Lucia Rigamonti

Politecnico di Milano | Polimi · Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Purpose This article provides methodological insights to evaluate the socio-economic risk of an emerging froth flotation technology for the mining sector with the goal of guiding the design and development process. This technology is used to separate valuable particles based on surface properties among minerals and, if properly developed, could be...

Purpose The life cycle assessment (LCA) performed in this work evaluates the potential environmental impacts of an activated-sludge-based wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) coupled with microalgal cultivation, including the algal biomass recovery. The system is compared with the WWTP without algal integration to evaluate the potential benefits deriv...

Floating Offshore Wind Farms (FOWFs) are the most promising renewable energy resource. Floating turbines are installed at progressively increasing water depths, interacting with offshore and deep-sea ecosystems. Thus, specific criteria to enable a sound and accurate Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) are required. The still limited understanding...

In the recent years, packaging made of conventional plastics has been increasingly replaced by materials believed to be more sustainable. However, perceived sustainability must align with scientific assessments, such as life cycle assessments (LCAs). This review analysed 53 peer-reviewed studies published in the time range 2019–2023, aiming at unde...

Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) are sensitive snapshots of a products’ environmental impact, and their findings depend on how they are framed and modelled. Variations in assumptions, functional unit or system boundaries can completely change results and undermine their applicability and final outcome. In the framework of the Circular Economy, particu...

I fanghi prodotti dal trattamento delle acque reflue urbane sono una tipologia di rifiuto che richiede un adeguato trattamento e smaltimento al fine di minimizzare odori, emissioni e possibile trasmissione di malattie. Oltre agli impatti ambientali, anche i costi hanno un ruolo di primo piano. Si è deciso pertanto di approfondire i temi della soste...

The aim of this article is to examine how Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) contributes to the development of Waste Management Plans (WMPs). The case of Italy has been deeply investigated. The article first analyses whether and how the LCT methodologies were applied to the 21 regional WMPs; then, it draws indications for using LCT in the preparation of a W...

Assessing the sustainability of a product system requires the use of tools able to represent its economic and environmental performance through a single indicator. For more than 20 years, researchers have been developing and implementing different techniques to integrate the results obtained from Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (...

Social Life Cycle Assessment of the Waste Sector in Europe

Purpose This study aims at evaluating the environmental performance of a novel froth flotation technology in mining industry from a life cycle perspective. The technology is being developed under EU Horizon 2020 project titled “FineFuture” (FF) with the aim of saving valuable materials in fine particles that are currently wasted due to lack of tech...

New policies to promote the circular economy have created an urgent need for businesses and public authorities to quantify and monitor the level of circularity of materials, components and products. However, flows of materials, components and products through society are inherently complex, involving intricate value chains, many stakeholders, and i...

Passenger cars account for 44% of greenhouse gas emissions from transport in the European Union. To align with the European Green Deal by 2050, road transport should develop and deploy alternative technologies to reduce emissions by 90%. In this work, the Life Cycle Assessment methodology was applied to assess the environmental impacts of a medium...

Freight transportation impacts significantly on the environment. A tougher competition for efficiency and sustainability among transportation mode is foreseen in the coming years. However, there is still a gap in the literature concerning the impact assessment of freight transportation, considering all the phases of the life cycle, including infras...

Separation by flotation is one of the common technologies used during beneficiation stage in mining industry, aiming at concentrating valuable minerals for downstream refining stages. Currently a new froth flotation technology is being developed under FineFuture (FF) project, funded by the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation program...

The iron and steel industry is responsible for a significant amount of direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions. The goal of this study is to evaluate the environmental impacts of a new system in which the steel mill gases (Basic oxygen furnace gases BOFGs, Blast furnace gases BFGs, and Coke oven gases COGs) are used to produce both methanol an...

Nel 2009 la Life Cycle Initiative pubblicò un insieme di linee guida riguardo la Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA): l'obiettivo di questa pubblicazione fu quello di trovare un denominatore comune nell'applicazione pratica della metodologia, per offrire una base solida da cui partire negli studi di settore. Nell'ultimo decennio, da quando sono st...

Purpose The aim of this literature review is to investigate the role of the beneficiation stage in the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of metals and minerals with a focus on the flotation process. Methods The systematic literature search included LCA studies comprising the beneficiation stage in their system boundaries and resulted in 29 studies that...

The consumption of bottled mineral water in Italy is amongst the highest at the European level. This life cycle assessment (LCA) aims to evaluate the environmental impacts associated with the distribution of mineral water in the Italian hospitality industry, that is less investigated than the domestic consumption in the existing literature. The use...

