Life-Cycle Assessment presents a brief overview of the development of the life-cycle assessment process and develops guidelines and principles for implementation of a product life-cycle inventory analysis. The book describes inventory analysis, impact analysis, and improvement analysis-the three components of a product life-cycle assessment. It discusses the major stages in a life cycle, including raw materials acquisition, materials manufacture, final product fabrication, filling/packaging/distribution, and consumer use and disposal. Cover......Page 1 Title Page......Page 2 Copyright Page......Page 3 Foreword......Page 4 Abstract......Page 5 Table of Contents......Page 6 List of Tables......Page 10 Acknowledgments......Page 11 Summary and Index of Guiding Statements and Key Principles......Page 12 Chapter One Introduction......Page 20 Life-Cycle Assessment Concept......Page 24 A Brief History of Life-Cycle Inventory Analysis......Page 25 Three Components......Page 27 Identifying and Setting Boundaries for Life-Cycle Stages......Page 29 Applications of an Inventory Analysis......Page 30 Format of this Report......Page 32 Introduction......Page 34 Public Sector Uses......Page 35 Study Specificity......Page 36 Define the System Boundaries......Page 37 Devise an Inventory Checklist......Page 44 Institute a Peer Review Process......Page 47 Gather Data......Page 48 Identify Subsystems......Page 49 Sources of Data......Page 50 Develop Stand-Alone Data......Page 53 Construct a Computational Model......Page 54 Present the Results......Page 57 Interpret and Communicate the Results......Page 58 Using Templates in Life-Cycle Inventory Analysis......Page 62 Inputs in the Product Life-Cycle Inventory Analysis......Page 65 Outputs of the Product Life-Cycle Inventory Analysis......Page 73 Transportation......Page 76 Coproduct Allocation......Page 78 Data Quality......Page 81 Geographic Specificity......Page 86 Special Case Boundary Issues......Page 87 Improper Waste Disposal......Page 88 Subsystem Boundaries......Page 90 Specific Assumptions and Conventions......Page 93 Manufacturing Stage......Page 97 Specific Assumptions and Conventions......Page 98 Subsystem Boundaries......Page 100 Subsystem Boundaries......Page 102 Specific Assumptions and Conventions......Page 103 Specific Assumptions and Conventions......Page 105 Recycle/Waste Management Stage......Page 107 Specific Assumptions and Conventions......Page 108 References......Page 118 Glossary......Page 120 Clean Air Act (CAA)......Page 128 Clean Water Act (CWA)......Page 129 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)......Page 130 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)......Page 132
