Stages of LCA

1
 Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA)

“phase of life cycle assessment aimed at understanding and evaluating

the magnitude and significance of the potential environmental impacts for
a product system throughout the life cycle of the product”

ISO 14040: 2006(E)

Midpoint
“An indicator that is somewhere along the environmental mechanism and the LCI
parameter.For instance the CO2 equivalents that express the radiative forcing is a
midpoint. It is needed to calculate an endpoint indicator, such as increased seawater
level, but additional modeling steps are needed.”

Endpoint
“A term introduced in ISO 14044. It refers to the final outcome of an environmental
mechanism. For instance, the outcome of climate change can be an increase of
seawater level. In older LCA literature this was referred to as the safeguard subject;
the issue society wants to protect”

“An attribute or aspect of natural environment, human health, or resources, identifying

an environmental issue of concern”
Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA)
 Increase of Concentration External Cost
of a pollutant
How much ?
Emission

Internal Cost
Equipments (FGD, etc.)
Cost for Materials Sick

Inventory Concentration Impact Category Category Endpoint Safeguard Subject Single Index
CO2 Conc. air pollutants Urban Air Pollution Thermal stress
Human life and
HCFCs malaria Human society
Conc.global warming gas Global warming
TCDD cataract Human health
Conc. Stratospheric ODS Ozonelayer depletion
Benzene Skin cancer DALY or YOLL
Air conc. of toxic Human toxicity Other cancer
Lead Social Property
SOx Water conc. of toxic Ecotoxicity Defect of respiratory Cost or surplus energy

NOx Biodiversity (terrestrial) External Cost

Soil conc. of toxic Acidification Ecosystem
Total N Biodiversity (aquatic)
Conc. And depsition of Biodiversity
acidifing sub, Eutrophication plant Extinct or Affected Species
Total P
benthos Primary
Consumption of oxygen Photochemical oxidant
NMVOC Productivity
Conc. of oxidant fishery Dry weight
Land
Land use crop
Copper ore
material
Oil Consumption of mineral
Mineral resource
Coal Consumption of energy Source: Sadamichi Yucho
Energy resource
LCIA Phase
01 Classification

02 Characterization

03 Normalization

04 Grouping

05 Weighting
LCIA Phase: excluding grouping
01 Classification

02 Characterization

03 Normalization

04 Weighting
 How much money do we have?

€ $ ¥ € $ ¥ € $ ¥
¥ $ € ¥

€ $ ¥

¥ € $ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥

¥ $ ¥

$ ¥ € €

$
¥ ¥ $ €

¥ $ €

¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ $ €
¥ ¥ $

¥ $ € €

$
 500 500
¥ ¥
1$ 2€

1000 ¥ 5$ 10 €

100 100 100 100

¥ ¥ ¥ ¥
500 1$ 1€
¥

1000 ¥ 1000 ¥ 10 $

500
¥
1$ 2€ 2€

10 $
2000 ¥ 6$ 12 €

100 ¥ = 36 ฿
2900 ¥ 11 $ 1€
1 $ = 35 ฿
1 € = 48 ฿

500 ¥ 1$ 2€
720 ฿ 210 ฿ 576 ฿ 1506 ฿

1044 ฿ 385 ฿ 48 ฿ 1477 ฿

180 ฿ 35 ฿ 96 ฿ 311 ฿

3294 ฿
LCIA Phase
01 Classification

02 Characterization

03 Normalization

04 Weighting
LCIA Phase
01 Classification

02 Characterization

03 Normalization

04 Weighting
Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) Select Impact Categories
Classification
LCI Impact Categories

CH4 Global warming

CO2

NOx Eutrophication

SO2 Acidification

Cd Toxicity

Hg
LCIA Phase
01 Classification

02 Characterization

03 Normalization

04 Weighting
Characterization
❑ Calculating the potential contribution to environmental
impacts (numerical indicator results), representing the
magnitude of potential impacts
❑ The contribution of each burden to any impact category
is assessed by multiplying with a relevant equivalence
factors or ‘characterization’ factors
 Characterization factors CFs: Global Warming
ค่าศักยภาพในการทาให้เกิดภาวะโลกร้อน(Global Warming Potential: GWP)
GWP (100 years)
Substance
CO2 eq./substance
2nd Report 3rd Report 4th Report 5th Report
CO2 1 1 1 1
CH4 = 28
CH4 21 23 25
Fossil CH4 = 30
N2O 310 296 298 265
SF6 23,900 22,200 22,800 23,500
HFCs 124 – 14,800 4 – 12,400
PFCs 7,390 – 12,200 6,630 – 11,100

