|
(217) SETAC Europe working group on best available practice in Life Cycle Impact Assessment. Udo de Haes, Helias1, Lindeijer, Erwin2, Müller-Wenk, Rüdi3, Potting, José4, Jolliet, Olivier5, Krewitt, Wolfram6, Hauschild, Michael7, Finnveden, Göran8, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ABSTRACT- Despite the standardisation of Life Cycle Impact Assessment in ISO 14042, there is still a broad variability in approaches possible regarding the methods which can be used. The working group engaged in the process of identifying best available practice in this field, and so became a forrunner of the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative. The first step consisted of the publication of an article in the International Journal of LCA on the best available parctice regarding impact categories and category indicators. In this article also a number of methodological choices was discussed, which in principle are relevant for all impact categories. After that a number of subgroups made further steps in identifying best available practice. These subgroups dealt with: (1) natural resources and land use, (2) global and regional impact categories ( the "non-tox emission categories"), (3) toxicity, with a further distinction between fate and exposure, human health, and ecotoxicity, and (4) normalisation and weighting. Apart from elements which are specific for these topics, also more general subjects were included, such as the valididy of midpoint versus endpoint modelling or the structure of the areas of protection and the societal values behind. The group has expressed its desire to contribute as a group to the Life Cycle Initiative. Key words: LCIA, Best Available Practice |
