End-of-Life scenarios
When considering the environmental impact of circularity it is useful to take into account various end-of-life scenarios of construction works and the products incorporated in these, as described in the Assessment Method. This does not only relate to material flows but also to environmental impact.
Definition of ‘End-of-Life scenarios’
An end-of-life scenario is a percentage breakdown of a product or product component into processing options. Processing options include landfill, incineration, recycling (with or without reprocessing) or reuse. More or less materials are released for recycling depending on the specific scenario and recycling process efficiency, which can contribute to reducing a building’s environmental impact.
Relationship between the processing scenarios and the Assessment Method
The figure below presents the various processing scenarios in relation to the Assessment Method. Please refer to the Assessment Method for the definitions of the various processing options.
Standard values
According to the Assessment Method, the environmental impact of the processing options at the end of life of a material or product should be calculated using a percentage breakdown to the next stage. Determining such a breakdown is not part of a standard Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which is why standard values are adhered to in the Assessment Method. You should provide good explanations for any deviation from the scenarios.
Download here an overview of the standard values to be used (NL)
