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The application of circularity strategies to improve resource use and recovery should be considered with their potential impacts on the environment. Their effectiveness could be evaluated by combining the material circularity indicator (MCI) and life cycle assessment (LCA) methods. Environmental trade-offs may be underestimated for some strategies given that the loss of material quality with recycling has not been captured within the methodological framework of MCI. The current study demonstrates how significantly this limitation may influence the trade-offs in a case study. The methods are applied to several scenarios for the circularity improvement of alkaline batteries. The joint interpretation of MCI and LCA scores is carried out using waterfall charts and normalized indicator scores. Results suggest that improving circularity generally reduces environmental impacts, although there is large variability among two sets of values. For example, an increase of MCI score by 14% for two recycling scenarios translates to a small reduction of impacts in one case (0.06–1.64%) and a large reduction in another (9.84–56.82%). Observations from the case study are used to discuss the design and scope of MCI use and its combining with LCA. Lastly, we draw on the opportunities of the new comparative approach.
Edis Glogic; Guido Sonnemann; Steven Young. Environmental Trade-Offs of Downcycling in Circular Economy: Combining Life Cycle Assessment and Material Circularity Indicator to Inform Circularity Strategies for Alkaline Batteries. Sustainability 2021, 13, 1040 .
AMA StyleEdis Glogic, Guido Sonnemann, Steven Young. Environmental Trade-Offs of Downcycling in Circular Economy: Combining Life Cycle Assessment and Material Circularity Indicator to Inform Circularity Strategies for Alkaline Batteries. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (3):1040.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEdis Glogic; Guido Sonnemann; Steven Young. 2021. "Environmental Trade-Offs of Downcycling in Circular Economy: Combining Life Cycle Assessment and Material Circularity Indicator to Inform Circularity Strategies for Alkaline Batteries." Sustainability 13, no. 3: 1040.
Komal Habib; Benjamin Sprecher; Steven B. Young. COVID-19 impacts on metal supply: How does 2020 differ from previous supply chain disruptions? Resources, Conservation and Recycling 2020, 165, 105229 .
AMA StyleKomal Habib, Benjamin Sprecher, Steven B. Young. COVID-19 impacts on metal supply: How does 2020 differ from previous supply chain disruptions? Resources, Conservation and Recycling. 2020; 165 ():105229.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKomal Habib; Benjamin Sprecher; Steven B. Young. 2020. "COVID-19 impacts on metal supply: How does 2020 differ from previous supply chain disruptions?" Resources, Conservation and Recycling 165, no. : 105229.
The Geopolitical Supply Risk method, originally developed by Gemechu et al. (2016) and subsequently extended by Helbig et al. (2016a) and Cimprich et al. (2017, 2018), is aimed at incorporating supply risk assessment of “critical raw materials” as a complement to environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) within life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA). In this article, we further extend the method to consider the risk-mitigating potential of domestic recycling – thus advancing considerations of “circular economy” strategies for managing materials criticality. Our method captures two mechanisms through which domestic recycling can affect supply risk: a reduction in total imports (the “reduction effect”), and a potential redistribution of the import supply mix (the “redistribution effect”). We consider a range of outcomes from a best-case scenario (displacing imports from the riskiest trade partners) to a worst-case scenario (displacing imports from the least risky trade partners). Using our recently developed automated calculation tool, which significantly improves the practical applicability of the method by facilitating the otherwise burdensome computations required, we test and demonstrate our method on 13 raw materials used for information and communication technologies in the European Union. Thus, we test the notion that recycling mitigates supply risk. The reality is more complex. To maximize risk mitigation, recycling should ideally take place domestically, recycled material should be reinserted into the domestic economy, and the import supply mix should be considered, especially given that the redistribution effect sometimes exceeds the reduction effect.
Jair Santillán-Saldivar; Alexander Cimprich; Noor Shaikh; Bertrand Laratte; Steven B. Young; Guido Sonnemann. How recycling mitigates supply risks of critical raw materials: Extension of the geopolitical supply risk methodology applied to information and communication technologies in the European Union. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 2020, 164, 105108 .
AMA StyleJair Santillán-Saldivar, Alexander Cimprich, Noor Shaikh, Bertrand Laratte, Steven B. Young, Guido Sonnemann. How recycling mitigates supply risks of critical raw materials: Extension of the geopolitical supply risk methodology applied to information and communication technologies in the European Union. Resources, Conservation and Recycling. 2020; 164 ():105108.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJair Santillán-Saldivar; Alexander Cimprich; Noor Shaikh; Bertrand Laratte; Steven B. Young; Guido Sonnemann. 2020. "How recycling mitigates supply risks of critical raw materials: Extension of the geopolitical supply risk methodology applied to information and communication technologies in the European Union." Resources, Conservation and Recycling 164, no. : 105108.
