Ecomet Refining S.p.A. is proud to have contributed to a new scientific study published in the international journal Recycling (MDPI), focused on the variability of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) results in the metal recycling sector.

Developed in collaboration with STIIMA-CNR, the research investigates a still underrepresented aspect in LCA studies applied to metallurgical recovery processes: the influence of the specific waste stream treated on environmental assessment results, even when the same recycling technology is used.

Ecomet’s Contribution

The study is based on primary industrial data provided by Ecomet Refining regarding its new Treviglio plant, designed for copper and precious metals recovery through an advanced hybrid recycling technology.

Using four different feedstock categories processed through the same recycling system, researchers developed ex ante inventories compliant with ISO 14044 principles, applying physical causality and detailed system subdivision criteria.

The study aimed to evaluate how:

• input material composition;
• allocation approaches;
• and methodological choices within LCA analyses

can significantly affect the environmental results associated with recovered metals.

Key Findings

The research demonstrated that the combination of allocation method and treated feedstock can substantially change LCA results per kilogram of recovered metal.

More specifically:

• economic allocation methods proved to be the most sensitive to feedstock composition;
• a mass-based allocation approach combined with detailed system subdivision reduced variability among results obtained from different materials;
• this approach was also found to be more consistent with the physical-causal principle established by ISO 14044, where economic allocation should be considered only as a last resort.

Research and Industry Supporting Measurable Sustainability

The collaboration between Ecomet Refining and STIIMA-CNR represents a concrete example of integration between scientific research and industrial expertise aimed at developing more reliable, transparent, and reproducible methodologies for environmental assessment in the metal recycling sector.

By combining real industrial data with specialized technical know-how, the project contributes to improving the scientific robustness of LCA studies while supporting the sustainable development of the circular economy.

Ecomet would like to thank all researchers and professionals involved in the study for their valuable scientific and technical contribution.