Purpose In a context where the transition to a circular economy is increasingly required, it is necessary to clarify the relationship between sustainability and circularity. In this commentary we summarise what are circularity indicators and what is LCA (Life Cycle Assessment), and we discuss their potential role in improving circular decision maki...

The organic fraction (mainly food waste) is typically the most abundant of the separately collected waste streams. The research aims at investigating the influence of different types of collection bag on the environmental performances of the food waste management chain in Italy. A comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) between two alternative syst...

The main problem with the recovery of construction and demolition (C&D) waste is the huge amount of recycled aggregates that remain unsold, due, maybe, to the lack of trust by sector operators. Carry on an environmental assessment would be a useful method to reveal the advantages in the use of the secondary resources. Through a literature review, t...

In Italy, the majority of construction and demolition waste is already sent to recovery, however a large amount of recycled aggregates remain unsold. This set the gaze on potential solutions to promote their use in new buildings and accordingly overcome the lack of trust of the sector operators. Carrying out a cost assessment is a valuable method i...

Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs) have been researched to improve properties of concrete, including environmental indicators. Copper Treated Tailings (TT) have shown a promissory use as SCM but need of mechanical and thermal treatment has an impact on their environmental performance. The impact of the use of SCMs on the mechanical propert...

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a widespread tool used to guide decision-makers towards optimal strategic choices for sustainable growth. A key aspect of LCA studies of waste management systems where recycling activities are present is to account for resource recovery and the related substitution effects. Although multiple scientific papers assume a...

An innovative sleeper with a pre-stressed reinforced concrete inner structure wrapped by an outer shell manufactured with end-of-life tires powder and recycled plastics has been recently designed by the Greenrail company. The external protection is aimed at increasing its lifetime and reducing the maintenance requirements of the railway lines. This...

According to recent studies, in Italy most of the mineral waste from construction and demolition (C&D) activities is already sent for recovery, but the closure of the circle, necessary for the realization of the circular economy, is not yet reached. Despite of the good performance in terms of recycling rate there are still obstacles that prevent th...

RIVISTA: Recycling - demolizioni & riciclaggio, ANNO 24, N.1 Gennaio-Febbraio 2020 L’End of Waste (in italiano: cessazione della qualifica di rifiuto) è un tassello fondamentale dell’economia circolare. Il raggiungimento di questo nuovo modello economico, sviluppato in sostituzione del modello di economia lineare, è però reso difficile da vincoli...

L’End of Waste (in italiano “cessazione della qualifica di rifiuto”) è un tassello fondamentale dell’economia circolare, che da ormai qualche anno si pone l’obiettivo di effettuare un cambio di modello di business rispetto al modo di consumare e di intendere l’utilizzo della materia, al fine di avvicinarsi sempre di più ai modelli naturali. Il ragg...

Re-use of packaging items plays a key role in the achievement of sustainable management of resources, one of the key aims of the circular economy concept. In this study, the environmental impacts of the life cycle of glass bottles used for mineral water have been assessed as a function of the number of uses (the so-called “rotations”) by applying t...

Copper treated tailings (TT) have been studied as a supplementary cementitious material from a mechanical performance point of view. Nevertheless, treatments on tailings introduces impacts that need to be considered when evaluating the environmental performances. This Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study focusses on the use in concrete mixes of TT. Mi...

Selective demolition is usually perceived as essential for a sustainable built environment since it aims to maximise the valorisation of constituent building materials and components giving them a new life. The successful diversion of construction materials from landfill and the extent of recovery of construction and demolition wastes as secondary...

The Environmental Life Cycle Costing (LCC) methodology was applied to assess the costs of the processing in Italy of municipal Residual Waste (RW) in Mechanical-Biological Treatment (MBT) plants aimed at the production of Solid Recovered Fuels (SRFs), delivered to dedicated waste-to-energy (WTE) plants or to co-combustion. Two different functional...

This study aimed at evaluating environmental sustainable solutions for managing the gypsum waste in Lombardy region (Italy), based on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. Primary data and information related to gypsum waste flows, recovery technologies and end-market of recycled materials were gathered to depict the whole recycling chain an...

Construction and demolition (C&D) waste is one of the heaviest and most voluminous waste streams generated nowadays in the world. Improper management of C&D waste often results in considerable environmental impacts. This study investigates the potential environmental impacts related to the end-of-life stage of buildings, focusing on how the use of...