Healthcare is a major emitter of environmental pollutants that adversely affect health. Within the healthcare community, awareness of these effects is low, and recognition of the duty to address them is only beginning to gain traction. Healthcare sustainability science explores dimensions of resource consumption and environmental emissions associated with healthcare activities. This emerging field provides tools and metrics to quantify the unintended consequences of healthcare delivery and evaluate effective approaches that improve patient safety while protecting public health. This narrative review describes the scope of healthcare sustainability research, identifies knowledge gaps, introduces a framework for applications of existing research methods and tools to the healthcare context, and establishes research priorities to improve the environmental performance of healthcare services. The framework was developed through review of the current state of healthcare sustainability science and expert consensus by the Working Group for Environmental Sustainability in Clinical Care. Key recommendations include: development of a comprehensive life cycle inventory database for medical devices and drugs; application of standardized sustainability performance metrics for clinician, hospital/health system, and national levels; revision of infection control standards driving non-evidence-based uptake of single-use disposable devices; call for increased federal research funding; and formation of a Global Commission on the Advancement of Environmental Sustainability in Healthcare. There is urgent need for research that informs policy and practice to address the public health crisis arising from healthcare pollution. A transformational vision is required to align research priorities to achieve a sustainable healthcare system that advances quality, safety and value.
Jodi D. Sherman; Cassandra Thiel; Andrea MacNeill; Matthew J. Eckelman; Robert Dubrow; Harriet Hopf; Robert Lagasse; Joseph Bialowitz; Anthony Costello; McGain Forbes; Rachel Stancliffe; Paul Anastas; Laura Anderko; Mark Baratz; Stefi Barna; Urvashi Bhatnagar; Jason Burnham; Yizhen Cai; Andy Cassels-Brown; Alexander F.P. Cimprich; Heidi Cole; Lorea Coronado-Garcia; Brett Duane; Gabriella Grisotti; Arthy Hartwell; Varshini Kumar; Ann Kurth; Michael Leapman; Daniel S. Morris; Michael Overcash; Abhijeet G. Parvatker; David Pencheon; Adam Pollard; Bernard Robaire; Karl Rockne; Blair L. Sadler; Beth Schenk; Tushar Sethi; L. Scott Sussman; Jeff Thompson; Janet M. Twomey; Sten H. Vermund; Daniel Vukelich; Natasha Wasim; Debbie Wilson; Steven B. Young; Julie Zimmerman; Melissa M. Bilec. The Green Print: Advancement of Environmental Sustainability in Healthcare. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 2020, 161, 104882 .
AMA StyleJodi D. Sherman, Cassandra Thiel, Andrea MacNeill, Matthew J. Eckelman, Robert Dubrow, Harriet Hopf, Robert Lagasse, Joseph Bialowitz, Anthony Costello, McGain Forbes, Rachel Stancliffe, Paul Anastas, Laura Anderko, Mark Baratz, Stefi Barna, Urvashi Bhatnagar, Jason Burnham, Yizhen Cai, Andy Cassels-Brown, Alexander F.P. Cimprich, Heidi Cole, Lorea Coronado-Garcia, Brett Duane, Gabriella Grisotti, Arthy Hartwell, Varshini Kumar, Ann Kurth, Michael Leapman, Daniel S. Morris, Michael Overcash, Abhijeet G. Parvatker, David Pencheon, Adam Pollard, Bernard Robaire, Karl Rockne, Blair L. Sadler, Beth Schenk, Tushar Sethi, L. Scott Sussman, Jeff Thompson, Janet M. Twomey, Sten H. Vermund, Daniel Vukelich, Natasha Wasim, Debbie Wilson, Steven B. Young, Julie Zimmerman, Melissa M. Bilec. The Green Print: Advancement of Environmental Sustainability in Healthcare. Resources, Conservation and Recycling. 2020; 161 ():104882.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJodi D. Sherman; Cassandra Thiel; Andrea MacNeill; Matthew J. Eckelman; Robert Dubrow; Harriet Hopf; Robert Lagasse; Joseph Bialowitz; Anthony Costello; McGain Forbes; Rachel Stancliffe; Paul Anastas; Laura Anderko; Mark Baratz; Stefi Barna; Urvashi Bhatnagar; Jason Burnham; Yizhen Cai; Andy Cassels-Brown; Alexander F.P. Cimprich; Heidi Cole; Lorea Coronado-Garcia; Brett Duane; Gabriella Grisotti; Arthy Hartwell; Varshini Kumar; Ann Kurth; Michael Leapman; Daniel S. Morris; Michael Overcash; Abhijeet G. Parvatker; David Pencheon; Adam Pollard; Bernard Robaire; Karl Rockne; Blair L. Sadler; Beth Schenk; Tushar Sethi; L. Scott Sussman; Jeff Thompson; Janet M. Twomey; Sten H. Vermund; Daniel Vukelich; Natasha Wasim; Debbie Wilson; Steven B. Young; Julie Zimmerman; Melissa M. Bilec. 2020. "The Green Print: Advancement of Environmental Sustainability in Healthcare." Resources, Conservation and Recycling 161, no. : 104882.
