Title: Inclusive reporting of feedstock energy and stored carbon: asphalt case study

Authors: Liv Haselbach; Sila Temizel-Sekeryan

Addresses: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Lamar University, Cherry Engineering Building, Room #2616, P.O. Box 10024, Beaumont, TX 77710, USA ' Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Lamar University, Cherry Engineering Building, Room #2616, P.O. Box 10024, Beaumont, TX 77710, USA

Abstract: Environmental product declarations (EPDs) are reports of resource use and potential environmental impacts based on environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) methods. They tend to be related to a specific 'gate' such as prior to use or construction. Asphalt paving and some other industries have some features that might not readily be captured in EPDs if the impacts are only included to the gate. These include stored energy (feedstock energy), stored carbon, recycled content and its high recyclability. The feedstock energy and stored carbon might be valuable assets for future considerations. This research proposes the use of optional reporting modules in EPDs based on international standards to capture the stored energy and carbon, and recyclability aspects. These proposed schemes for expanding EPDs with these benefits and loads beyond the system boundary information modules, should allow decision makers and life cycle analysts to have more comprehensive information for future decisions, research and analyses.

Keywords: carbon accounting; asphalt; concrete; wood; environmental product declarations; EPDs; recyclability.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGW.2018.095389

International Journal of Global Warming, 2018 Vol.16 No.3, pp.281 - 298

Received: 15 Dec 2017
Accepted: 27 Mar 2018
Published online: 03 Oct 2018 *

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