Phases of

an LCA 1. Goal and Scope

2. Life Cycle Inventory (LCI)

LCA
Phase
s 3. Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA)
Note: For an LCI study LCIA phase is omitted

4. Interpretation

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LCA MODULE A1 - LIV HASELBACH QUINN LANGFITT, WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY

LCA - Goal
• The goal statement is the first step in an LCA and guides
much of the subsequent analysis. The goal must state:
The study’s intended use
Reasons for study
Audience
If the LCA is comparative and whether it will be disclosed to
the public (i.e. marketing purposes)
LCA - Scope
• It provides background information, details methodological choices
and lays out report format.
• It includes:
Product system and system functions
Functional unit
System boundary
Impact Categories, assessment method and interpretation
Data requirements
Assumptions and Limitations
Life Cycle Inventory Phase &
Life Cycle Impact Assessment Phase
• LCI – Collection of input and output data
• LCIA
Conversion of inventory data into environmental impact potentials
Impact categories, indication, and characterization models are selected
Classification, i.e., data are grouped based on potential to cause
environmental impacts
Characterization, i.e., input and output data are converted to potential
impacts based on characterization factors.
Optional steps: Normalization, grouping and weighting
LCA-Interpretation
• Interpretation is ongoing throughout the study to guide following phases.
• Discussion of inventory analysis and impact assessment results in a full LCA
study. If an LCI analysis is conducted only inventories are discussed.
• Can be presented as conclusions and recommendations to the decision or policy
maker.
• Should be consistent with and based on goal and scope of the study.
• Should reflect the various uncertainties inherent in LCA including:
• LCA is based on a relative approach using a functional unit.
• Impacts are “potential”.
Limitations of LCA
• An LCA is not a complete assessment of all environmental issues.
Only those identified in the goal and scope are considered.
• The LCI can rarely, if ever, include every single process and
capture all inputs and outputs due to system boundaries, data gaps,
cut-off criteria, etc.
• LCI data collection contains uncertainty.
• Characterization models (for the conversion of inputs and outputs
to impacts) are imperfect.
• Sensitivity and other uncertainly analyses are not fully developed.
Common Emissions Impact Categories
Acidification Potential (AP)
Ecotoxicity Potential (ETP)
Eutrophication Potential (EP) (Also: Nutrification)
Global Warming Potential (GWP) (Also: Climate Change)
Human Toxicity Cancer Potential (HTCP) (Also: Human Health Cancer)
Human Toxicity Non-Cancer Potential (HTNCP) (Also: Human Health Non-
Cancer)
Human Health Criteria Air Potential (HHCAP) (Also: Human Health Particulates)
Stratospheric Ozone Depletion Potential (OPD) (Also: Ozone Layer Depletion)
Smog Creation Potential (SCP) (Also: Photochemical Ozone Creation)
What is acidification?

Acidification is a broad term that

refers to the process by which
aquatic ecosystems become
more acidic. Acid rain and acid
mine drainage are major sources
of acidifying compounds,
lowering the pH below the range
where most living organisms
function. Some aquatic
ecosystems can also be acidic
due to natural causes, e.g., high
levels of organic compounds or
presence of acid producing
vegetation in bogs.

Lacy Coal Mine, Indiana, US

Other Impact Categories

 Ecosystem Damage Potential

 Abiotic Resource Depletion Potential
 Biotic Resource Depletion Potential
 Fossil Fuel Depletion Potential
 Energy Use
 Land Use
 Water Use
 Landfill Use
 Nuisance-related Impacts (odor, sound, etc.)
 Indoor Air Quality
Computing Environmental Impacts
• Step 1: Impact category selection
• Step 2: Characterization model selection (impact
methodology)
• Step 3: Category indicator selection
• Step 4: Classification
• Step 5: Characterization
Computing Environmental Impacts -
Example
• Step 1: Impact Category Selection Global Warming Potential (GWP),
Acidification Potential (AP), Eutrophication Potential (EP), HTNCP (human
health non-cancer), HTCP (human health cancer), HHCAP(human health
particulates), ODP (ozone depletion), SCP (smog creation)
• Step 2: Category Indicator Selection
• kg CO2-eq for GWP, kg SO2-eq for AP, kg N-eq for EP, etc.
• Step 3: Characterization model selection
• TRACI 2.1 (other options include IMPACT 2002+, eco-indicator 99, …)
• Step 4: Classification
• NH3 (Ammonia)  Acidification, Human Health - Particulates, Eutrophication
Computing Environmental Impacts –
Example (cont’d)
• Step 5: Characterization
• Acidification:
• Criteria air:
• Eutrophication:
Environmental Impact of different
emissions – “Which is more harmful?”
1 kg of substance GWP*
(CO2-eq)
_ _
Carbon Dioxide 1

Mass Scale GWP Carbon 1400

Tetrachloride
CFC 12 10,900
1 kg CO Chloroform 31
2
1 kg CH Methane 25
4
Methyl Bromide 5
Nitrous Oxide 298
1,1,1- 146
Trichloroethane
Mid-point vs End-point Impacts
Environmental Impact categories
• Types of environmental issues that could be caused by the
inputs and outputs of the product or process being analyzed.
• Classes of Impact categories (issues that we want to
safeguard):

Human
Ecosystems Resources
Health
Normalization - Calculating the magnitude of category indicator results relative to reference information.

CTU:
Comparative
Toxic Unit
Question: How do you compare different
environmental impacts?

• Where do you go from there? How do you compare

environmental impacts as disparate as acidification and
climate change (GWP)?
Weighting
• Converting the impact category results using valuation of how
important each impact category is to abate.
• Weighting includes (according to US EPA):
• “Identifying the underlying values of stakeholders
• Determining weights to place on impacts
• Applying weights to impact indicators.”
• Weighting adds subjectivity (and is not allowed in comparative
studies)
• Little or no scientific basis for determining weights
• Usually developed from value-choices
• Thank you for your attention!