The diversity of raw materials used in modern products, compounded by the risk of supply disruptions—due to uneven geological distribution of resources, along with socioeconomic factors like production concentration and political (in)stability of raw material producing countries—has drawn attention to the subject of raw material “criticality.” In this article, we review the state of the art regarding the integration of criticality assessment, herein termed “product‐level supply risk assessment,” as a complement to environmental life cycle assessment. We describe and compare three methods explicitly developed for this purpose—Geopolitical Supply Risk (GeoPolRisk), Economic Scarcity Potential (ESP), and the Integrated Method to Assess Resource Efficiency (ESSENZ)—based on a set of criteria including considerations of data sources, uncertainties, and other contentious methodological aspects. We test the methods on a case study of a European‐manufactured electric vehicle, and conclude with guidance for appropriate application and interpretation, along with opportunities for further methodological development. Although the GeoPolRisk, ESP, and ESSENZ methods have several limitations, they can be useful for preliminary assessments of the potential impacts of raw material supply risks on a product system (i.e., “outside‐in” impacts) alongside the impacts of a product system on the environment (i.e., “inside‐out” impacts). Care is needed to not overlook critical raw materials used in small amounts but nonetheless important to product functionality. Further methodological development could address regional and firm‐level supply risks, multiple supply‐chain stages, and material recycling, while improving coverage of supply risk characterization factors.
Alexander Cimprich; Vanessa Bach; Christoph Helbig; Andrea Thorenz; Dieuwertje Schrijvers; Guido Sonnemann; Steven Young; Thomas Sonderegger; Markus Berger. Raw material criticality assessment as a complement to environmental life cycle assessment: Examining methods for product‐level supply risk assessment. Journal of Industrial Ecology 2019, 23, 1226 -1236.
AMA StyleAlexander Cimprich, Vanessa Bach, Christoph Helbig, Andrea Thorenz, Dieuwertje Schrijvers, Guido Sonnemann, Steven Young, Thomas Sonderegger, Markus Berger. Raw material criticality assessment as a complement to environmental life cycle assessment: Examining methods for product‐level supply risk assessment. Journal of Industrial Ecology. 2019; 23 (5):1226-1236.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlexander Cimprich; Vanessa Bach; Christoph Helbig; Andrea Thorenz; Dieuwertje Schrijvers; Guido Sonnemann; Steven Young; Thomas Sonderegger; Markus Berger. 2019. "Raw material criticality assessment as a complement to environmental life cycle assessment: Examining methods for product‐level supply risk assessment." Journal of Industrial Ecology 23, no. 5: 1226-1236.
Global manufacturing firms are engaging distant suppliers of critical raw materials to participate in responsible sourcing. Downstream firms are concerned about risks in mineral supply chains of violent conflict, human rights violations, and poor governance, but they are limited in seeing their suppliers. Descriptive data on 323 smelters and refiners of tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold (the “conflict minerals”) were complemented by interviews with downstream firms in the electronics industry. Results provided a narrative of supplier engagement, describing tactics used to identify “deep suppliers” at chokepoints in metals supply and to persuade producers into joining due diligence programs. Top-tier firms collaborate through a standards program to overcame barriers of geography and cultural distance in supply chain management beyond the visible horizon. Curiously, manufacturers do not need line-of-sight transparency to lower-tier suppliers. Rather, top-tier firms are “jumping the chain” to engage directly with “deep suppliers” who may—or may not—be their own actual physical suppliers. The research contributes empirical evidence to understanding multi-tier supply chains, examines how power is exercised by top-tier firms managing suppliers, and provides insights on supply chain transparency. Responsible sourcing, based on due diligence guidance and standards, is becoming expected of companies that are involved in supply chains of raw materials.
Steven B. Young; Shannon Fernandes; Michael O. Wood. Jumping the Chain: How Downstream Manufacturers Engage with Deep Suppliers of Conflict Minerals. Resources 2019, 8, 26 .
AMA StyleSteven B. Young, Shannon Fernandes, Michael O. Wood. Jumping the Chain: How Downstream Manufacturers Engage with Deep Suppliers of Conflict Minerals. Resources. 2019; 8 (1):26.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSteven B. Young; Shannon Fernandes; Michael O. Wood. 2019. "Jumping the Chain: How Downstream Manufacturers Engage with Deep Suppliers of Conflict Minerals." Resources 8, no. 1: 26.
