LIFE CYCLE SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF DIW AND IMPROVEMENT SUGGESTIONS - CRADLE-TO-GATE APPROACH

Abstract

Deep Injection Well systems (DIWS) are crucial for waste management, and they incorporate a deep injection well, deep monitoring well, and shallow monitoring well. This study conducts a cradle-to-gate Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of constructing DIWS to quantify their environmental impacts. It sheds some light on improving the DIW system from a sustainability point of view. Adopting a "cradle-to-gate" scope, the LCA evaluates all stages from material manufacturing through on-site construction. A standard 50,000 m3/day model system forms the baseline. Aligned with ISO standards, the study illustrates the four LCA phases; goal/scope definition, life cycle inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation. We carefully collected data from different material, energy, and emission information sources and used extrapolation to estimate some machinery impacts. The inventory part of our work follows ISO 14044, while the impact assessment part uses TRACI to evaluate environmental criteria including global warming potential, ozone depletion, and ecotoxicity.