My professional experience
I spent over 3 years working with leading multinationals in the (petro)chemical and plastics industries —i.e. Dow Chemical, Clariant, or Ravago Group— working in project engineering, maintenance, and EHS areas. Additionally, as a part of my Ph.D., I have been involved with the startups Deasyl, focused on green chemicals and biofuels, and with EasylZinc, working with zinc batteries, for more than 3 years, where I’ve driven innovation in sustainable technologies.
Academic Leadership
In parallel, I have over 3 years of academic experience, where I’ve researched in LCA topic with the UNESCO Chair in Life Cycle and Climate Change, taught the brush-up course in Chemical principles and the Carbon Footprint subject at the M.Sc. in Sustainability Management from the UPF Barcelona School of Management, taught on Organisational Carbon Footprint and Organisational Environmental Footprint at the Postgraduate course on Sustainability Transition and Climate Emergency from ESCI-UPF, and supervised, advised and evaluated students during ther thesis at the M.Sc. in Industry 4.0 from the International University of La Rioja, bridging theory with practical application.
Participation in the public debate
My work has taken me to many international platforms, including COP27, SETAC Europe 32, LCIC 2022…, where I actively contributed to discussions on global sustainability. This experience allows me to bring a global perspective to local and regional challenges that companies face in the evolving sustainability landscape
Previous LCA and Carbon Footprint projects
- Organisational carbon footprint of several health institutes in the PRBB.
- LCA of 13 products of Trumpler, a company in the leather sector.
- Organisational carbon footprint of GCR, a company in the plastics recycling sector.
- Publication of two EPDs for several products Celsa Group in their production plants of Barcelona and Huta, a company in the steel sector.
- Organisational carbon footprint for the Port Authority of Las Palmas (Canary Islands).
- LCA of an Oxalic Acid production facility of the company Oxaquim.
- Carbon footprint assessment of a green hydrogen production plant in the Canary Islands for the companies Disa and Enagás.
"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children." —Native American Proverb
"The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it." —Robert Swan
Publications in International Scientific journals
PUBLISHED AS FIRST AUTHOR
- S. Arfelis et al., “Life cycle assessment as a tool for evaluating chemical processes at industrial scale: a review,” Green Chemistry, vol. 24, no. 20, pp. 7751–7762, 2022, doi: 10.1039/d2gc02089k
- S. Arfelis et al., “Linking mechanochemistry with the green chemistry principles: Review article,” Jul. 30, 2024, Elsevier Ltd. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34655
- S. Arfelis et al., “Life cycle assessment on calcium zincate production methods for rechargeable batteries,” Science of the Total Environment, vol. 866, no. December 2022, p. 161094, 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.161094
- S. Arfelis et al., “Wood Chips Components Separation with a New Wet-Milling Process Compared to Chemical Depolymerization: A Technical, Economic, and Environmental Comparison,” ACS Sustain Chem Eng, 2023, doi: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.3c07477
- S. Arfelis et al., “Sustainability of cellulose micro-/nanofibers: A comparative life cycle assessment of pathway technologies,” Science of the Total Environment, vol. 874, no. January, p. 162482, 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162482
- S. Arfelis et al., “Compared life cycle assessment for nicotine extraction from tobacco leaves according to processes and experimental conditions at lab scale,” Elsevier Ltd
- S. Arfelis et al., “Architecture Development to Incorporate Industry 4.0 Solutions to Plastics Management: Circular Economy,” Springer, doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-90033-5_14
PUBLISHED AS A CO-AUTHOR
- A. Bala, S. Arfelis, H. Oliver-Ortega, and J. A. Méndez, “Life cycle assessment of PE and PP multi film compared with PLA and PLA reinforced with nanoclays film,” J Clean Prod, vol. 380, p. 134891, Dec. 2022, doi: 10.1016/J.JCLEPRO.2022.134891
- F. Serra-Parareda, R. Aguado, S. Arfelis, R. Xifré, P. Fullana-i-Palmer, and M. Delgado-Aguilar, “Techno-economic and environmental evaluation of a market pulp reinforced with micro-/nanofibers as a strengthening agent in packaging paper,” J Clean Prod, vol. 347, p. 131265, May 2022, doi: 10.1016/J.JCLEPRO.2022.131265
- I. Sazdovski, M. Z. Hauschild, S. A. Espinosa, A. Bala, and P. Fullana-i-palmer, “Short Communication: Biogenic Carbon in fast-moving products: a deception or real contribution to circularity?,” Environmental Advances, p. 100461, 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.envadv.2023.100461
FAQs
What is Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and why is it important?
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a method used to evaluate the environmental impacts of a product, process, or service throughout its entire lifecycle—from raw material extraction to disposal. It's essential because it helps businesses identify areas where they can reduce their environmental footprint, make more sustainable decisions, and comply with environmental regulations.
How can LCA benefit my company?
LCA can provide valuable insights into how your products or processes impact the environment. By understanding these impacts, you can reduce resource use, cut emissions, and improve your sustainability credentials—ultimately enhancing your brand reputation and potentially lowering costs through more efficient practices.
What industries can benefit from sustainability assessments?
Sustainability assessments, including LCA, are valuable across numerous industries—especially those with significant environmental footprints like construction, oil and gas, transport, chemical manufacturing, plastics, pharma... Any company looking to reduce its environmental impact can benefit from these services.
How does your experience in academia and industry benefit my business?
With over a decade of experience across multinational corporations, academia, and startups, I bring a comprehensive understanding of both theoretical and practical aspects of sustainability. This allows me to offer tailored solutions that are not only scientifically sound but also actionable and results-driven for your business.
What’s the difference between a carbon footprint analysis and an LCA?
A carbon footprint analysis focuses specifically on the greenhouse gas emissions associated with a product, service, or process, typically measured in terms of carbon dioxide equivalents. LCA, on the other hand, evaluates a wider range of environmental impacts—such as water use, energy consumption, and pollution—throughout the entire life cycle.
Can small businesses benefit from LCA and sustainability assessments?
Absolutely! Small businesses can gain a competitive edge by adopting sustainable practices early on. LCA helps identify opportunities to reduce costs, minimize environmental impacts, and meet growing consumer demand for eco-friendly products and services.