Vehicle electrification increases the fuel efficiency of the transportation sector while lowering emissions. Eventually, however, electric vehicle batteries will reach their end-of-life (EOL) point, when the capacity of the battery is insufficient for operating a motor vehicle. At this point, the battery is typically removed for recycling. This treatment of the electric vehicle battery is not efficient, as there is still a high enough storage capacity that they can be used in various non-vehicular uses. Unfortunately, there are numerous barriers limiting the adoption of re-used electric vehicle batteries. Herein, the authors analyze the limitations and current codes and standards that affect re-purposed battery pack designs. Utilizing these requirements, a bench test setup is designed and built, to determine feasibility of a repurposed electric vehicle (EV) battery for stationary energy storage in Canada.
John W. A. Catton; Sean B. Walker; Paul McInnis; Michael Fowler; Roydon A. Fraser; Steven B. Young; Ben Gaffney. Design and Analysis of the Use of Re-Purposed Electric Vehicle Batteries for Stationary Energy Storage in Canada. Batteries 2019, 5, 14 .
AMA StyleJohn W. A. Catton, Sean B. Walker, Paul McInnis, Michael Fowler, Roydon A. Fraser, Steven B. Young, Ben Gaffney. Design and Analysis of the Use of Re-Purposed Electric Vehicle Batteries for Stationary Energy Storage in Canada. Batteries. 2019; 5 (1):14.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJohn W. A. Catton; Sean B. Walker; Paul McInnis; Michael Fowler; Roydon A. Fraser; Steven B. Young; Ben Gaffney. 2019. "Design and Analysis of the Use of Re-Purposed Electric Vehicle Batteries for Stationary Energy Storage in Canada." Batteries 5, no. 1: 14.
This study expands the environmental sustainability paradigm of reverse supply chains. The study examines the notion of closed-loop supply chains and suggests the use of the term in academia and business is too limited from a sustainability perspective. Three case examples in automotive remanufacturing were chosen to represent a global, multi-tier industry with documented circular economy strategies. A simple conceptual framework is developed that bridges different concepts of “loops” at whole product, component and material levels, and which is then used to show that closed-loop supply chains that focus on OEM activities appear to overlook alternative models of reverse supply chain loops. The study considers how these alternative loops contribute to environmental sustainability by looking at market dynamics and relations between business actors in supply chains in automotive remanufacturing. Alternative loops may contribute to product displacement activities in the market and thus provide positive environmental and resource results. The narrow focus on “closed loops” in supply-chain research and industry simplifies potential benefits and weaknesses, and overlooks the contribution of “open loops” in supply chains, which enable business innovation and can improve sustainability outcomes in product and material supply chains. This article fills a void in supply chain management research and argues for a more adaptive management approach to reverse supply chains for end-of-life products.
Matthias Kalverkamp; Steven B. Young. In support of open-loop supply chains: Expanding the scope of environmental sustainability in reverse supply chains. Journal of Cleaner Production 2019, 214, 573 -582.
AMA StyleMatthias Kalverkamp, Steven B. Young. In support of open-loop supply chains: Expanding the scope of environmental sustainability in reverse supply chains. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2019; 214 ():573-582.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMatthias Kalverkamp; Steven B. Young. 2019. "In support of open-loop supply chains: Expanding the scope of environmental sustainability in reverse supply chains." Journal of Cleaner Production 214, no. : 573-582.
Product lifecycles can contain several waste management steps after the production of a product. At each step, ‘end-of-life’ supply chains can separate, each emerging supply chain representing an intended lifecycle or an unintended, though not necessarily inferior lifecycle in terms of sustainability. This variety demonstrates the complexity arising at the end-of-life and indicates that not necessarily a single actor coordinates these supply chains. The cascade use methodology targets this complexity by identifying sustainable supply chains, possibly managed by alternative actors. This study applies the methodology to a novel case of vehicle reuse and conversion discussing its sustainability and implications for decision makers. The authors argue for more adaptive management approaches to address sustainability in product lifecycles more holistically.
Matthias Kalverkamp; Alexandra Pehlken; Thorsten Wuest; Steven B. Young. Sustainability of Cascading Product Lifecycles. Lecture Notes in Control and Information Sciences 2018, 159 -168.
AMA StyleMatthias Kalverkamp, Alexandra Pehlken, Thorsten Wuest, Steven B. Young. Sustainability of Cascading Product Lifecycles. Lecture Notes in Control and Information Sciences. 2018; ():159-168.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMatthias Kalverkamp; Alexandra Pehlken; Thorsten Wuest; Steven B. Young. 2018. "Sustainability of Cascading Product Lifecycles." Lecture Notes in Control and Information Sciences , no. : 159-168.
