Page 14 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

XII Preface

also offering advanced readers something new. The LCA standards are written in
a spirit which shall prevent any misuse of the method, especially in marketing and
advertisement. As a consequence, frequently we read what shall not be done and
less details on how a real LCA is to be done correctly. To give an example, in the
phase LCIA there is no list of impact categories, not even a default list, not to speak
of indicators and characterisation factors. Therefore, LCIA is treated extensively in
this book. Even so, no complete picture could be presented since several methods
are still in development, cited in many references.
Equally important as reporting the mere facts seemed relating a deeper under-
standing of the LCA methodology including its limits. The same is true for the
environmental problems forming the basis of the impact categories. The most
important application of LCA is learning and understanding of environmental
problems caused by product systems ‘from cradle to grave’, that is, from the raw
materials to recycling and waste removal, respectively. This learning process cannot
start without a good understanding of the processes and can be even worsened by
thoughtlessly using software. The modern software offers great help in performing
LCAs (hardly to dream of 10 years ago); it should not, however, replace the col-
lection of original (‘foreground’) data, thorough system analysis, or selection and
explanation of the impact categories.
There can be no doubt that LCA as an applied (simplified) system analysis offers
much material for theoretical work, enriching the methodology. It is not, however,
‘art pour l’art’, but should rather achieve the learning effect mentioned above,
the results of which should enter decision finding. Ecologically correct decisions
during product development will lead to better products in the long range. The
application of LCA is therefore of decisive importance. In order to demonstrate this
point, the authors divided a ‘real’ LCA study into four parts, which were assigned
to the four phases according to ISO 14040.
1. Goal and scope definition (Chapter 2)
2. Life cycle inventory analysis (Chapter 3)
3. Life cycle impact assessment (Chapter 4)
4. Interpretation (Chapter 5).

This ‘real-life’ LCA study in German has been provided by the Institut f¨ ur Energie-
und Umweltforschung (IFEU), Heidelberg, by courtesy of the commissioner
Fachverband Getr¨ ankekarton (FKN), Wiesbaden. The translation of the recorded
textual passages has been carried out by the authors of this book. We would like to
point out explicitly that this specific LCA study was chosen as example for purely
didactic reasons. A specific product system is always more descriptive compared to
a theoretically constructed one. Specific conclusions included in the example LCA
do not belong to the learning goal set by the authors of this book.
Textbooks on LCA are rare in any language, but even in English we remember
2)
only one, originating from Sweden. We hope that this book will contribute
2) Baugmann and Tillmann (2004).