The European packaging market is forecast to grow 1.9% annually in the next years, with an increasing use of returnable packages. In this context, it is important to assess the real environmental effectiveness of the packaging re-use practice in terms of environmental impacts. This life cycle assessment aims to evaluate the environmental performanc...

In recent years, Malaysia has faced an intense demand for infrastructure development and the construction industry has become an integral part of transforming the country into a developed nation. Large numbers of development works are perturbing and they are subject to the improper management of construction and demolition (C&D) wastes. Lacking in...

Sommario-Oggetto del presente studio è un'analisi economica della filiera costituita dal trattamento del rifiuto urbano residuo (RUR) in impianti di trattamen-to meccanico-biologico (TMB) per la produzione di flussi di materiali, come Combustibili Solidi Seconda-ri (CSS) o frazioni secche, aventi potenziale energeti-co sfruttabile in termovalorizza...

Re-use of packaging items plays a key role in the achievement of sustainable management of the resources. The aim of this study is to assess the environmental impacts associated with the life cycle of steel drums used for carrying chemical and petrochemical products as a function of the number of uses (the so-called “rotations”), by means of the li...

The objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of implementing electro-dewatering (EDW) as an add-on unit to the existing conventional dewatering units with the aim of increasing the final dry solids content and reducing the subsequent handling and energy costs of sewage sludge management. The assessment was carried out by focusing on a...

This study presents a comparison of alternative strategies for managing asphalt waste currently implemented in Lombardy Region (Italy). The waste under study is the one arising from deconstruction and milling of old pavements not containing tar, and, hereafter, it is referred as reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). The life cycle assessment (LCA) meth...

It is the overarching aim of the circular economy to maintain the value of products, materials, and resources for as long as possible, and the re-use of packaging can play an important role in achieving this. Nevertheless, reliable information about reusable packaging in Europe is lacking. To address such a gap, this paper proposes a methodology to...

Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) has been identified as a priority waste stream by the European Union due to its significant generation level and its high recycling potential. The purpose of the present study, which was supported by the local government of Lombardy Region (Italy), is to apply the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to ev...

The transition towards a circular economy, where the value of products, materials and resources is maintained for as long as possible, is an essential contribution to the European Union's efforts to develop a sustainable economy. Re-use of packaging items plays a key role in the achievement of this goal. The aim of this study is to assess the envir...

This paper is focusing on digital services, that in general frame, have an aim to transform the digital scenarios of organizations and advance the user experiences. As stated by the European Commission, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) provides the best framework for assessing the potential environmental impacts of products and services currently availa...

PurposeThe interpretation is a fundamental phase of life cycle assessment (LCA). It ensures the robustness and the reliability of the overall study. Moving towards more circular economy requires that different waste management options are systematically scrutinized to assess the environmental impacts and benefits associated to them. The present wor...

The paper describes the energy and environmental evaluation of a new patented process for the storage of liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) in glass capsules on the deep seabed. This technology is proposed as a safe option to store CO2 captured from flue gas of industrial processes and power plants, as well as directly from the atmosphere, in order to ove...

In recent years, alternative food supply chains based on short distance production and delivery have been promoted as being more environmentally friendly than those applied by the traditional retailing system. An example is the supply of seasonal and possibly locally grown fruit and vegetables directly to customers inside a returnable crate (the so...

Increasing environmental awareness has contributed to the shift of mindset among the Malaysian construction industry stakeholders. The Malaysian government has put an effort to prioritize the importance of managing construction and demolition (C&D) wastes to mitigate environmental impacts, but the recycling rate is still as low as 15%. This study w...

Purpose The demand for household batteries is considerable in the European context with just over five billion placed on the market every year. Although disposable batteries account for the largest market share in Europe, the use of rechargeable batteries is promoted as a less waste generating and a more environmentally friendly practice. A compara...

The incremental level of awareness in protecting the environment in Malaysia has forced the stakeholders to change the construction industry practices significantly. A proper management of construction and demolition (C&D) wastes is vital to achieve this agenda. This paper aims to investigate the influencing factors of C&D waste generation. 480 que...

Tools based on Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) are routinely used to assess the environmental and economic performance of integrated municipal solid waste (MSW) management systems. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is used to quantify the environmental impacts, whereas Life Cycle Costing (LCC) allows financial and economic assessments. These tools require spec...

The interpretation in life cycle assessment (LCA) is a fundamental step for ensuring the robustness of the overall study. The present work aims at illustrating how a sensitivity analysis could be applied to the impact assessment step supporting the interpretation of a LCA study applied to a waste management system that includes recycling. A case st...

