Environmental aspects of bitumens

The assessment of bitumen s impacts on the environment should be carried out by Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). 

LCA covers the entire life cycle including extraction of the raw material, manufacturing, transport and distribution, product use, service and maintenance, and disposal (recycling, incineration or landfill). LCA can be divided into two distinct parts, the life cycle inventory (LCI) and life cycle impact (Shell Bitumen 2003). 

Eurobitume has carried out an LCI on bitumen, polymer-modified bitumen and bitumen emulsion (Eurobitume 2012). The results obtained may be used in an LCA study. 

Source Adapted from Chappat M. and J. Bilal, The Environmental Road of the Future Life Cycle Analysis, Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Colas Group, http //www.colas.com/FRONT/COLAS/upload/com/pdf /route-future-english.pdf, 2003. 

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