Quantification of the environmental benefits associated with the activity of the “Panta rei” reuse centre with the LCA methodology

The research proposes a Life Cycle Assessment-based methodology for the evaluation of the environmental impacts associated with the activity of a reuse centre. The net environmental impact of used goods is obtained by composing two contributions of the system: the “avoided” impacts of the first life (production, transport, use, end-of-life), and the “additional” impacts of the second life (transport, reuse). To compare new goods with used ones, specific parameters affecting the system are defined: susbstitution rate, quality rate, and energy performance rate. The methodology is applied to the “Panta Rei” reuse centre in Italy. The analysed reuse centre yielded environmental benefits in 6 out of 16 impact categories according to EF 3.0 characterization method. Outcomes would change with different values of the rates: e.g. 100% substitution of new with used goods would bring benefits across all 16 categories. The research highlights consumers’ role in ensuring benefits of waste prevention activities.