Construction and demolition (C&D) waste is a pressing issue not only in Malaysia, but it is also a worldwide concern including the developed countries as well. C&D waste should be managed throughout the construction cycle. The concept of circular economy (CE) is an emerging notion that has the potential to be utilized as waste minimization approach...

Alternative cultivation practices such as organic and integrated farming are generally proposed as a mean to reduce environmental impacts associated with food production and consumption. For the same reason, various schemes of direct sale or distribution of local agricultural products have been increasingly developed as an alternative to large-scal...

Il presente articolo riassume uno studio di analisi del ciclo di vita (LCA) di due filiere alternative di produzione e distribuzione agricola, finalizzato prin-cipalmente a verificare i potenziali benefici ambientali delle pratiche di coltivazione biologica e di modalità distributive volte alla riduzione degli imballaggi e al-l'accorciamento della...

Waste prevention is the top priority of the European waste management strategy. In fact, as indicated in the latest Waste Framework Directive, the best option to deal with waste is not to generate it at all. In this framework, the distribution of loose dry food products through self-dispensing systems (so-called "loose distribution") is being consi...

The paper describes the performances of the energy recovery pathway from the residual waste based on the production of a Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) to be exploited via co-combustion in a cement kiln. The SRF is produced in a single stream Mechanical-Biological Treatment plant, where bio-drying of the waste is followed by mechanical refining in orde...

A life cycle assessment was carried out to evaluate the effects of two packaging waste prevention activities on the overall environmental performance of the integrated municipal waste management system of Lombardia region, Italy. The activities are the use of refined tap water instead of bottled water for household consumption and the substitution...

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is one of the fastest growing waste streams in Europe, whose content of hazardous substances as well as of valuable materials makes the study of the different management options particularly interesting. The present study investigates the WEEE management system in Lombardia Region (Italy) in the year...

In recent years, several waste-to-energy plants in Italy have experienced an increase of the concentration of acid gases (HCl, SO2 and HF) in the raw gas. This is likely an indirect effect of the progressive decrease of the amount of treated municipal waste, which is partially replaced by commercial waste. The latter is characterised by a higher va...

Two scenarios of acid gases removal in WTE plants were compared in an LCA study.•A detailed inventory based on primary data has been reported for the production of the new dolomitic sorbent.•Results show that the comparison between the two scenarios does not show systematic differences.•The potential impacts are reduced only if there is an increase...

The distribution of liquid detergents through self-dispensing systems has been adopted in some Italian retail stores over the last few years. By enabling the consumer to refill several times the same container, it is proposed as a less waste-generating and more environmentally friendly alternative to the traditional distribution with single-use pla...

The management of the plastic fraction is one of the most debated issues in the discussion on integrated municipal solid waste systems. Both material and energy recovery can be performed on such a waste stream, and different separate collection schemes can be implemented. The aim of the paper is to contribute to the debate, based on the analysis of...

This paper reports some of the findings of the 'GERLA' project: GEstione Rifiuti in Lombardia - Analisi del ciclo di vita (Waste management in Lombardia - Life cycle assessment). The project was devoted to support Lombardia Region in the drafting of the new waste management plan by applying a life cycle thinking perspective. The present paper mainl...

Purpose Waste prevention has been assigned increasing attention worldwide during recent years, and it is expected to become one of the core elements of waste management planning in the near future. In this framework, this paper presents and discusses two possible LCA approaches for the evaluation of the environmental and energetic performance of mu...

The article summarises the main results of the 'Gestione Rifiuti in Lombardia: Analisi del ciclo di vita' (Waste management in Lombardia region: Life cycle assessment; GERLA) project. Life cycle assessment (LCA) has been selected by Regione Lombardia as a strategic decision support tool in the drafting of its new waste management programme. The goa...

The case study shows an example application of life cycle assessment (LCA) to the field of ICT (Infor- mation and Communication Technology), analysing dematerialization in a Public Administration. The Municipality of Rimini (Italy) was taken as the geography of focus, since its economic framework is representative of the whole Province. Some of the...

The strategic relevance of waste prevention has considerably increased worldwide during recent years, such that the current European legislation requires the preparation of national waste prevention programmes in which reduction objectives and measures are identified. In such a context, it is possible to recognise how, in order to correctly evaluat...

Municipal residual waste (RW) produced in the Venice area undergoes mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) in the Fusina plant to produce refuse-derived fuel (RDF) that is then co-combusted in a nearby coal-fired power station. Being the first significant project for RDF co-firing in power plants in Italy, a number of different testing phases were p...