliska produkter, basmetall och legeringar, kemikalier, glas och andra icke-metalliska produkter; maskiner; malmer, mineraler och bränslen; bearbetade biobaserade produkter) samlades in från Ecoinvent 3.5 cut-off databas med Brightway2 LCA-ramverk. Resultaten från linjära regressionsanalyser tyder på att det finns ett statistiskt signifikant och positivt samband mellan avfallsfotavtryck och miljöskador på ekosystemets mångfald, människors hälsa och resurstillgänglighet. Regressionsmodellerna kan förklara upp till 90% av variansen i miljöskador och de förutsäger upp till runt 0,8% ökning av miljöskadorna för varje 1,0% ökning av avfallets fotavtryck. Den starka kopplingen mellan avfallsfotavtryck och miljöskadeangivare tyder på att avfallets fotavtryck är en stark kandidat för att vara en del av miljöhållbarhetskommunikationen mellan produktföretag, kunder och andra beslutsfattare i produktförsörjningskedjorna. Även om avfallets fotavtryck inte syftar till att ersätta andra miljöindikatorer, kan det användas för att öka kundernas medvetenhet om det osynliga avfallet, påverka konsumtionsbeteendet och för att främja cirkulär ekonomi.

Three troublesome issues concerning residential curbside collection (RCC) and municipal solid waste (MSW) management systems in the United States motivated this research. First, reliance upon inefficient collection and scheduling procedures negatively affect RCC efficiency, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and cost. Second, the neglected impact of MSW management practices on water resources. Third, the implications of alternative fuels on the environmental and financial performance of waste collection where fuel plays a significant rule. The goal of this study was to select the best RCC program, MSW management practice, and collection fuel. For this study, field data were collected for RCC programs across the State of Florida. The garbage and recyclables generation rates were compared based on garbage collection frequency and use of dual-stream (DS) or single-stream (SS) recyclables collection system. The assessment of the collection programs was evaluated based on GHG emissions, while for the first time, the water footprint (WFP) was calculated for the most commonly used MSW management practices namely landfilling, combustion, and recycling. In comparing alternative collection fuels, two multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) tools, TOPSIS and SAW, were used to rank fuel alternatives for the waste collection industry with respect to a multi-level environmental and financial decision matrix. The results showed that SS collection systems exhibited more than a two-fold increase in recyclables generation rates, and a ~2.2-fold greater recycling efficiency compared to DS. The GHG emissions associated with the studied collection programs were estimated to be between 36 and 51 kg CO2eq per metric ton of total household waste (garbage and recyclables), depending on the garbage collection frequency, recyclables collection system (DS or SS) and recyclables compaction. When recyclables offsets were considered, the GHG emissions associated with programs using SS were estimated between -760 and -560, compared to between -270 and -210 kg CO2eq per metric ton of total waste for DS programs. In comparing the WFP of MSW management practices, the results showed that the WFP of waste landfilling can be reduced through implementing bioreactor landfilling. The WFP of electricity generated from waste combustion was less than the electricity from landfill gas. Overall, the WFP of electricity from MSW management practices was drastically less than some renewable energy sources. In comparing the WFP offsets of recyclables, the recycling of renewable commodities, e.g. paper, contributed to the highest WFP offsets compared to other commodities, mainly due to its raw material acquisition high WFPs. This suggests that recycling of renewable goods is the best management practice to reduce the WFP of MSW management. Finally, the MCDA of alternative fuel technologies revealed that diesel is still the best option, followed by hydraulic-hybrid waste collection vehicles (WCVs), then landfill gas (LFG) sourced natural gas, fossil natural gas and biodiesel. The elimination of the fueling station criterion from the financial criteria ranked LFG-sourced natural gas as the best option; suggesting that LFG sourced natural gas is the best alternative to fuel WCV when accessible. In conclusion, field data suggest that RCC system design can significantly impact recyclables generation rate and efficiency, and consequently determine environmental and economic impact of collection systems. The WFP concept was suggested as a method to systematically assess the impact of MSW management practices on water resources. A careful consideration of the WFP of MSW management practices and energy recovered from MSW management facilities is essential for the sustainable appropriation of water resources and development.

