Life Cycle Assessment Handbook: A Guide for Environmentally Sustainable Products -- Contents -- Preface -- 1 Environmental Life Cycle Assessment: Background and Perspective -- 1.1 Historical Roots of Life Cycle Assessment -- 1.2 Environmental Life Cycle Concepts -- 1.3 LCA Links to Environmental Policy -- 1.4 Micro Applications of LCA Rising -- 1.5 The Micro-Macro Divide -- 1.6 Macro Level LCA for Policy Support -- 1.7 Example Biofuels -- 1.8 Why Environmental LCA? -- 1.9 Overview of the Book -- 1.9.1 Methodology and Current State of LCA Practice -- 1.9.2 LCA Applications -- 1.9.3 LCA Supports Decision Making and Sustainability -- 1.9.4 Operationalizing LCA -- References -- Part 1: Methodology and Current State of LCA Practice -- 2 An Overview of the Life Cycle Assessment Method - Past, Present, and Future -- 2.1 The Present-Day LCA Method -- 2.1.1 Goal and Scope Definition -- 2.1.2 Inventory Analysis -- 2.1.3 Impact Assessment -- 2.1.4 Interpretation -- 2.1.5 LCA in Practice -- 2.2 A Short History of LCA -- 2.2.1 Past LCA (1970-2000): Conception and Standardization -- 2.2.1.1 1970-1990: Decades of Conception -- 2.2.1.2 1990-2000: Decade of Standardization -- 2.2.2 Present LCA (2000-2010): Decade of Elaboration -- 2.2.3 Future LCA (2010-2020): Decade of Life Cycle Sustainability Analysis -- References -- 3. Life Cycle Inventory Modeling in Practice -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 Study Goal -- 3.3 Scope -- 3.3.1 Functional Unit -- 3.3.2 Boundaries -- 3.4 Methodology Issues -- 3.4.1 Feedstock Energy -- 3.4.2 Multi-Output Processes -- 3.4.3 Postconsumer Recycling -- 3.4.4 Converting Scrap -- 3.4.5 Water Use -- 3.4.6 Carbon Tracking Considerations -- 3.5 Evolution of LCA Practice and Associated Issues -- 3.6 Conclusion -- References -- 4 Life Cycle Impact Assessment -- 4.1 Introduction.

4.2 Life Cycle Impact Assessment According to ISO 14040-44 Requirements -- 4.2.1 Overview -- 4.2.2 Mandatory Elements -- 4.2.3 Optional Elements -- 4.2.4 Interpreting an LCIA Profile -- 4.3 Principles and Framework of LCIA -- 4.4 Historical Developments and Overview of LCIA Methodologies -- 4.5 Variability in the LCIA Models -- 4.6 State-of-the-Art LCIA -- 4.7 Future Development -- 4.7.1 Spatially-Differentiated Assessment in LCIA -- 4.7.2 Addressing Uncertainty and Variability in Characterization Factors -- 4.7.3 Improving the Characterization of Resources -- 4.7.4 Integrating Water Use and Consumption in LCIA -- 4.7.5 Resources and Ecosystem Services Areas of Protection -- 4.7.6 Expanding Land Use Burdens on Biodiversity in Ecosystem Services -- References -- 5 Sourcing Life Cycle Inventory Data -- 5.1 Introduction -- 5.2 Developing LCI to Meet the Goal of the Study -- 5.2.1 Considerations in Choosing Data Sources -- 5.2.2 A Word on Consequential Life Cycle Assessment -- 5.3 Types of LCI Data -- 5.4 Private Industrial Data -- 5.5 Public Industrial Data -- 5.6 Dedicated LCI databases -- 5.7 Using Non-LCI Data in LCAs -- 5.8 Creating Life Cycle Inventory using Economic Input/Output Data -- 5.9 Global Guidance for Database Creation and Management -- 5.10 Future Knowledge Management -- 5.10.1 Creating a Federal Data Commons in the US -- 5.10.2 Open-Source Models -- 5.10.3 Crowdsourcing -- 5.11 Conclusion -- References -- 6 Software for Life Cycle Assessment -- 6.1 LCA and LCA Software -- 6.1.1 Introduction -- 6.1.2 Characteristics of LCA Software Systems -- 6.1.2.1 Web Tools versus Desktop Tools -- 6.1.2.2 Commercial Tools versus Freeware -- 6.1.2.3 Open Source versus Closed Source -- 6.1.2.4 General LCA Tools versus Specialised Tools versus Add-Ons -- 6.1.3 Two Basic LCA Software User Types and their Needs -- 6.1.4 The LCA Software Market.

