Browsing by Author "Joyce, Peter James"

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A framework for including enhanced exposure to naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) in LCA
(The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 2016-11-22) Joyce, Peter James; Goronovski, Andrei; Tkaczyk, Alan Henry; Björklund, Anna
Despite advances in the development of impact categories for ionising radiation, the focus on artificial radionuclides produced in the nuclear fuel cycle means that the potential impacts resulting from increased exposure to naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) are still only covered to a limited degree in life cycle assessment (LCA). Here, we present a potential framework for the inclusion of the exposure routes and impact pathways particular to NORM in LCA.
IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF ENHANCED EXPOSURE FROM NATURALLY OCCURRING RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS (NORM) WITHIN LCA
(Journal of Cleaner Production, 2018-01-20) Goronovski, Andrei; Joyce, Peter James; Finnveden, Göran; Tkaczyk, Alan Henry; Björklund, Anna
The potential impact of ionising radiation from enhanced exposure to Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) to humans and the environment is not currently accounted for sufficiently in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Here we present midpoint and endpoint characterisation factors resulting from the implementation of impact assessment models for human health and ecosystems for NORM exposure. These models build upon existing fate, exposure and effect models from the LCA and radiological literature. The newly developed models are applied to a theoretical study of the utilisation of bauxite residue, a by-product of alumina processing enriched in natural radionuclides, in building materials. The ecosystem models have significant sensitivity to uncertainties surrounding the differential environmental fate of parent and daughter radionuclides that are produced as a part of decay chains, and to assumptions regarding long term releases from landfill sites. However, conservative results for environmental exposure suggest that in addition to landfill of materials, power consumption (burning coal and mining uranium) is a potentially significant source of radiological impact to the environment. From a human perspective, exposure to NORM in the use phase of building materials is the dominant source of impact, with environmental releases of nuclides playing a comparatively minor role. At an endpoint level, the impact of NORM exposure is highly significant in comparison to other impact categories in the area of protection of human health. This highlights the importance within LCA of having sufficient impact assessment models to capture all potential impacts, such that issues of burden shifting between impact measures can be captured, interpreted and resolved in the optimisation of product systems.
Incorporating the radiological effects and environmental impact assessment of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) into the life cycle environmental optimisation of bauxite residue (BR) valorisation
(Bauxite Residue Valorisation and Best Practices, 2015-10) Joyce, Peter James; Goronovski, Andrei; Tkaczyk, Alan Henry; Björklund, Anna
Bauxite Residue (BR) is a potentially valuable source of metals and construction materials, which the ETN REDMUD project aims to develop technologies to exploit. Bauxite contains low levels of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM), which are concentrated in BR, and could potentially be released during BR valorisation, or further concentrated in novel products resulting from BR valorisation. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a well-established and standardised methodology to quantify the potential impacts arising from the life cycle of products and services, however it is not currently possible use it to assess the radiological impacts of NORM. The inclusion of NORM exposure in LCA is an important step to avoid burden shifting in the environmental optimisation of BR valorisation.