Source: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Second Assessment Report (1996), Third Assessment Report
(2000), Fourth Assessment Report (2006) and Fifth Assessment Report (2013)
 Characterization factors (CFs): Global Warming

Source: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC),

Second Assessment Report (1996), Third Assessment Report
(2000), Fourth Assessment Report (2006)
and Fifth Assessment Report (2013)
 Characterization factors (CFs): Global Warming

“ถ้าทราบปริมาณการปล่อยแต่ละก๊าซและเลือกใช้ค่า GWP จาก 5th Assessment Report ของ IPCC”

ปริมาณการปล่อย ปริมาณการปล่อย
ก๊าซเรือนกระจก GWP
(kg) (kgCO2-eq)

CO2 200 1 200  1 = 200

CH4 5 28 5 28 = 140

N2O 0.2 265 0.2  265 = 53

SF6 0.01 23,500 0.01  23,500 = 235

รวม 628
 Characterization (Acidification) Characterization (Eutrophication)

Characterization (Water Pollution)

Source: A study to Examine the Cost and Benefits of

the ELV Directive, European Commission
 Characterization (Acidification)

Data items Inventory (kg) AP Category indicator

NO2 4.56 0.7 3.19

SO2 6.09 1 6.09

NH3 2.78 0.93 2.59

Total 11.87 kg SO2-eq

AP: Acidification Potential

Characterization (Water Scarcity)

Source: JGSEE (2013)

 Characterization (Water Scarcity)

Data items Inventory (m3) WSI Category indicator

Watersheds: Kok 10 0.018 0.18

Watersheds: Mun 4.0 0.927 3.708

Watersheds: Chi 6 0.471 2.826

Total 6.714 m3

WSI: Water stress index

 Different Emissions/
Different Impact Categories/
Different Units

How to Compare?

Convert to
equivalent unit
LCIA Phase
01 Classification

02 Characterization

03 Normalization

04 Weighting
Normalization
❑ A fraction of characterisation results in relation to the
total magnitude of a given impact category in a defined
geographical area and time

❑ Giving normalised LCIA profile (normalized results)

❑ Better understanding of the overview magnitude of

impacts under study
 Normalization
Global Warming (process)
Global Warming (reference)

CO2, CH4….
refrigerator CO2, CH4….
CFCs
CFCs
Ozone Layer Deletion (process)
Ozone Layer Deletion reference)
Normalization Factor

Source: Global normalisation factors

for the Environmental Footprint and
Life Cycle Assessment, JRC Technical
Reports, European Commission, 2017
Normalization
LCIA Phase
01 Classification

02 Characterization

03 Normalization

04 Weighting
Weighting
❑ Converting indicator or normalised results by multiplying
with weighting factors, i.e. numerical factors based on
value choices (weighted results)
❑ By applying weighting factors, the relative importance of
different impact categories is weighted against all the other
❑ Provide the agglomeration of converted indicator or
normalised results across different impact categories into a
single “environmental score”
How are weighting factors determined?
❑ Panel weighting: A panel assesses the relative importance of each impact category and
determines the default weights.
❑ Distance to target. If it is possible to set a reduction target for each impact category, this target
can be used as a weighting factor. If the difference is high, the weight is high.
❑Distance to policy target (An issue with this approach is that policy targets may not reflect how
serious a problem actually is, since policy may be influenced by costs and other political
considerations.
❑Distance to scientific target
❑ Monetarization: The assumption is made that these different types of costs (prevent cost,
repairing damage, willingness to pay, future extracting costs) can be added. This can be interpreted as
a weighting step in which the weighting factors for these different types of cost equal one.
❑ Meta-models: Applying multiple weighting factors, resulting from the combination of other
weighting sets
Weighting factors: Eco-indicator 95