6.1.4.1 Main LCA Software Systems -- 6.1.4.2 Other LCA Software Systems -- 6.1.5 Trends in LCA Software -- 6.1.5.1 Ideas that are No Longer Trends -- 6.1.5.2 Possible Future Trends -- 6.1.6 Outlook and Conclusions -- References -- Part 2: LCA Applications -- 7 Modeling the Agri-Food Industry with Life Cycle Assessment -- 7.1 Introduction -- 7.2 Methodological Issues -- 7.2.1 Choice of Functional Unit -- 7.2.2 System Boundaries, Carbon Balance and Data Quality -- 7.2.3 Fertilizer and Pesticide Dispersion Models -- 7.2.4 Land Use and Water Use Impact Categories -- 7.2.4.1 Land Use -- 7.2.4.2 Water Use -- 7.3 Role of the Food Industry: Some Examples -- 7.4 Conclusions -- References -- 8 Exergy Analysis and its Connection to Life Cycle Assessment -- 8.1 Introduction -- 8.2 Life Cycle Assessment -- 8.2.1 Goal and Scope Definition -- 8.2.2 Life Cycle Inventory Analysis -- 8.2.3 Life Cycle Impact Assessment -- 8.2.4 Life Cycle Interpretation (Improvement Analysis) -- 8.3 Exergy and Exergy Analysis -- 8.3.1 Characteristics of Exergy -- 8.3.2 Exergy Analysis -- 8.4 Exergetic Life Cycle Assessment (ExLCA) -- 8.4.1 Linkages between Exergy Analysis and LCA -- 8.4.2 Rationale of ExLCA -- 8.4.3 ExLCA Methodology and Approach -- 8.4.4 Applications of ExLCA -- 8.4.5 Advantages of ExLCA -- 8.5 Case Study -- 8.5.1 System Description and Data Analysis -- 8.5.1.1 Hydrogen Production Plant Based on a Cu-Cl Thermochemical Cycle -- 8.5.1.2 Nuclear Plant -- 8.5.1.3 Fuel (Uranium) Processing -- 8.5.2 Analysis -- 8.5.2.1 LCA of Overall System -- 8.5.2.2 ExLCA of Overall System -- 8.5.3 LCA and ExLCA Results and Discussion -- 8.6 Conclusions -- Acknowledgements -- Nomenclature -- Acronyms -- References -- 9 Accounting for Ecosystem Goods and Services in Life Cycle Assessment and Process Design -- 9.1 Motivation -- 9.2 Life Cycle Assessment Background.

