LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT STUDY
At Hindustan Zinc, we have conducted a comprehensive ‘Life Cycle Assessment’ study, adhering to ISO 14040:2006 (and its amendment 14040:2006/Amd 1:2020), and ISO 14044:2006 standards, using the “Cradle to Gate” approach for our zinc, lead and silver products. This study establishes the baseline impact of ‘Production of 1 tonne of Average Special High-Grade Zinc, 1 tonne of Average Refined Lead and 1 tonne of Refined Silver Product’ for facilities of Hindustan Zinc. The study is instrumental in understanding the various environmental impacts of the selected products as well as evaluating the savings potential, which can further be used for setting sustainability targets or communicating our environmental performance to the stakeholders.
How Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Insights Guide Us
- Influences our internal decision-making and enables optimisation and improvement of the production processes by providing vital insights about the environmental footprint of products
- Strengthens our ability to compete with the products in the marketplace which include environmental information through various mechanisms, thereby targeting a new and potential customer base
- Identifies key areas for improvement, prioritises actions to minimise environmental impacts and compare outcomes against benchmarks and best available technologies to drive continuous improvement
- Facilitates an objective analysis of possible future scenarios and alternatives, along with their implications across the product’s life cycle
- Assesses the environmental impact associated with the production for zinc, lead and silver production over a cradle to gate system boundary
This LCA study provides a platform to understand the environmental profile from raw material extraction to material production for three product systems from various routes and across all our sites. Life cycle inventory and impact assessment results have been used to perform internal and external benchmarking with the best available technologies on various key impact indicators. Outcome of the LCA study will be aggregated and used for public communication to the customers, downstream/end users, policy makers, NGOs and other stakeholders to showcase environmental performance of our products.
System Boundary of “Cradle to Gate” Approach for Hindustan Zinc
Key Results and Actions
A set of life cycle environmental impact indicators are as shown in the below table:
| Products | Average Special High‑Grade (SHG) Zinc | Average Refined Lead | Refined Silver | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melted‑Casted Production (MTPA) | 5,52,170 | 2,25,471 | 687 | |
| Result per tonne SHG zinc | Result per tonne refined lead | Result per tonne refined silver | ||
| Abiotic Depletion (Elements) | kg Sb eq. | 3.44 | 1.59 | 236.01 |
| Abiotic Depletion (Fossil) | MJ | 77,229.23 | 22,207.35 | 34,75,001.61 |
| Acidification Potential (AP) | kg SO2 eq. | 71.39 | 15.65 | 2,336.57 |
| Eutrophication Potential (EP) | kg Phosphate eq. | 2.38 | 0.68 | 104.86 |
| GWP, Incl. biogenic carbon | kg CO2 eq. | 5,873.99 | 1,862.35 | 2,88,048.53 |
| GWP, Excl. biogenic carbon | kg CO2 eq. | 5,865.83 | 1,856.59 | 2,87,195.35 |
| Ozone Layer Depletion Potential | kg R11 eq. | 1.04E‑08 | 1.82E‑09 | 2.70E‑07 |
| Photochem. Ozone Creation Potential | kg Ethene eq. | 3.00 | 0.73 | 109.34 |
| Primary Energy Demand | MJ | 82,146.07 | 23,274.39 | 36,76,520.18 |
| Ecotoxicity (recommended only) | CTUe | 2.41 | 1.35 | 214.53 |
| Human toxicity, cancer (recommended only) | CTUh | 1.20E-07 | 3.19E-08 | 7.46E-06 |
| Water Scarcity Footprint (WSF) | m3 world equiv. | 1,071.83 | 426.25 | 66,029.78 |
| Blue water consumption | kg | 29,789.20 | 11,850.69 | 18,53,932.33 |
Despite relying on coal-based electricity, Hindustan Zinc’s LCA results are still comparable to the global average, as reported by the International Zinc Association and International Lead Association.
Key recommendations provided to Hindustan Zinc include transitioning to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydro power to mitigate the global warming potential associated with electricity consumption. Further, partial or complete substitution of fossil fuels with biomass, briquettes, or biofuels was advised to reduce a range of environmental impacts and the importance of optimising resource utilisation, as this could lead to waste reduction and improved product yield, thereby enhancing overall environmental performance.