WA12A Comparative Risk Studies and LCIA Toxicity Impacts
C120-122
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM, Wednesday
() New characterization factors for local and regional impacts in Canada.
Toffoletto, L1, Cadotte, M1, Deschenes, L1, 1 CIRAIG - Ecole Polytechnique, Montreal, Qc, Canada
ABSTRACT- Current Canadian LCA practice involves practitioners utilizing European or American methodologies when conducting comprehensive impact assessments, despite the fact that these may not be valid for Canadian conditions. In order to remedy this lack of suitable models, a site-dependant midpoint LCIA method is being developed. This combination of existing LCIA models will allow the characterization of the ten impact categories recommended by the SETAC. Models from Europe (EDIP 2003, Eco-Indicator 99, IMPACT 2002+) and the US (TRACI) were adapted to the Canadian context. For regional and local impacts, characterization factors were developed for each of the 15 terrestrial and 5 marine Canadian ecozones. Ecozones represent large homogeneous ecological units which appear to be at an appropriate spatial resolution scale for both local and regional impacts. This level of spatial resolution also has the advantage to allow a feasible correspondence between site-dependant LCI results and site-dependant LCIA models. Regionalization was performed for both fate and exposure factors through the use of site-dependant characterization models and sensitivity factors for each ecozone and impact category. Through the use of a contaminated site remediation case study (located in the mixed wood plains ecozone), comparisons between several generic factors and the Canadian factors were performed. Preliminary results show significant differences in the LCIA results obtained with EDIP2003 and IMPACT2002+ generic factors, TRACI Vermont and US factors, and the Canadian factors. These differences show the influence of taking into account spatial differentiation for the assessment of toxicity, ecotoxicity, land-use, acidification, photochemical smog formation and eutrophication.
Key words: lcia method, canadian ecozones, site-dependancy