9.3 Ecologically-Based Life Cycle Assessment -- 9.4 Case Study Comparing Process-Based and Hybrid Studies Based on EIO-LCA and Eco-LCA -- 9.5 Overview of the Role of Ecosystems in Sustainable Design -- 9.6 Design Case Study: Integrated Design of a Residential System -- 9.7 Conclusions -- References -- 10 A Case Study of the Practice of Sustainable Supply Chain Management -- 10.1 Introduction -- 10.2 Why Develop an Integrated Sustainable Supply Chain Management Program? -- 10.3 How Might the World's Largest Consumer Products Company Measure and Drive Sustainability in its Supply Chains? -- 10.4 What is the State of P&G's Supply Chain Environmental Sustainability? -- 10.5 Why is the Scorecard Effective for Driving Change and Building Environmental Tracking Capability? -- 10.6 What is involved with Social Sustainability in Supply Chain Management? -- 10.7 Conclusion -- References -- 11 Life Cycle Assessment and End of Life Materials Management -- 11.1 Introduction -- 11.2 Value of Applying Life Cycle Principles and Concepts to End-Of-Life Materials Management -- 11.3 LCA of Waste Management Versus GHG Inventory/Reporting, Sustainability Reporting, and Other Environmental Initiatives -- 11.4 Summary of Key Life Cycle Procedures and their Application to End-Of-Life Systems -- 11.4.1 Goals and Scope -- 11.4.2 System Function and Functional Unit -- 11.4.3 Boundary Decisions -- 11.4.4 Geographic Boundaries -- 11.4.5 Time Scale Boundaries -- 11.4.6 Key LCA Modeling Decision Points -- 11.5 Overview of Existing Waste Related LCAs -- 11.6 Using Waste Management LCA Information for Decision Making -- References -- 12 Application of LCA in Mining and Minerals Processing - Current Programs and Noticeable Gaps -- 12.1 Introduction -- 12.2 The Status Quo -- 12.2.1 LCA Use in the Mining and Mineral Processing Industry -- 12.2.1.1 Low Overall Business Priority.

12.2.2 Life Cycle Inventory/Life Cycle Assessment in Mining and Processing -- 12.2.2.1 Corporate Initiatives -- 12.2.2.2 Association Initiatives -- 12.2.2.3 Supply Chain and Voluntary Initiatives -- 12.2.2.4 Market Positioning and Advocacy -- 12.2.3 Life Cycle Management -- 12.3 What is LCA and LCM Information Being Used for? -- 12.3.1 Internal Decision Taking -- 12.3.2 External Decision Taking -- 12.4 Gaps and Constraints -- 12.4.1 Methodological Considerations -- 12.4.2 Value Chain Structures -- 12.5 Conclusions and Recommendations -- References -- 13 Sustainable Preservative-Treated Forest Products, Their Life Cycle Environmental Impacts, and End of Life Management Opportunities: A Case Study -- 13.1 Introduction -- 13.2 Life Cycle Inventory Analysis -- 13.2.1 Forestry and Milling -- 13.2.1.1 Forestry -- 13.2.1.2 Milling -- 13.2.1.3 Properties of Wood -- 13.2.2 Preservative Manufacture and Treatment of Lumber Products -- 13.2.3 Preservative-Treated Wood Product Service Life -- 13.2.4 End of Life Management -- 13.2.4.1 Landfill Disposal -- 13.2.4.2 Reuse -- 13.2.4.3 Reuse for Energy -- 13.3 Energy Reuse Considerations -- 13.3.1 Chemicals in Preservative-treated Wood -- 13.3.1.1 Lumber Containing Copper-Based Preservative -- 13.3.1.2 Lumber Containing Boron-Based Preservatives -- 13.3.2 Lumber Collection at the End of Service Life -- 13.4 Case Study Scenarios -- 13.5 Carbon Accounting, Impact Indicator Definition, and Classification -- 13.5.1 Carbon Accounting -- 13.5.2 Fossil Fuel Usage -- 13.5.3 Total Energy -- 13.5.4 Other Impact Indicators Assessed -- 13.6 Lumber Life Cycle Assessment Findings -- 13.7 Conclusions -- References -- 14 Buildings, Systems Thinking, and Life Cycle Assessment -- 14.1 Introduction -- 14.2 Applying LCA to Buildings -- 14.2.1 Opportunities -- 14.2.2 Challenges -- 14.3 History and Progress in Applying LCA to Buildings.

14.3.1 Databases, Tools, and Resources.