Page 376 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

360 6 From LCA to Sustainability Assessment

and comprising three dimensions. The product line analysis further proposed
a demand analysis (is the product to be analysed required at all?). Today it is
assumed that there is a demand for every product that has been established in the
market. 16)
On the basis of the broad acceptance of the triple bottom line concept which
has also been documented by the SETAC/UNEP (United Nations Environmental
17)
Programme) life cycle initiative, the following scheme for a life cycle sustainability
assessment – LCSA of products reads:
LCSA = LCA + LCC + SLCA (6.1)

This pattern was presented in 2003 as ‘SustAss’ 18) with the three components of
LCA, LCC (life cycle costing) and SLCA (social life cycle assessment or societal life
cycle assessment) with

• LCA, the (environmental) Life Cycle Assessment according to SETAC and ISO
(International Standard Organization);
• LCC, Life Cycle Costing (compatible with LCA);
• SLCA, Social (or societal) LCA, the product-related social assessment.

For the use of the Equation 6.1 certain prerequisites must be fulfilled. 19)
The first and most important prerequisite is the use of consistent, ideally identical
system boundaries for all three assessments. Because the involved technical
disciplines have differing terminology , the terms must be consistently defined.
An example: The relevant term regarded here of the physical life cycle of a product
(from cradle to grave) differs fundamentally from the term Product life cycle used
in marketing. This signifies the period from production development (‘R&D’) to
product marketing. It ends with the product being taken from the market.
Ideally one inventory serves as the basis for all three dimensions. However,
it must be assumed that the inventory for SLCA generally requires a stronger
regional resolution than usually necessary for LCA and LCC. In Chapter 4 some
efforts for an improved regional resolution of an ecological impact assessment
were reported. 20) Finally, the ‘+’ signs in Equation 6.1 are symbolic: they do not
mean that the results of the three LCAs should be added.
The reason why the product-related sustainability assessment has to be life-cycle-
based is obvious, and can be similarly applied in LCA: Only from a perspective of
the entire life cycle, can problem shifting and apparent compensations (trade-offs)
be observed and avoided. As required by the Brundtland Report (WCED, 1987, loc.
cit.) for worldwide fairness across generations, a substantial issue in sustainability
is to avoid shifting problems to the future or to other regions of the world.

16) There are actually products, which do have no perceivable use (or are even harmful) and which
are enforced on consumers by marketing campaigns.
17) Remmen, Jensen and Frydendal (2007).
18) Kl¨ opffer (2003a).
19) Kl¨ opffer (2003, 2008), Kl¨ opffer and Renner (2007, 2008) and UNEP-DTIE (2011).
20) Jos´ e Potting is a pioneer in the area, Potting (2000).