S-Tiles - settore ceramco

LCA/CERAMIC SECTOR

The Bologna Ceramic Centre carried out a study in 1998 with regard to the application of LCA methodology in the ceramic tiles sector. The specific procedure developed was based on the ISO 14040-14043 technical standards and on the method developed by the ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE CENTRE (ESC) of the University of Leiden (Netherlands), in co-operation with Unilever.

ECOINDICATOR was the chosen methodology for the environmental impact analysis, a non-dimensional index that quantitatively expresses the product’s environmental impact on the entire life cycle and on the overall environment.

The application of the LCA analysis in the ceramic tiles sector has permitted the identification of the most appropriate solutions for achieving the following results:

• The performance levels achieved in Italy in the purification of gaseous emissions, despite an increase in the consumption of energy and of auxiliary materials (lime) and the production of purification wastes (slaked lime), have defined the best environmental performance of the production unit.

• The recycling of waste is a best practice from the point of view of the environmental protection, both for its low material consumption level (input: natural resources) and for the environmental impact avoided (output: waste disposal and release of polluting substances into the environment).

• Adoption of co-generation, even under the conditions outlined in the study, guarantees a reduction of the environmental impact of the ceramic tiles process in the majority of the environmental aspects considered.