Life cycle assessment: An operational guide to the ISO standards

Life cycle assessment: An operational guide to the ISO standards

May 2001 | Jeroen B. Guinée (final editor) – Marieke Gorrée – Reinout Heijungs Gjalt Huppes – René Kleijn – Arjan de Koning – Lauran van Oers Anneke Wegener Sleeswijk – Sangwon Suh – Helias A. Udo de Haes Hans de Bruijn Robbert van Duin Mark A.J. Huijbregts' Erwin Lindeijer² Aksel A.H. Roorda³ – Bernhard L. van der Ven Bo P. Weidema
This document is a comprehensive guide to Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), providing an operational framework for its application in environmental policy. It was commissioned by several Dutch ministries and developed by a team of experts from various institutions, including the Centre of Environmental Science (CML), the Fuels and Raw Materials Bureau (Bureau B&G), and the School of Systems Engineering, Policy Analysis and Management at Delft University of Technology (TUD/TB). The guide is structured into three parts: 1. **LCA in Perspective**: This part introduces LCA, its purpose, and its role in different decision-making contexts. It discusses the limitations of LCA and its integration into broader decision-making processes. 2. **Guide**: This part provides detailed procedural guidelines for conducting LCA projects, covering both simplified and detailed levels of sophistication. It includes practical data and operational models for each phase of an LCA study. 3. **Scientific Background**: This part offers detailed scientific support for the guidelines, including background materials and references. It justifies the choices made in designing the best available practice for each phase of an LCA. The guide emphasizes the importance of a holistic approach in LCA, addressing the environmental impacts of products throughout their life cycle. It also highlights the need for transparency in technical assumptions and value choices, and the role of international standards and organizations like SETAC, ISO, and UNEP in advancing LCA methodology. The document aims to provide a robust and up-to-date resource for policymakers, corporate managers, and scientists involved in LCA applications.This document is a comprehensive guide to Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), providing an operational framework for its application in environmental policy. It was commissioned by several Dutch ministries and developed by a team of experts from various institutions, including the Centre of Environmental Science (CML), the Fuels and Raw Materials Bureau (Bureau B&G), and the School of Systems Engineering, Policy Analysis and Management at Delft University of Technology (TUD/TB). The guide is structured into three parts: 1. **LCA in Perspective**: This part introduces LCA, its purpose, and its role in different decision-making contexts. It discusses the limitations of LCA and its integration into broader decision-making processes. 2. **Guide**: This part provides detailed procedural guidelines for conducting LCA projects, covering both simplified and detailed levels of sophistication. It includes practical data and operational models for each phase of an LCA study. 3. **Scientific Background**: This part offers detailed scientific support for the guidelines, including background materials and references. It justifies the choices made in designing the best available practice for each phase of an LCA. The guide emphasizes the importance of a holistic approach in LCA, addressing the environmental impacts of products throughout their life cycle. It also highlights the need for transparency in technical assumptions and value choices, and the role of international standards and organizations like SETAC, ISO, and UNEP in advancing LCA methodology. The document aims to provide a robust and up-to-date resource for policymakers, corporate managers, and scientists involved in LCA applications.
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[slides and audio] Life cycle assessment An operational guide to the ISO standards