Page 205 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

4.3 Structure of Impact Assessment according to ISO 14040 and 14044 189

Table 4.2 Two sample lists for a selection of impact categories.
Impact category a Impact category b

Mid-point categories Damage categories

Human toxicity Human toxicity Human health
E y t i c i x o t o c I m t c a p o n o i t a r i p s e r n
Eutrophication (aquatic) Ionising radiation
Eutrophication (terrestrial) Ozone layer destruction c
a L n d e s u P h h c o t o e m l a c i o i t a d i x o n
Ozone formation (near-surface) Aquatic ecotoxity Quality of ecosystems
Resources demand Terrestrial ecotoxity
Ozone depletion (stratospheric) Aquatic acidification
Greenhouse effect Aquatic eutrophication
Acidification Terrestrial acidification and
eutrophication
Land use
Global warming Climate change
Non-renewable energy Resources
Mining of minerals

MEMO Verlag: Gestaltung wie Table 4.2 deutsch.
a
W¨ urdinger et al. (2002).
b Jolliet et al. (2003); Damage Category is frequently called Area of Protection or Safeguard Subject;
expression ‘Climate Change’ is used by ISO 14040/14044 for (Mid-point) impact category.
c The impact category ‘ozone layer destruction’ was erroneously only assigned to the Damage Category
‘human health’ because of a proven correlation between skin cancer illnesses and short-wave UV
radiation; however there are also correlations to ‘quality of ecosystems’ and particularly to ‘climate
change’ which is classified here as Damage Category, which deviates from ISO 14044 definition.

• Fine selection of category indicators and characterisation models in the first part
of the phase LCIA, reasoning for selection, references to literature.
• Complement the definition of goal and scope if necessary.
• Completion of inventory data if necessary.
The standard 14044 emphasises an obligation to supply comprehensive information
regarding the selection of impact categories, category indicators, indicator models
and characterisation factors, which seems to be exaggerated for all standard
categories usually applied in LCA like climate change and acidification, but is more
than justified for those rarely used. Hence, the use on an equal footing of home
built methods besides those that are internationally accepted, without referring to
different levels of development, is avoided.
Although ISO does not prescribe an impact category list, ISO 14044 refers to
21)
sample categories and indicator models of the technical guideline ISO 14047 (no
standard!). It can offer assistance for a selection of impact categories and indicator
21) ISO (2002).