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Process Data set: Irish Cement Bagged CEM II/A-L (en) en

Key Data Set Information
Location IE
Geographical representativeness description Ireland
Reference year 2024
Name
Irish Cement Bagged CEM II/A-L
Use advice for data set Life cycle stages/system boundaries: The EPD covers the product stage (“cradle to gate”, A1-A3). The selected system boundaries comprise the production of cement including raw material extraction up to the finished product at the factory gate. The following figure shows the system boundaries, in accordance with EN 16908:2017
Technical purpose of product or process The Central Product Classification (CPC) for cement is CPC 37440. Cement is a hydraulic binder i.e., a finely ground in-organic material which, when mixed with water, forms a paste which sets and hardens by means of hydration reactions and processes and which, after hardening, retains its strength and stability, even under water. Cement is mainly used as a binder for concrete, mortar or cement screed. Irish Cement Limited operate two cement manufacturing facilities in the Republic of Ireland. Irish Cement, Castlemungret, Co. Limerick, Irish Cement, Platin, Drogheda, Co. Louth Main product components Cement according to EN 197-1 is produced by grinding and mixing the constituents defined in the standard Constituents of cement as defined in EN 197-1 are: • main constituents (portland cement clinker and e.g. limestone) • minor additional constituents (added to improve the physical properties of the cement, such as workability • or water retention) • calcium sulfate (natural gypsum, added to control setting) • additives (the total quantity of additives shall not exceed 1% by mass of the cement) The main constituents of Bagged CEM II/A-L cement are clinker and limestone. The composition of Bagged CEM II/A-L cement as per EN 197 Table 1 is assumed for the LCA model: Portland cement clinker: 80-94% Limestone: 6-20% Gypsum: 3-5% Minor additional constituents: 0-5% The most important component of cement according to EN 197-1 is clinker. It is produced from raw materials such as limestone and clay which are crushed, homogenized and fed into a rotary kiln. The raw materials are sintered at a temperature of 1450°C to form new compounds. Clinker consists mainly of calcium, silica, aluminium and iron-oxides. In a second phase of manufacturing, calcium sulphates and additional materials are added to the clinker. All constituents are ground together leading to a fine and homogenous powder.
General comment on data set The data quality level for the specific data is assessed according to the criteria of the UN Environment Global Guidance on LCA database development. See table below with results on the geographical, technical and time representativeness Geographical representativeness: Very good (data from area under study) Technical representativeness: Very good (data from processes and products under study. Same state of technology applied as defined in goal and scope.) Time representativeness: Very good (less than 3 years difference between the reference year according to documentation, and the time period for which data are representative. According to EN 15804, the cut-off criteria are 1% of renewable and non-renewable primary energy usage and 1% of the total mass input of that unit process. The total of neglected input flows per module, e.g. per module A1-A3, shall be a maximum of 5% of energy usage and mass. There were no cut-offs relating to primary energy usage. Cut-offs associated with total mass inputs included small quantities of ammonia water, explosives, ferrous sulphate, grinding aids, refractories and alternative raw materials. Cut offs totalled 1.1%.
Copyright Yes
Owner of data set
Quantitative reference
Reference flow(s)
Biogenic carbon content
  • Carbon content (biogenic): 1.0 kg
  • Carbon content (biogenic) - packaging: 1.0 kg
Time representativeness
Data set valid until 2029
Technological representativeness

Indicators of life cycle

IndicatorDirectionUnit Production
A1-A3
Use of renewable primary energy (PERE)
Input
  • 487.5
Use of renewable primary energy resources used as raw materials (PERM)
Input
  • 158.3
Total use of renewable primary energy resource (PERT)
Input
  • 645.8
Use of non renewable primary energy (PENRE)
Input
  • 3212
Use of non renewable primary energy resources used as raw materials (PENRM)
Input
  • 10.99
Total use of non renewable primary energy resource (PENRT)
Input
  • 3223
Use of secondary material (SM)
Input
  • 0
Use of renewable secondary fuels (RSF)
Input
  • 273.4
Use of non renewable secondary fuels (NRSF)
Input
  • 305.1
Use of net fresh water (FW)
Input
  • 1.017
Hazardous waste disposed (HWD)
Output
  • 0
Non hazardous waste dispose (NHWD)
Output
  • 0
Radioactive waste disposed (RWD)
Output
  • 0
Components for re-use (CRU)
Output
  • 0
Materials for recycling (MFR)
Output
  • 0.684
Materials for energy recovery (MER)
Output
  • 0.1311
Exported electrical energy (EEE)
Output
  • 0
Exported thermal energy (EET)
Output
  • 0

IndicatorUnit Production
A1-A3
Abiotic depletion potential - fossil resources (ADPF)
  • 3223
Abiotic depletion potential - non-fossil resources (ADPE)
  • 0.0001513
Acidification potential, Accumulated Exceedance (AP)
  • 1.326
Depletion potential of the stratospheric ozone layer (ODP)
  • 0.00001484
Eutrophication potential - freshwater (EP-freshwater)
  • 0.0155
Eutrophication potential - marine (EP-marine)
  • 0.001531
Eutrophication potential - terrestrial (EP-terrestrial)
  • 5.213
Global Warming Potential - biogenic (GWP-biogenic)
  • 0.09
Global Warming Potential - fossil fuels (GWP-fossil)
  • 692.2
Global Warming Potential - land use and land use change (GWP-luluc)
  • 0.1507
Global Warming Potential - total (GWP-total)
  • 692.5
Global warming potential except emissions and uptake of biogenic carbon (GWP-IOBC/GHG)
No records found.
Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential (POCP)
  • 1.265
Water (user) deprivation potential (WDP)
  • 38.23

IndicatorUnit Production
A1-A3
1This impact category deals mainly with the eventual impact of low dose ionizing radiation on human health of the nuclear fuel cycle. It does not consider effects due to possible nuclear accidents, occupational exposure nor due to radioactive waste disposal in underground facilities. Potential ionizing radiation from the soil, from radon and from some construction materials is also not measured by this indicator.
2The results of this environmental impact indicator shall be used with care as the uncertainties on these results are high or as there is limited experiences with the indicator.
Potential Comparative Toxic Unit for ecosystems (ETP-fw) 2
  • 0
Potential Comparative Toxic Unit for humans - cancer effects (HTP-c) 2
  • 0
Potential Comparative Toxic Unit for humans - non-cancer effects (HTP-nc) 2
  • 0
Potential Human exposure efficiency relative to U235 (IRP) 1
  • 5.258
Potential incidence of disease due to PM emissions (PM) 2
  • 0.0000104
Potential Soil quality index (SQP) 2
  • 0