T10 AM LCA and Business Benefits
Tuesday, 15 November 2005: 8:00 AM - 11:40 AM in 341-342

(BAR-1117-663346) TRACI Version 2.0 Allowing More Options and Providing Better Science for Bio-Based Impact Assessment Comparisons.

Bare, J¹, ¹ US EPA, Cincinnati, OH, USA

ABSTRACT- The Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other environmental Impacts (TRACI) was originally developed to provide the U.S. with a consistent set of impact assessment methodologies for LCIA, sustainability metrics, and pollution prevention analyses. TRACI is consistent with U.S. EPA regulations and policies, and assumptions and value choices have been minimized. During the development of TRACI, the U.S. EPA decided not to aggregate between environmental impact categories, so many of the impact assessment methodologies within TRACI are based on the relative potency of the stressors at a common midpoint within the cause-effect chain. Analysis at a midpoint minimizes the amount of forecasting and effects modeling incorporated into the LCIA, thereby reducing the complexity of the modeling. Midpoint analysis also is more inclusive of all of the endpoint effects, and therefore increases the comprehensiveness of impacts. TRACI Version 2.0 provides many advantages over other available methodologies, including allowing independent assessment of rural and urban impacts even in cases when the specific site of the chemical emission is not known. The technical approach underlying several impact categories within TRACI Version 2.0 will be presented along with a discussion of the use of TRACI within bio-based case studies.

Key words: impact assessment, bio based, LCIA, sustainability metrics