Nabeel A. Mancheri; Benjamin Sprecher; Sebastiaan Deetman; Steven Young; Raimund Bleischwitz; Liang Dong; Rene Kleijn; Arnold Tukker. Resilience in the tantalum supply chain. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 2018, 129, 56 -69.
AMA StyleNabeel A. Mancheri, Benjamin Sprecher, Sebastiaan Deetman, Steven Young, Raimund Bleischwitz, Liang Dong, Rene Kleijn, Arnold Tukker. Resilience in the tantalum supply chain. Resources, Conservation and Recycling. 2018; 129 ():56-69.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNabeel A. Mancheri; Benjamin Sprecher; Sebastiaan Deetman; Steven Young; Raimund Bleischwitz; Liang Dong; Rene Kleijn; Arnold Tukker. 2018. "Resilience in the tantalum supply chain." Resources, Conservation and Recycling 129, no. : 56-69.
While environmental LCA is relatively well developed, impact assessment methods for the “natural resources” AoP are weak. In particular, resource “criticality” is not addressed in conventional environmental impact assessment methods, though it could be captured within life cycle sustainability assessment. In that regard, the present article extends the previously developed geopolitical supply risk (GPSR) method by demonstrating the connection of criticality to a functional unit while incorporating measures of material substitutability to reflect the “vulnerability” dimension of criticality. The GPSR method developed by Gemechu et al. (J Ind Ecol 20:154–165, 2015a) and subsequently extended by Helbig et al. (J Clean Prod 137:1170–1178, 2016a), and Cimprich et al. (J Clean Prod, 2017) is integrated into an LCIA characterization model. Further, semi-quantitative material substitutability indicator values based on a study by Graedel et al. (PNAS 112:6295–6300, 2015) are incorporated to represent the vulnerability dimension of criticality. The method is demonstrated with an update of a previously published case study of a European-manufactured electric vehicle by Gemechu et al. (Int J Life Cycle Assess 22:31–39, 2015b), along with a new case study of dental X-ray equipment. Due to novel aspects of the GPSR method, the latter case involves constructing an unusually comprehensive bill of materials by tracing unit processes to input commodities with identification codes for collecting commodity trade data. Supply risk “hotspots” are often associated with “minor” commodities such as neodymium in an electric vehicle and cesium iodide in a dental X-ray system. Though difficult to measure, material substitutability can mitigate supply risk. Environmental loads of a dental X-ray system are dominated by production of relatively small specialized functional components like capacitors and printed circuit boards, which are far more environmentally intensive per unit of mass than common structural and mechanical components. Thus, small components comprised of minor materials can “pack a punch” from a supply risk and environmental perspective. The GPSR method presented in the present article brings resource criticality assessment to a product-level while addressing a gap in conventional LCIA methods regarding short-run, socioeconomic availability of natural resources. Further, the case studies illustrate the significance of material substitutability in supply risk assessment. Several complications and limitations of the GPSR method offer directions for future research. Nonetheless, the GPSR method complements environmental LCA to better inform design and management decisions on a product-level.
Alexander Cimprich; Karim S. Karim; Steven Young. Extending the geopolitical supply risk method: material “substitutability” indicators applied to electric vehicles and dental X-ray equipment. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 2017, 23, 2024 -2042.
AMA StyleAlexander Cimprich, Karim S. Karim, Steven Young. Extending the geopolitical supply risk method: material “substitutability” indicators applied to electric vehicles and dental X-ray equipment. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. 2017; 23 (10):2024-2042.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlexander Cimprich; Karim S. Karim; Steven Young. 2017. "Extending the geopolitical supply risk method: material “substitutability” indicators applied to electric vehicles and dental X-ray equipment." The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 23, no. 10: 2024-2042.
Alexander Cimprich; Steven B. Young; Christoph Helbig; Eskinder D. Gemechu; Andrea Thorenz; Axel Tuma; Guido Sonnemann. Extension of geopolitical supply risk methodology: Characterization model applied to conventional and electric vehicles. Journal of Cleaner Production 2017, 162, 754 -763.
AMA StyleAlexander Cimprich, Steven B. Young, Christoph Helbig, Eskinder D. Gemechu, Andrea Thorenz, Axel Tuma, Guido Sonnemann. Extension of geopolitical supply risk methodology: Characterization model applied to conventional and electric vehicles. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2017; 162 ():754-763.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlexander Cimprich; Steven B. Young; Christoph Helbig; Eskinder D. Gemechu; Andrea Thorenz; Axel Tuma; Guido Sonnemann. 2017. "Extension of geopolitical supply risk methodology: Characterization model applied to conventional and electric vehicles." Journal of Cleaner Production 162, no. : 754-763.
