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- Local waste agroforestry managment - biomass to energy analysis with LCAPublication . Brás, Isabel; Ferreira Silva, Maria Elisabete; Ferreira, José; Raimondo, Roberta; Saetta, Rafaella; Fabricino, MassimilainoTo enable the protection of forests against rural fires are foreseen a set of measures for plan-ning and intervention, reduction their risk and impacts. Forest residues collecting centers are being created in Portugal, to reduce undesired thermal charge in nature and for biomass further valorization. Keeping this in mind, one of the strategies is the energy recovery from these residues in bi-omass power plants that were built in strategic locations. The biomass is mostly natural residu-al forest, agricultural and garden wood and green materials The present work aims to study its environmental impact. The Life Cycle Assessment methodology, using SimaPro 9.3.0.3 PhD software, was applied to identify the burden of this process and the environmental categories most relevantly affect-ed. Data achieved showed the importance of the valorization of residual biomass for energy production, reduction the impact categories of abiotic depletion due to fossil fuels, global warming, human toxicity and eutrophication.
- Forest waste composting—operational management, environmental impacts, and applicationPublication . Ferreira Silva, Maria Elisabete; Saetta, Raffaella; Raimondo, Roberta; Costa, José Manuel; Ferreira, José; Brás, IsabelIn Portugal, the number of fres and the size of burnt areas are rising dramatically every year, increasing with improper management of agroforestry wastes (AFRs). This work aims to study the composting of these wastes with minimal operational costs and understand the environmental impact and the compost application on burnt soil. Thus, a study of life cycle assessment (LCA) was carried out based on windrow composting processes, considering the avoided environmental impacts associated with the end-product quality and its application as an organic amendment. Three composting piles were made with AFRs from the Residual Biomass Collection Centre (RBCC) in Bodiosa (Portugal). Sewage sludges (SS) from an urban wastewater treatment plant were used as conditioning agent. One pile with AFRs (MC) and another with AFRs and SS (MCS) were managed according to good composting practices. Another pile with the AFRs was developed without management (NMC), thus with a minimal operational cost. Periodically, it was measured several physical and chemical parameters according to standard methodologies. Eleven environmental impacts of compost production, MC and MCS, were analyzed by a LCA tool, and their efect on the growth of Pinus pinea was evaluated, using peat as reference. Composting evolution was expected for both piles. Final composts, MC and MCS, were similar, complying with organic amendment quality parameters. Compost NMC, with no operational management, showed the highest germination index. Piles MC and MCS showed similar environmental impacts, contributing to a negative impact on global warming, acidifcation, and eutrophication. Greater growth was obtained with application of MCS, followed by MC, and fnally, peat. Composting is a sustainable way to valorize AFRs wastes, producing compost that could restore burnt soils and promote plant growth and circular economy.
- Valorisation of Forest and Agriculture Residual Biomass—The Application of Life Cycle Assessment to Analyse Composting, Mulching, and Energetic Valorisation StrategiesPublication . Brás, Isabel; Ferreira Silva, Maria Elisabete; Raimondo, Roberta; Saetta, Raffaella; Mignano, Vincenzo; Fabbricino, Massimiliano; Ferreira, JoséThe treatment of agricultural and forest residues (AFRs) has become an important issue nowadays, both to avoid improper management and for their enhancement. In the study area of Viseu (Portugal), the AFRs are taken to a Residual Biomass Collection Centre. These are valorised in a Biomass Power Plant to produce electricity. Two further processes could be implemented to valorise this biomass: mulching and composting. This study aims to understand the best strategy to enhance this type of biomass residual considering their environmental performance. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was applied considering a cradle-to-grave approach. Different processes of all the technologies were analysed, and the data collected enabled a comparison of 11 environmental impact categories. The results show that composting is the best alternative, except for global warming and ozone layer depletion, and energy valorisation has the greatest impact on five of the considered categories. In the three processes, impacts are mainly associated with the production and shredding phases of the residual biomass, rather than the transportation stages, due to the short distances covered. In all cases, the value of the final product generates market consequences in terms of electricity and fertiliser production. In line with the aim of the study, its outcomes may provide scientific support to local decision makers in defining best practices in the management of the AFRs.