Env i ro nmental Wei g hti ng Cri teri o n

effect facto r
Greenhouse effect 2.5 0.1C rise every 10 years, 5% ecosystem degradation
Ozone layer depletion 100 Probability of 1 fatality per year per million inhabitants
Acidification 10 5% ecosystem degradation
Eutrophication 5 Rivers and lakes, degradation of an unknown number of
aquatic ecosystems (5% degradation)
Summer smog 2.5 Occurrence of smog periods, health complaints, particularly
amongst asthma patients and the elderly, prevention of
agricultural damage
Winter smog 5 Occurrence of smog periods, health complaints, particularly
amongst asthma patients and the elderly
Pesticides 25 5% ecosystem degradation
Airborne heavy metals 5 Lead content in children’s blood, reduced life expectancy and
learning performance in an unknown number of people
Waterborne heavy metals 5 Cadmium content in rivers, ultimately also impacts on people
(see airborne)
Carcinogenic substances 10 Probability of 1 fatality per year per million people
Source: Development of a weighting
approach for the Environmental
Footprint, JRC Technical Reports,
European Commission, 2018
 LCIA Methods: Examples
Group Methods Group Methods
CML_IA Cumulative Energy Demand
Ecological Scarcity 2013 Cumulative Exergy Demand
EDIP 2003 Ecological Footprint
Single Issue
EPD 2013 Ecosystem Damage Potential
European
EPS 2000 Greenhouse Gas Protocol
ILCD 2011 Midpoint IPCC 2013 GWP 100a
Impact 2002+ CML 1992
ReCiPe Eco-indicator 95
BEES+ Superseded Ecopoints 97
North America
TRACI 2.1 EDIP/UMIP 97
Japan LIME 3, NETS IPCC 2007 GWP
 Eco-indicator & EDIP
• Eco-indicator 95
• Greenhouse effect (kgCO2)
• Ozone layer depletion (kgCFC11)
• Acidification (kgSO2)
• Eutrophication (kgPO4)
• Heavy metals (kgPb)
• Carcinogen (kgB(a)P)
• Pesticide (kgact.subst)
• Summer smog (kgC2H4)
• Winter smog (kgSPM)
• Energy resources depletion (MJLHV)
• Solid waste (kg)
• EDIP/UMIP 97
• Greenhouse effect (kgCO2)
• Ozone layer depletion
(kgCFC11)
• Acidification (kgSO2)
• Eutrophication (kgNO3)
• Photochemical smog
(kgethene)
• Ecotoxicity water chronic
(m3)
• Ecotoxicity water acute (m3)
• Ecotoxicity soil chronic (m3)
• Human toxicity air (m3)
• Human toxicity water (m3)
• Human toxicity soil (m3)
• Bulk waste (kg)
• Harzardous waste (kg)
• Radioactive waste (kg)
• Slags/ashes (kg)
•
Resource depletion (kg)
 Eco-indicator & EDIP
• Eco-indicator • EDIP
• Characterization • Characterization
the damage model for emissions includes fate the damage model for emissions includes fate
analysis, exposure, effects analysis and damage analysis analysis, exposure, effects analysis and damage analysis
• Normalization • Normalization
calculated on European level, mostly based on based on person equivalent for 1994 (according to
1990 & 1993 as base years, with some updates for the the update issued in 2004)
most important emissions • Weighting
• Weighting set to politically set target emission per year 2004,
a panel performed weighting of 3 damage except for resources which is based on the proven
categories. reserves per person in 1994
 Eco-indicator & Eco-indicator 99
• Eco-indicator 95
• Greenhouse effect (kgCO2)
• Ozone layer depletion (kgCFC11)
• Acidification (kgSO2)
• Eutrophication (kgPO4)
• Heavy metals (kgPb)
• Carcinogen (kgB(a)P)