Electrification of the vehicle market is aiding in increasing fuel efficiencies of vehicles while lowering emissions. However, eventually the vehicle battery will reach its End-of-Life (EOL) point, usually referred to as the point when the State-of-Health (SOH) of the battery is at 80% [1]. At this point, the battery can no longer be used in its original vehicle application, and must be removed for recycling. This has been shown to be uneconomical, since the vehicle batteries still have approximately 80% of their original capacity remaining [1]. Although no longer beneficial as a vehicle battery, they can be further utilized in a different application. Repurposing battery packs, however, can be quite the undertaking with many barriers limiting their adoption. This work seeks to understand the limitations and current codes and standards that affect repurposed battery pack designs. Utilizing these requirements, a bench test setup was designed, built, and tested to determine feasibility.
John Catton; Sean B. Walker; Paul McInnis; Michael Fowler; Roydon Fraser; Steven B. Young; Ben Gaffney. Comparative safety risk and the use of repurposed EV batteries for stationary energy storage. 2017 IEEE International Conference on Smart Energy Grid Engineering (SEGE) 2017, 200 -209.
AMA StyleJohn Catton, Sean B. Walker, Paul McInnis, Michael Fowler, Roydon Fraser, Steven B. Young, Ben Gaffney. Comparative safety risk and the use of repurposed EV batteries for stationary energy storage. 2017 IEEE International Conference on Smart Energy Grid Engineering (SEGE). 2017; ():200-209.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJohn Catton; Sean B. Walker; Paul McInnis; Michael Fowler; Roydon Fraser; Steven B. Young; Ben Gaffney. 2017. "Comparative safety risk and the use of repurposed EV batteries for stationary energy storage." 2017 IEEE International Conference on Smart Energy Grid Engineering (SEGE) , no. : 200-209.
Goretty M. Dias; Nathan W. Ayer; Shalin Khosla; Rene Van Acker; Steven Young; Stephanie Whitney; Patrick Hendricks. Life cycle perspectives on the sustainability of Ontario greenhouse tomato production: Benchmarking and improvement opportunities. Journal of Cleaner Production 2017, 140, 831 -839.
AMA StyleGoretty M. Dias, Nathan W. Ayer, Shalin Khosla, Rene Van Acker, Steven Young, Stephanie Whitney, Patrick Hendricks. Life cycle perspectives on the sustainability of Ontario greenhouse tomato production: Benchmarking and improvement opportunities. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2017; 140 ():831-839.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGoretty M. Dias; Nathan W. Ayer; Shalin Khosla; Rene Van Acker; Steven Young; Stephanie Whitney; Patrick Hendricks. 2017. "Life cycle perspectives on the sustainability of Ontario greenhouse tomato production: Benchmarking and improvement opportunities." Journal of Cleaner Production 140, no. : 831-839.
Alexandra Pehlken; Steven B. Young; Ming Chen. Preface. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 2016, 22, 1 -3.
AMA StyleAlexandra Pehlken, Steven B. Young, Ming Chen. Preface. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. 2016; 22 (1):1-3.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlexandra Pehlken; Steven B. Young; Ming Chen. 2016. "Preface." The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 22, no. 1: 1-3.
Past studies have considered the impact of fashion on consumer textile disposal behaviour, but have focused mainly on drivers of clothing waste. There is a lack of research that examines consumer attitudes towards fashion and their disposal methods. This study conducted an online survey of 410 people in Ontario, Canada with varying demographic characteristics to assess how they currently manage their textile waste including resell, swap, take-back, donation and disposal. Respondents were asked about their fashion interest and shopping frequency and were assigned a fashion index value. The fashion index value is not a means of grouping consumers but is instead a continuum to model interest in fashion, with one extreme representing fashion consumers and the other representing non-fashion consumers. Statistical analysis was then used to establish whether there is a link between textile waste behaviour and fashion index. The results indicate that consumers with a high fashion index (i.e. fashion consumers) and consumers with low fashion index (i.e. non-fashion consumers) manage their textile waste differently. While the majority of participants donate and dispose of unwanted clothes, fashion consumers are more interested and more likely to participate in alternative methods (e.g. resell, swap, and take back) for removing unwanted textiles. Although fashion consumers produce more textile waste than non-fashion consumers, textile consumption cannot be directly equated with textile waste since fashion consumers were found to have a lower disposal rate than non-fashion consumers (38 percent to 50 percent, respectively). The distinct disposal characteristics of fashion and non-fashion consumers (i.e. interest and willingness to participate in alternative channels) allows strategies to be tailored accordingly so that the amount of waste going to landfill can be reduced.
