The efficient and timely removal of organic matter and nutrients from water used in normal municipal functions is considered to be the main task of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Therefore, these facilities are considered to be essential units that are required to avoid pollution of the water environment and decrease the possibility of triggering eutrophication. Even though these benefits are undeniable, they remain at odds with the high energy demand of wastewater treatment and sludge processes. As a consequence, WWTPs have various environmental impacts, which can be estimated and categorized using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analysis. In this study, a municipal WWTP based in Poznań, Poland, was examined using the method defined in ISO 14040. ReCiPe Endpoint and Midpoint (v1.11), in a hierarchical approach, were used to evaluate the environmental impacts regarding 18 different categories. All calculations were conducted using a detailed database from 2019, which describes each chosen facility. It was found that the energy component, related to the wastewater treatment process demand and electricity production, is the main determinant of the sum of the environmental impact indicators in light of the modelled energy mix. Therefore, it determines the entire process as an environmentally friendly activity.

The study concerns the life cycle assessment (LCA) of a prototype electric racing car, Formula Student, developed by students of the Poznan University of Technology under the name of eVarta. The main objective of this study is to identify critical environmental points and indicate key elements of the vehicle's life cycle, along with the impact of the assumptions made. In the first part of the work, a literature review and standard review are conducted to organise the information and methodological steps for the LCA components and their application in the subsequent stages of the study. The work focusses on defining the right assumptions, the process of data collection and its appropriate aggregation, as well as the creation of a functional structure for the object under study. SimaPRO software is used to perform the assessment. The results of the evaluation show the high importance of the vehicle transportation stage in the entire life cycle and the significant impact of the transport-related processes, mostly considering the fact that the eVarta is a concept racing car, used only in specific conditions of Formula Student races around the world. Most of the distances between races are covered using external transport means, and eVarta is used only for racing. The second main source of environmental impacts is related to the use of resources associated with the production of the high-voltage traction battery and the use of aluminium and related processes. eVarta is a custom concept race car, designed and built by the team of students from different faculties at Poznan University of Technology (Poland). As a prototype, eVarta demonstrates high levels of environmental burden related to the production of materials and techniques. The proportion of these impacts may be limited by using a 3D CAD model to improve the information flows regarding the production of all parts. Moreover, the reduction of the environmental impacts may be reached by: (a) enhancement of production of traction battery, (b) substitution of construction materials, and (c) improvements during use, e.g. implementation of energy recovery systems during braking. Graphical Abstract