Page 383 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

6.3 State of the Art of Methods 367

Labuschagne and Brent 57) strive at a completeness of the indicator set. However,
their method does not primarily seem to be aimed at a product valuation.
Hunkeler 58) solves the problem of connecting social effects with the functional
unit by using a proportionate work time for production (per functional unit) as
a start for quantification. Work time can be included into the inventory which,
however, has to show a high degree of regional resolution and differentiation. Here
regionalisation is of greater importance than is usual in LCA. Work time is the
relevant inventory parameter of SLCA. If foreground data are missing, the relation
of wage per hour to goods and services 59) of vital importance, for example, food,
medical supply, education, and so on, can be determined by national or supra-
national statistics. In combination with a proportionate work time per functional
unit, this can provide a quantification of the social component. A kind of social
impact assessment results depending on the purchase (food, etc.). By comparative
social assessments it can be determined, in which of the products more low wages is
involved, and thus which of the variants can be manufactured financially favourably
only by exploitation of manpower. 60) In addition it is emphasised that the working
place is the natural junction of the product life cycle and social dimensions. Thus
not all, but some violations of human rights, for example, in low waged countries,
can be included into the analysis.
Further SLCA methods developed in recent times are based on the eco-efficiency
analysis, a combination of simplified LCAs and LCCs (see Section 6.3.2). Saling
and co-authors 61) added a social component to the eco-efficiency analysis of BASF,
®
which leads to SEE balance . Thus a two-dimensional eco-efficiency diagram
transforms into a cube, which shows the position of the product in relation to the
three dimensions of sustainability. Because the method depends on value-related
weighting factors and is a result of multiple normalisations, transparency is hardly
possible, and hence, according to ISO 14044 it should only be applied for internal
purposes.
Life cycle working time (LCWT) implies the inclusion of working-place-related
socio-economic aspects into the LCA-software GaBi, which thereby also considers a
third life-cycle-based dimension of sustainability besides LCA and LCC. A feasibility
62)
study for the UNEP/SETAC life cycle Initiative for an integration of social aspects
into LCA was developed by Grießhammer and co-authors. Because many social
indicators cannot be quantified, a qualitative valuation pattern in addition to
quantitative results is used. The UNEP/SETAC guidelines for SLCA have been
published and are now being tested in practice 63)

57) Labuschagne and Brent (2006).
58) Hunkeler (2006).
59) A descriptive, trivial version of this method is the so-called Big Mac-index: how long has a
labourer to work (in different countries) in order to make 1 hamburger affordable?
60) An objection has been, in Europe as in the USA, that to a period of exploitation a period of
relative prosperity for all can follow.
61) Saling et al. (2007).
62) Grießhammer et al. (2006).
63) Beno t and Mazijn (2009) and Beno t et al. (2010) Ciroth.