Stålindustrin är kraftigt energi och utsläppsintensiv och står för upp till cirka 7% av de globala 𝐶𝑂2-utsläppen. Den huvudsakliga utsläppskällan utgörs av masugnsprocessen där järnmalm reduceras till råjärn med hjälp av fossilt kol i den malmbaserade processvägen. Flera tidigare studier har visat att den mest effektiva metoden för att minska industrins utsläpp av 𝐶𝑂2 och därmed bidrag till klimatförändringar är att öka andelen skrot i kolfärskningsprocessen för att på så sätt minska behovet av råjärn.  Syftet med studien var att undersöka möjligheterna att minska stålindustrins utsläpp av 𝐶𝑂2 genom en ökad andel skrot i kolfärskningsprocessen. Rapporten delades upp i två delar, inledningsvis en litteraturstudie som ge en bild över vilka metoder som finns tillgängliga samt vilken potentiell effekt dessa har. Den andra delen baserades på analyser av produktionsdata från SSAB Oxelösund. Tillsammans med resultatet från litteraturstudien användes analyserna för att ta reda på hur mycket råstålets 𝐶𝑂2-avtryck skulle kunna minskas med användning av metoder relevanta för det specifika stålverkets förutsättningar, förbättringsområden och framtida planer.  Parametrarna som undersöktes utgjordes av effekt på skrotinsmältning samt övriga utmaningar och fördelar kopplat till industrins klimatpåverkan. Resultatet från litteraturstudien visade att det fanns ett flertal effektiva metoder för att öka skrotinsmältningskapaciteten i kolfärskningsprocessen och att dessa vid kombinerad användning har en addidativ effekt och har potential att höja skrotinsmältningen avsevärt. Effekten av dessa är dock till stor del beroende på utgångspunkt och produktionsspecifika förutsättningar och måste undersökas vidare genom exempelvis industriförsök.  Eftersom stålverket ställer om produktionen till 2026 kan inte några större investeringar för att minska utsläppen från den äldre produktionen anses vara motiverbar både gällande utsläpp av 𝐶𝑂2 och investeringskostnad. Analyserna av produktionsdata tillsammans med resultatet från litteraturstudierna visade att det fanns flera förbättringsområden och rimliga metoder för stålverket att öka sin skrotinsmältning med syfte att minska utsläppen av 𝐶𝑂2. Genom implementering av dessa metoder som skulle skrotinsmältningen kunna ökas med 2,3 % vilket skulle resultera i en relativ minskning av råstålets 𝐶𝑂2-avtryck med 2,8%.

Food loss and waste (FLW) occurring early in the food supply chain (FSC) leads to increased resource wastage, including land, water, fertilisers, pesticides, fuel, packaging, energy, and labour. Targeting FLW prevention benefits various aspects such as food security, productivity, economic growth, climate change mitigation, resource conservation, and food waste management. Understanding the causes of FLW and their environmental impact is crucial for the design of effective solutions and their prioritisation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk factors and underlying causes of FLW in leafy vegetables (LV), mainly lettuce, throughout the Brazilian FSC, spanning from harvest to retail. Additionally, the study evaluated the environmental impact of waste management strategies applicable in the context of the case study. To achieve this, the research methodology encompassed a case study conducted among small-scale producers and retailers in the city of Tupã, Brazil. A comprehensive approach was adopted by integrating a systematic literature review of global FLW causes and those specific to the Latin American context. This approach was complemented by exploratory research, involving interviews with various stakeholders along the FSC, coupled with rigorous root-cause analysis. Moreover, the study employed a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to offer an immersive perspective, determining the environmental implications associated with different approaches to treating lettuce waste in the case study. Findings revealed that the root causes of FLW in the case study encompassed normalised unfair trading practices, notably take-back agreement (TBA) conditions, and the absence of supportive policies and incentives for FLW reduction. These root causes manifested in the absence of formal agreements between retailers and local producers, leading to the return of unsold or substandard items without compensation. Furthermore, supermarkets exert power over product quality but evade responsibility for proper storage or encouraging the utilisation of unsold products. Another category of significant causes, designated by the author as "major causes," encompassed causes such as unpreparedness for adverse weather conditions, lack of skilled labour, and stringent visual quality standards. These factors were pivotal risk contributors that potentially motivate various other causes of FLW. To tackle root and major causes of FLW of LV, this study proposed specific measures encompassing fair trade agreements, policy enhancements, protective measures for producers, skill development, and flexible standards. Moreover, by implementing an attributional LCA methodology, the study underscored the importance of source reduction in preventing the environmental impact of food waste for the specific context of the case study. According to the results obtained, for each kg of lettuce that is not produced, 0.065 kg CO2eq are avoided. These findings also highlighted the environmental efficacy of animal feed production, which is a cost-efficient strategy, widely prevalent in the city studied, presents a carbon footprint of -0.013 kg CO2eq/kg of waste. Other common solutions implemented at the case study, such as anaerobic digestion and composting exhibit less favourable carbon footprints, measuring 0.019 and 0.006 kg CO2eq/kg of lettuce, respectively. Landfilling emerges, as expected, as the least desirable option with a considerably higher carbon footprint of 0.423 kg CO2eq/kg. To summarise, this study highlights the environmental advantages of prioritising prevention and higher waste hierarchy levels. It underscores the need for context-specific evaluations when dealing with the intricacies of waste management systems. Moreover, the research emphasises the potential for innovative strategies, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and a holistic approach to address the complex issue of FLW, considering both the environmental impact and practical challenges in a real-world implementation.