Sabine Weber; Jennifer Lynes; Steven B. Young. Fashion interest as a driver for consumer textile waste management: reuse, recycle or disposal. International Journal of Consumer Studies 2016, 41, 207 -215.
AMA StyleSabine Weber, Jennifer Lynes, Steven B. Young. Fashion interest as a driver for consumer textile waste management: reuse, recycle or disposal. International Journal of Consumer Studies. 2016; 41 (2):207-215.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSabine Weber; Jennifer Lynes; Steven B. Young. 2016. "Fashion interest as a driver for consumer textile waste management: reuse, recycle or disposal." International Journal of Consumer Studies 41, no. 2: 207-215.
Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery packs recovered from end-of-life electric vehicles (EV) present potential technological, economic and environmental opportunities for improving energy systems and material efficiency. Battery packs can be reused in stationary applications as part of a “smart grid”, for example to provide energy storage systems (ESS) for load leveling, residential or commercial power. Previous work on EV battery reuse has demonstrated technical viability and shown energy efficiency benefits in energy storage systems modeled under commercial scenarios. The current analysis performs a life cycle assessment (LCA) study on a Li-ion battery pack used in an EV and then reused in a stationary ESS. A complex functional unit is used to combine energy delivered by the battery pack from the mobility function and the stationary ESS. Various scenarios of cascaded “EV mobility plus reuse in stationary clean electric power scenarios” are contrasted with “conventional system mobility with internal combustion engine vehicles plus natural gas peaking power.” Eight years are assumed for first use; with 10 years for reuse in the stationary application. Operational scenarios and environmental data are based on real time-of-day and time-of-year power use. Additional data from LCA databases are utilized. Ontario, Canada, is used as the geographic baseline; analysis includes sensitivity to the electricity mix and battery degradation. Seven environmental categories are assessed using ReCiPe. Results indicate that the manufacturing phase of the Li-ion battery will still dominate environmental impacts across the extended life cycle of the pack (first use in vehicle plus reuse in stationary application). For most impact categories, the cascaded use system appears significantly beneficial compared to the conventional system. By consuming clean energy sources for both use and reuse, global and local environmental stress reductions can be supported. Greenhouse gas advantages of vehicle electrification can be doubled by extending the life of the EV batteries, and enabling better use of off-peak low-cost clean electricity or intermittent renewable capacity. However, questions remain concerning implications of long-duration use of raw material resources employed before potential recycling. Li-ion battery packs present opportunities for powering both mobility and stationary applications in the necessary transition to cleaner energy. Battery state-of-health is a considerable determinant in the life cycle performance of a Li-ion battery pack. The use of a complex functional unit was demonstrated in studying a component system with multiple uses in a cascaded application.
Leila Ahmadi; Steven B. Young; Michael Fowler; Roydon Andrew Fraser; Mohammad Ahmadi Achachlouei. A cascaded life cycle: reuse of electric vehicle lithium-ion battery packs in energy storage systems. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 2015, 22, 111 -124.
AMA StyleLeila Ahmadi, Steven B. Young, Michael Fowler, Roydon Andrew Fraser, Mohammad Ahmadi Achachlouei. A cascaded life cycle: reuse of electric vehicle lithium-ion battery packs in energy storage systems. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. 2015; 22 (1):111-124.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLeila Ahmadi; Steven B. Young; Michael Fowler; Roydon Andrew Fraser; Mohammad Ahmadi Achachlouei. 2015. "A cascaded life cycle: reuse of electric vehicle lithium-ion battery packs in energy storage systems." The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 22, no. 1: 111-124.
Responsible sourcing of metals is characterized as an approach for life cycle management (LCM) and sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) of social issues. The focus is on the supply of “conflict minerals”—tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold (3TG)—whose mining and trade are implicated in conflict and severe social conditions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Downstream manufacturers are using compliance strategies to reach multiple tiers and long distances into product chains to buy conflict-free sources of these metals from mines, smelters, and refineries. The research uses qualitative methods and public documents to compare 16 conflict mineral programs. A theoretical framework in three dimensions guided the enquiry into program governance, program standards, and certification processes. Additional empirical analysis of the conflict-free sourcing program, the largest and most central industry-led effort on conflict minerals, was supported by confidential access to audit reports, company policies, and management procedures on more than 140 metallurgical facilities. In fewer than 4 years, conflict-free sourcing programs have impacted global 3TG metal supply chains, as indicated by pricing and significant producer compliance. Electronics, jewelry, and other manufacturers—many influenced by US conflict mineral regulation—are “pulling” metals markets for conflict-free sourcing. Private standard programs focus on product chain chokepoints to support efficient engagement: a limited number of 3TG facilities that are influenced to implement “responsibility management systems,” practice conflict-free sourcing, and undergo compliance audits. Some supply chains operate as closed pipelines along the full product chain from mine to end-product. Tantalum has been most successful as about 95 % of producers are compliant; however, for gold, in particular, the scale of compliance is challenged. Downstream manufacturing industries are “governing at a distance” the management practices of upstream raw material producers. For LCM, responsible sourcing may be applicable to product chains with other metals and commodities. For SSCM, conflict-free sourcing indicates how compliance and supplier development strategies can penetrate multiple tiers into supply chains to address social issues in developing countries. Future research is needed on understanding more on supplier companies and their motivations and on sustainability performance outcomes for the conflict mineral problem.
