Scenario Setting in Life Cycle Assessments for Wastewater Treatment: A Comprehensive Review

• Published in: Current pollution reports Vol. 11; no. 1; p. 23
• Main Authors: Lin, Changkun, Sun, Fengbin, Gao, Jingsi, Wu, Jian, Guo, Fei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.12.2025; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Anti-inflammatory agents; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Climate change; Comparative analysis; Data analysis; decision making; Earth and Environmental Science; Emissions; Environment; Environmental impact; Environmental Law/Policy/Ecojustice; Enzymes; Industrial Pollution Prevention; industry; Life cycle analysis; Life cycle assessment; Life cycles; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; motivation; Pollution; Regional development; Researchers; Review; Social impact; Topical Collection on Biology and Pollution; Urine; Waste Water Technology; Wastewater management; Wastewater treatment; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Life cycle assessment; Scenario setting; Environmental impact assessment; Wastewater treatment
• ISSN: 2198-6592; 2198-6592
• DOI: 10.1007/s40726-025-00353-x

Purpose of Review This review aims to explore the application of scenario setting in life cycle assessment (LCA) studies related to wastewater treatment. Given the variability in LCA results based on different scenario settings, this paper seeks to categorize these settings, assess their impact, and provide a reference for future research in optimizing wastewater treatment industry. Recent Findings To achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the wastewater treatment field, recent studies have incorporated a more diverse range of scenarios for comparative analysis. These scenarios can generally be categorized into small-scale and large-scale scenarios, including those set up to compare different wastewater treatment technologies, demonstrate the potential of new versus traditional processes, predict future developments, and analyze regional impacts spanning entire countries, among others. Scenario setting plays a critical role throughout the LCA process, influencing model construction, data analysis, and result interpretation. Summary The motivation behind scenario setting lies in comparison, and it can be integrated throughout LCA research, serving distinct roles at various stages. This review categorizes scenario setting into three steps: baseline scenario setting, main scenario setting, and supplementary scenario setting. Proper scenario setting is crucial for enhancing the accuracy and depth of wastewater treatment life cycle assessments, enabling researchers to provide valuable insights into the environmental, economic, and social impacts of wastewater treatment technologies. This structured approach supports decision-makers in optimizing treatment processes and developing more sustainable wastewater management policies.