cc39e70e-4a40-42b6-89e3-7305f0b95dc4Gypsum plasterboardtechnology mix of plasterboard productionproduction mix at factory10kg/m2ProcessesConstruction industryConstruction materialsStones and elementsThe data set covers all relevant process steps / technologies over the supply chain of the represented cradle to gate inventory with a good overall data quality. The inventory is mainly based on industry data and is completed, where necessary, by secondary data. End-of-life recycling stage is not included in the cradle-to-gate inventory. The recycled content of the products is 35.9% taking into account recovered paper as well as post-consumer recycling of plasterboard and FGD gypsum (fluegas desulphurisation gypsum) both replacing natural gypsum stone. This indicator specifies the advantages of the use of recycled material on resource depletion and land use not integrated in the mandatory assessments under the ISO 14040 series.67The data set represents the country / region specific situation, focusing on the main technologies, and the region specific characteristics.The process shows the average plasterboard production of Germany, France and Great Britain representative for the EU-27 region. These three countries cover more than 53% of market volume in the EU-27 region. The average is weighted according to the country specific production volumes (DE: 363 million m2 ==> 38 %, F: 312 million m2 ==> 32.7 %, GB: 284 million m2 ==> 29.3 %) (Roskill Information Services Ltd., The Economics of Gypsum & Anhydrite). The raw materials for gypsum plasterboards are calcinated gypsum, cardboard and additives (starch, lignin sulphonate, fibres etc.). Transportation processes for all raw materials are included in the model.
Gypsum:
The gypsum used for plasterboard production is originated either from mined gypsum, gypsum gained from flue-gas desulphurization in coal power plants, so called FGD gypsum , other synthetic gypsum or recycled gypsum. Mined gypsum is mainly gained from open cast mining. To assess the impacts of the production of FGD gypsum from coal power plants the electricity consumption for the dehydration and purification of the gypsum slurry is considered, i.e. not the complete electricity consumption of the FGD as well as no lime consumption is considered for the FGD gypsum production. The reason therefore is the fact that the desulphurization is done for legal or environmental reasons but not to produce gypsum. Energy consumption for the recycling process of gypsum products as well as waste flow treatment is considered. The provenance of calcium dihydrate used for plasterboards is different in the included countries depending on the availability of natural gypsum stone, FGD gypsum and other synthetic gypsum. In Germany approximately 50% of both FGD gypsum and gypsum stone are produced and used in the gypsum industry. For the plasterboard production the same share was used. France does not produce any significant amounts of FGD gypsum due to the small use of coal power plants and therefore uses 100% natural gypsum stone. In the UK 38% of imported gypsum stone, 51.6% FGD gypsum (one third imported), 5.6% titanogypsum and 4.8% recycled gypsum are used for plasterboard production.
Calcination of gypsum:
All kinds of gypsum (dihydrate) are dried and then calcinated. In the calcination process calcium sulphate dihydrate is turned into beta-hemihydrate gypsum (0.5 molecules of chemically combined water). The calcination mainly needs thermal energy.
Cardboard:
The used cardboard in the model is assumed to be made from recovered paper.
Additives:
Necessary data for additives have been approximated by available processes in GaBi 4 database.
Plasterboard production:
Paper faced plasterboards consists of two sheets of cardboard between which a mixture of beta-hemihydrate gypsum and water is continually feed. By mixing hemihydrate gypsum and water a setting reaction starts resulting in a rehydration of the hemihydrate gypsum to dihydrate gypsum. After the setting reaction the plasterboard is cut to the wished size. The excess water which is necessary for technical reason and to avoid a too fast setting reaction is removed in a dryer oven. See also the attached figure of a plasterboard production line.
Background system:
Electricity, thermal energy: The electricity and thermal energy used is modeled according to the individual country-specific situation. The country-specific modeling is achieved on multiple levels. Firstly the individual power plants in service are modeled according to the current national grid. This includes net losses and imported electricity. Second, the national emission and efficiency standards of the power plants are modeled. Third, the country-specific fuel supply (share of resources used, by import and / or domestic supply) including the country-specific properties (e.g. element and energy contents) are accounted for. Fourth, the import, transport, mining and exploration processes for the energy carrier supply chain are modeled according to the specific situation of each power-producing country. The different mining and exploration techniques (emissions and efficiencies) in the different exploration countries are accounted for according to current engineering knowledge and information.
Transports: All relevant and known transport processes used are included.
Energy carriers: Coal, crude oil, natural gas and uranium are modeled according to the specific import situation (see electricity).