Steven B. Young. Responsible sourcing of metals: certification approaches for conflict minerals and conflict-free metals. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 2015, 23, 1429 -1447.
AMA StyleSteven B. Young. Responsible sourcing of metals: certification approaches for conflict minerals and conflict-free metals. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. 2015; 23 (7):1429-1447.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSteven B. Young. 2015. "Responsible sourcing of metals: certification approaches for conflict minerals and conflict-free metals." The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 23, no. 7: 1429-1447.
Introducing a geopolitical-related supply risk (GeoPolRisk) into the life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) framework adds a criticality aspect to the current life cycle assessment (LCA) framework to more meaningfully address direct impacts on Natural Resource AoP. The weakness of resource indicators in LCA has been the topic of discussion within the life cycle community for some time. This paper presents a case study on how to proceed towards the integration of resource criticality assessment into LCA under the LCSA. The paper aims at highlighting the significance of introducing the GeoPolRisk indicator to complement and extend the established environmental LCA impact categories. A newly developed GeoPolRisk indicator proposed by Gemechu et al., J Ind Ecol (2015) was applied to metals used in the life cycle of an electric vehicle, and the results are compared with an attributional LCA of the same resources. The inventory data is based on the publication by Hawkins et al., J Ind Ecol 17:53–64 (2013), which provides a current, transparent, and detailed life cycle inventory data of a European representative first-generation battery small electric vehicle. From the 14 investigated metals, copper, aluminum, and steel are the most dominant elements that pose high environmental impacts. On the other hand, magnesium and neodymium show relatively higher supply risk when geopolitical elements are considered. While, the environmental indicator results all tend to point the same hotspots which arise from the substantial use of resources in the electric vehicle’s life cycle, the GeoPolRisk highlights that there are important elements present in very small amounts but crucial to the overall LCSA. It provides a complementary sustainability dimension that can be added to conventional LCA as an important extension within LCSA. Resource challenges in a short-term time perspective can be better addressed by including social and geopolitical factors in addition to the conventional indicators which are based on their geological availability. This is more significant for modern technologies such as electronic devices in which critical resources contribute to important components. The case study advances the use of the GeoPolRisk assessment method but does still face certain limitations that need further elaboration; however, directions for future research are promising.
Eskinder Demisse Gemechu; Guido Sonnemann; Steven Young. Geopolitical-related supply risk assessment as a complement to environmental impact assessment: the case of electric vehicles. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 2015, 22, 31 -39.
AMA StyleEskinder Demisse Gemechu, Guido Sonnemann, Steven Young. Geopolitical-related supply risk assessment as a complement to environmental impact assessment: the case of electric vehicles. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. 2015; 22 (1):31-39.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEskinder Demisse Gemechu; Guido Sonnemann; Steven Young. 2015. "Geopolitical-related supply risk assessment as a complement to environmental impact assessment: the case of electric vehicles." The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 22, no. 1: 31-39.
In the more than a half century since the end of World War II, we have gone from the creation of academic and scientific disciplines around the Arctic to issues-based circumpolar studies in the twenty-first century. This chapter seeks to show the roots of northern studies following World War II and their evolution into circumpolar studies following the fall of the Soviet Union and the establishment of the Arctic Council and the University of the Arctic. As will be seen, each disciplinary focus yields a different kind of understanding of the Far North, and all the disciplines lend themselves to an appreciation of a circumpolar world.
Kathleen Osgood; Steven B. Young; James Gustave Speth. From Northern Studies to Circumpolar Studies: In the Field and in the Ether. Diplomacy on Ice 2015, 224 -234.
AMA StyleKathleen Osgood, Steven B. Young, James Gustave Speth. From Northern Studies to Circumpolar Studies: In the Field and in the Ether. Diplomacy on Ice. 2015; ():224-234.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKathleen Osgood; Steven B. Young; James Gustave Speth. 2015. "From Northern Studies to Circumpolar Studies: In the Field and in the Ether." Diplomacy on Ice , no. : 224-234.