• Pesticide (kgact.subst)
• Summer smog (kgC2H4)
• Winter smog (kgSPM)
• Energy resources depletion (MJLHV)
• Solid waste (kg)
• Eco-indicator 99
• Climate change (DALY) • DALY
• Ozone layer depletion (DALY) • Disability Adjusted Life Years
(DALYs)
• Carcinogen (DALY)
• Number of year life lost + number
• Respiratory organics (DALY)
of year lived disabled
• Respiratory inorganics (DALY)
• Used by World bank and WHO
• Radiation (DALY)
• PAF
• Acidification (PDF*m2yr)
• Potentially Affected Fraction
• Eutrophication (PDF*m2yr)
• Lang Use (PDF*m2yr) • PDF
• Ecotoxicity (PAF*m2yr) • Potentially Disappeared Fraction
• Mineral depletion (MJ surplus)
• Fossil fuels depletion (MJ surplus)
Eco-indicator & EDIP
• EDIP/UMIP 97
• Greenhouse effect (kgCO2)
• Ozone layer depletion (kgCFC11)
• Acidification (kgSO2)
• Eutrophication (kgNO3)
• Photochemical smog (kgethene)
• Ecotoxicity water chronic (m3)
• Ecotoxicity water acute (m3)
• Ecotoxicity soil chronic (m3)
• Human toxicity air (m3)
• Human toxicity water (m3)
• Human toxicity soil (m3)
• Bulk waste (kg)
• Hazardous waste (kg)
• Radioactive waste (kg)
• Slags/ashes (kg)
• Resource depletion (kg)
• EDIP 2003
• Global Warming (kgCO2)
• Ozone layer depletion (kgCFC11)
• Ozone formation (Vegetation) (m2.ppm.h)
• Ozone formation (Human) (person.ppm.h)
• Acidification (m2)
• Terrestrial eutrophication (m2)
• Aquatic eutrophication EP(N) (kgN)
• Aquatic eutrophication EP(P) (kgP)
• Ecotoxicity water chronic (m3)
• Ecotoxicity water acute (m3)
• Ecotoxicity soil chronic (m3)
• Human toxicity air (person)
• Human toxicity water (m3)
• Human toxicity soil (m3)
• Bulk waste (kg)
• Harzardous waste (kg)
• Radioactive waste (kg)
• Slags/ashes (kg)
• Resource depletion (kg)
ReCipe
• ReCiPe Midpoint
• Climate Change: kgCO2-eq
• Ozone depletion:kgCFC11-eq
• Terrestrial Acidification: kgSO2-eq
• Freshwater Eutrophication: kgP-eq
• Marine Eutrophication: kgN-eq
• Human Toxicity: kg1,4-DB eq
• Photochemical Oxidant Formation:
kgNMVOC
• Particulate Matter Formation: kgPM10eq
• Terrestrial Ecotoxicity: kg1,4-DB eq
• Freshwater Ecotoxicity: kg1,4-DB eq
• Marine Ecotoxicity: kg1,4-DB eq
• Ionizing Radiation: kBq U235 eq
• Agricultural Land Occupation: m2a
• Urban Land Occupation: m2a
• Natural Land Transformation: m2
• Water Depletion: m3
• Metal Depletion: kgFe eq
• Fossil Depletion: kgOil eq
• ReCiPe Endpoint
• Climate Change (Human Health): DALY
• Ozone Depletion: DALY
• Human Toxicity: DALY
• Photochemical Oxidant Formation: DALY
• Particulate Matter Formation: DALY
• Ionizing Radiation: DALY
• Climate Change Ecosystems: Species. Yr
• Terrestrial Acidification: Species. Yr
• Freshwater Eutrophication: Species. Yr
• Terrestrial Ecotoxicity: Species. Yr
• Freshwater Ecotoxicity: Species. Yr
• Marine Ecotoxicity: Species. Yr
• Agricultural Land Occupation: Species. Yr
• Urban Land Occupation: Species. Yr
• Natural Land Transformation: Species. Yr
• Metal Depletion: $
• Fossil Depletion: $
Stages of LCA

47
 • Ways to reduce environmental impacts.
Interpretation • What conclusions can you draw from the study?
• What recommendations can be made?รี

48
 • Ways to reduce environmental impacts.
Interpretation • What conclusions can you draw from the study?
• What recommendations can be made?รี