Handbook on Life Cycle Assessment: Operational Guide to the ISO Standards (Eco-Efficiency in Industry and Science, 7)

Environmental policy aims at the transition to sustainable production and consumption. This is taking place in different ways and at different levels. In cases where businesses are continuously active to improve the environmental performance of their products and activities, the availability of knowledge on environmental impacts is indispensable. The integrated assessment of all environmental impacts from cradle to grave is the basis for many decisions relating to achieving improved products and services. The assessment tool most widely used for this is the environmental Life Cycle Assessment, or LCA. Before you is the new Handbook of LCA replacing the previous edition of 1992. New developments in LCA methodology from all over the world have been discussed and, where possible, included in this new Handbook. Integration of all developments into a new, consistent method has been the main aim for the new Handbook. The thinking on environment and sustainability is, however, quickly evolving so that it is already clear now that this new LCA Handbook does not embrace the very latest developments. Therefore, further revisions will have to take place in the future. A major advantage of this Handbook is that it now also advises which procedures should be followed to achieve adequate, relevant and accepted results. Furthermore, the distinction between detailed and simplified LCA makes this Handbook more broadly applicable, while guidance is provided as to which additional information can be relevant for specialised applications.

in 1992 The Centre Of Environmental Science (cml) At Leiden University, The Netherlands, Published A Guide On Environmental Life Cycle Assessment (lca) Methodology. Many Copies Of This Guide Have Been Sold All Over The World, Setting The Standard For A Long Time.
since Then Lca Methodology Has Progressed Enormously And The International Organization For Standardization (iso) Has Published A Series Of Standards On Lca. These Developments Have Now Been Incorporated Into A New Handbook On Lca Authored By Cml In Cooperation With A Number Of Other Important Institutes In The Area Of Lca.
the General Aim Of This Handbook On Lca Is To Provide A Stepwise `cookbook' With Operational Guidelines For Conducting An Lca Study Step-by-step, Justified By A Scientific Background Document, Based On The Iso Standards For Lca. The Different Iso Elements And Requirements Are Made Operational To The `best Available Practice' For Each Step.
this Book Will Appeal To Persons From A Wide Range Of Scientific Disciplines Working In Industry, In Government, As Consultants, Or At University, Who Are Interested In Learning More About Lca And In Performing Lca Studies. It Will Be Of Especial Interest To Students And Researchers In The Field Of Lca, Industrial Ecology, And Those Interested In Environmental Sciences In General.
cml Is Strongly Involved In The Development Of A Standard Methodology To Determine Environmental Impacts Of Products, I.e., Lca. This Is Done Within International Fora Such As The Society For Environmental Toxicology And Chemistry (setac), The International Organization For Standardization (iso), And The United Nations Environmental Programme (unep).

Front Matter....Pages 1-3 Why a new Guide to LCA?....Pages 5-5 Main characteristics of LCA....Pages 5-10 International developments....Pages 10-12 Guiding principles for the present Guide....Pages 12-13 Reading guide....Pages 13-13 Front Matter....Pages 15-20 Management of LCA projects: procedures....Pages 21-29 Goal and scope definition....Pages 31-40 Inventory analysis....Pages 41-62 Impact assessment....Pages 63-95 Interpretation....Pages 97-108 Back Matter....Pages 109-120 Front Matter....Pages 121-127 Management of LCA projects: procedures....Pages 129-129 Goal and scope definition....Pages 131-132 Inventory analysis....Pages 133-159 Impact assessment....Pages 161-388 Interpretation....Pages 389-390 References....Pages 391-393 Front Matter....Pages 395-401 General introduction....Pages 403-454 Goal and scope definition....Pages 455-476 Inventory analysis....Pages 477-524 Impact assessment....Pages 525-634 Back Matter....Pages 659-692 Front Matter....Pages 395-401 Interpretation....Pages 635-644 References....Pages 645-658 Back Matter....Pages 659-692 Machine generated contents note: Part 1: LCA in perspective1 1. Why a new Guide to LCA?5 2. Main characteristics of LCA 5 3. International developments 10 4. Guiding principles for the present Guide12 5. Reading guide 13 Part 2a: Guide15 Reading guidance19 1. Management of LCA projects: procedures 21 2. Goal and scope definition 31 3. Inventory analysis41 4. Impact assessment 63 5. Interpretation .97 Appendix A: Terms, definitions and abbreviations 109 Part 2b: Operational annex121 List of tables 125 Reading guidance127 1. Management of LCA projects: procedures 129 2. Goal and scope definition 131 3. Inventory analysis133 4. Impact assessment161 5. Interpretation 389 6. References 391 Part 3: Scientific background395 Reading guidance401 1. General introduction 403 2. Goal and scope definition 455 3. Inventory analysis477 4. Impact assessment 525 5. Interpretation 635 6. References645 Annex A: Contributors 659 Appendix B: Areas of application of LCA661 Appendix C: Partitioning economic inputs and outputs to product systems675. Between 1992 and 2002 environmental life cycle assessment methodology has progressed enormously and the ISO has published a series of Standards on LCA. These developments have now been incorporated into this Handbook on LCA