Refinery products: Diesel, gasoline, technical gases, fuel oils, basic oils and residues such as bitumen are modeled via a country-specific, refinery parameterized model.Standard mineral product used as dry mortarless contruction material with standard size (12.5mm thick, 1200mm x 2400mm)LCA GB Plasterboard.JPGplasterboard.jpgLCI resultAttributionalAllocation - net calorific valueAllocation - exergetic contentThe sulphate sludge from flue gas desulphurisation during power generation is handled as recycling material without environmental burden. The energy consumption for the treatment and dewatering of the sulphate slurry to FGD gypsum with 10% water content is considered. The inclusion of the complete energy consumption for the flue gas desulphurisation for the FGD gypsum was seen as not appropriate. A small part of the gypsum needed for the board production comes from post-consumer recycling for this quantity the cut off for the modelling was after board recycling. On the input side only the transport was considered for the recycled gypsum. For the combined heat and power production, allocation by exergetic content is applied. For the electricity generation and by-products, e.g. gypsum, allocation by market value is applied due to no common physical properties. Within the refinery (for fuel supply) allocation by net calorific value and mass is used. For the combined crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids production allocation by net calorific value is applied.All data used in the calculation of the LCI results refer to net calorific value.NoneCut-off rules for each unit process: Coverage of at least 95 % of mass and energy of the input and output flows, and 98 % of their environmental relevance (according to expert judgement).NoneThe data set represents three national plasterboard production processes. They comprehend raw material production as well as manufacturing of the ready to use plasterboard. Data are based on studies by Bundesverband der Gipsindustrie e.V, Waste & Resources Action Progamme (WRAP) and Syndicat National des Industries du plâtre (SNIP). For weighting to compile European average see technology description.
The average weighting was done on base of the production output. (Roskill Information Services Ltd., The Economics of Gypsum & Anhydrite). LCI modeling is fully consistent.NoneAll main raw materials for plasterboard production were available. Some additives necessary for the manufacturing were substituted/estimated due to missing data sets or lack of information (corn starch, glue).
Due to the comprehensive data collection in cooperation with the gypsum industry no assumptions and estimations were necessary. Uncertainties can arise by the use of allocations in case of by-products (see allocation principles).NoneLife Cycle Assessment of PlasterboardFrench plasterboard productionDatenerhebung in Gipswerken, 2007Datenprojekt Grunddatensätze Gips und Gipsprodukte im Netzwerk Lebenszyklusdaten, 2007Gips-Datenbuch, 2006Preisverhältnis zwischen Flusssäure und synthetischem Anhydrit,oral communication, 2007Stromverbrauch für die Aufbereitung von Gipssuspensionen in Kohlekraftwerken, 2007Baustoff-Ökobilanz. Wirkungsabschätzung und Auswertung in der Steine-Erden-Industrie, 1999Erarbeitung der Grundlagen für das BVT-Merkblatt Großfeueranlagen, 2002Kreislaufwirtschaft im Baubereich: Steuerung zukünftiger Stoffströme am Beispiel von Gips, 2001GaBi databases 200652.9953,9 Mio m² (Total EU 27 ==> 1803,3 Mio m2)2008The data set represents a cradle to gate inventory. It can be used to characterise the supply chain situation of the respective commodity in a representative manner. Combination with individual unit processes using this commodity enables the generation of user-specific (product) LCAs.All relevant flows quantifiedThe internal review was done by several iteration steps concerning raw data validation, raw data documentation, representativity, completeness and consistency of modelling with regard to ISO 14040 and 14044.thinkstepILCD Data Network - Entry-levelNot definedNot definedNot definedNot definedNot definedNot definedEC, DG ENVEUROGYPSUMThis background LCI data set can be used for any types of LCA studies.thinkstepEUROGYPSUM2016-01-01T00:00:00+01:00ILCD format 1.1thinkstepEUROGYPSUM2016-01-01T00:00:00+01:0010.00.000Data set finalised; entirely publishedELCD database 2.0EUROGYPSUMtrueOtherThe data set can be used free of charge by anybody to perform LCA studies, to distribute it to third parties, to convert it to other formats, to develop own data sets etc. as long as the copyright and license conditions for the ELCD data sets and the ILCD format are met that can be accessed via http://lca.jrc.ec.europa.eu. Please note e.g. that reference must be given to the 'Owner of data set' and to the 'ELCD database' plus version number, when using the data set or parts thereof. Please note also, that any modifications/omissions of the data set results in invalidity of any existing 'Official approval of data set by producer/operator', that the impression must be avoided that this would still be a complete ELCD data set, and that the content of further fields has to be adjusted. For details see the aforementioned copyright and license conditions.Gypsum plasterboardOutput110.000Mixed primary / secondaryUnknown derivation