Sustainable Process impact assessment method

As far as the impact assessment with the two different methods CML and SPI are concerned the results show concordant trends. The CML method addresses with its impact categories the various environmental problems in detail and is capable of highlighting the trade-offs between them. In contrast to this the Sustainable Process Index is aggregated across different impact categories and allows comparison of these effects based on natural flows and natural qualities. 

Given the data challenges discussed previously and the increasing use of streamlined methods, it is necessary to continuously improve the consistency and transparency of the information and the assumptions used in such tools to ensure the quality and the validity of the decisions made with the aid of LGA metrics. The inclusion of quality indicators (such as sensitivity and uncertainty analysis) will continue to be an important step to estimate the uncertainties involved in the inventory and impact models. Finally, there is a need to continuously perform peer review assessments by LGA experts, as the current LGA expertise in pharmaceuticals is very limited. When these requirements are fulfilled, LGA metrics are powerful tools to aid the decision making leading to more sustainable pharmaceutical processes. For further examples of FLASG scores and other LGA analyzes being applied, see Section 10.4.1. 

The environmental, economic, and social impacts are allocated for main products and coproducts (e.g., rice and rice husk in the rice husk preparation process, electricity and ash in the electricity generation process) according to their economic values. It should be noted that in this case study the main product (electricity) is quantified in MWh while its coproducts (bottom ash, fly ash, etc.) are quantified in tonne. The differences in quantification units make it impossible to allocate environmental, social, and economic impacts by weight basis. Among the available allocation methods, though the economic-based allocation is Hmited because of changing market values, it is, in this case study, the most suitable choice for assessing the sustainability of the product system. 

In order to evaluate sustainability of products and processes, the life cycle assessment (LCA) concept is a method for industry to understand, manage and reduce the environmental, health and resource consumption impacts associated with processes, products and activities.Due to the well-known environmental impacts of cotton and its further chemical processing, LCA evaluations have been used to develop the sustainability of man-made fibres, as well. In the case of cellulosic fibres based on cellulose polymers produced by photosynthesis, biodegradability can be seen as a benefit to fit the criteria of sustainability. 

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