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LCA and the Working Environment

Contents

Preface

Summary and conclusions

Sammenfatning og konklusioner

1 Introduction

• 1.1 The development process
  • 1.1.1 The first workshop
  • 1.1.2 Phase 2: Testing of the EDIP-methodology
• 1.2 About the new method

2 The new methodology

• 2.1 Statistical sources
  • 2.1.1 Work-related injuries and damages
  • 2.1.2 Produced amounts
• 2.2 Combining the statistics
• 2.3 The five step procedure
  • 2.3.1 Selection of sectors
  • 2.3.2 Specifying the production in the sector
  • 2.3.3 Calculating the total weight of the produced amount in a sector
  • 2.3.4 Accounting for the working environmental impacts
  • 2.3.5 Calculating the impacts per functional unit (weight)
• 2.4 Supplementing the database
  • 2.4.1 Danish electricity production
  • 2.4.2 Danish transportation
  • 2.4.3 Production outside of Denmark
  • 2.4.4 Representativity, completeness and precision
• 2.5 The resulting database

3 The methodology in relation to the ISO 14040-series

• 3.1 Practical remarks regarding the use of the methodology

4 Goal and scope definition and inventory analysis

• 4.1 Goal of the study
• 4.2 Function, functional unit and reference flow
• 4.3 System boundaries
  • 4.3.1 Description of the data categories
  • 4.3.2 Criteria for inclusion of inputs and outputs
• 4.4 Data quality requirements
  • 4.4.1 Time-related coverage
  • 4.4.2 Geographical coverage
  • 4.4.3 Technology coverage
  • 4.4.4 Precision, completeness and representativity of the data
  • 4.4.5 Consistency and reproducibility of the method
  • 4.4.6 Sources of data and their representativity
  • 4.4.7 The uncertainty of the information
• 4.5 Allocation procedures
• 4.6 Aggregation over the life cycle
  • 4.6.1 Historical remarks
  • 4.6.2 Aggregation in the present methodology

5 Impact assessment

• 5.1 Introduction to Life Cycle Impact Assessment
• 5.2 The elements in Life Cycle Impact Assessment
• 5.3 Selection of impact categories, category indicators and models
  • 5.3.1 Selection of impact categories
  • 5.3.2 Category indicators
  • 5.3.3 Models
  • 5.3.4 Assignment of LCI results (Classification)
  • 5.3.5 Classification of category indicator results (Characterisation)
• 5.4 Normalisation
• 5.5 Grouping
• 5.6 Weighting
  • 5.6.1 Suggestion for future development

6 Interpretation

• 6.1 Introduction
• 6.2 Why include the working environment in LCA?
• 6.3 What can the working environmental LCA tell the practitioner?
  • 6.3.1 Energy consuming products
  • 6.3.2 Non-electricity consuming products
  • 6.3.3 Comparisons using company specific information and average values
  • 6.3.4 Comparisons on the societal level

7 Comparison of methods

• 7.1 Advantages of the present method
  • 7.1.1 An extensive database
  • 7.1.2 A uniform database
  • 7.1.3 Possibilities for international development
• 7.2 Disadvantages of the present method
  • 7.2.1 Only an sector assessment
  • 7.2.2 No company specific information
• 7.3 Comparison with international methods
  • 7.3.1 The IVL-method
  • 7.3.2 The IVF-method
• 7.4 Future developments
  • 7.4.1 PC-program
  • 7.4.2 International collaboration
  • 7.4.3 Process assessments

8 Case study: An office chair

• 8.1 Making a flowchart
• 8.2 Aggregation from the component list
• 8.3 Energy and transportation
• 8.4 Matching the aggregated information with the database
• 8.5 The calculations
• 8.6 Creating a better overview
• 8.7 Creating the graphic overview
• 8.8 Normalisation
• 8.9 Further interpretation

9 The database

• 9.1 Explantory notes

10 References

Appendix 1: Review of existing methods for WE-LCA

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Version 1.0 April 2004, © Danish Environmental Protection Agency