Page 61 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

2.2 Scope 45

An analysis shortened in such a manner by omission of the LCIA (then called
LCI study), must not be designated as LCA according to the standard ISO 14040. 42)
Thesameistruewhenonly one impact category is used, for example, ‘climate
change’, quantified by the global warming potential (GWP). Such studies have
recently been named ‘carbon footprint (CF)’ studies 43) (see Section 4.5.2.2).
Such an analysis can, however, prove to be of greatest importance as data base for
complete LCAs. Thus, for example, Plastics Europe (former Association of Plastics
Manufacturers in Europe, APME) compiled LCI studies for its technically most
important plastics. These studies started from the extraction of raw materials and
ended with the production of the polymer (cradle-to-factory gate). The data records
contain average values of, for example, different refineries or production locations,
because with purchase of a polymer, the exact origin of the crude oil molecules from
which it was produced cannot be retraced. Such data sets are called generic data
sets. The author (practitioner) of a specific inventory (e.g. a plastic floor covering of
company X) can insert generic data into the LCA if there are no contradictions to
the selected system boundaries of the study.

2.2.7.2 Valuation (Weighting), Assumptions and Notions of Value
LCA valuation in German standardisation discussions was intended to become a
separate component of an LCA ; it had been termed valuation by SETAC Europe. 45)
44)
The international discussion in SETAC and later during the ISO standardisation
process has led to a refusal of a formal component (phase) valuation.The problem
nevertheless remains, if system A is not superior, by all impact categories, to B (or
vice verse) or alike within the margins of error. What is to be done? According to
which method should a system be valuated, 46) if at all? Who valuates in the context
of which decision process? 47) In Chapter 5, ‘Interpretation’, the standard variants
are discussed.
According to ISO 14044, 48) the weighting of different impacts and their cen-
tralisation to one ‘environmental indicator’ are illegal for LCAs that are intended
to provide comparative assertions to be disclosed to the public. A comparative
assertion implies that product A, under environmental aspects, is better or worse
than Product B or that both products are equivalent regarding the environment.
This very restrictive decision was made to exclude subjective notions of value from
LCA as far as possible, The reason is that, for example, it would have to be decided
in which way ‘climate change’ and ‘acidification’ are to be balanced, and for this
it would have to be decided whether both effects are equally important or whether
one is more important than the other. The regulation in ISO 14044 (Section 4.4.5)
literally reads:

42) ISO (1997, 2006a).
43) Finkbeiner (2009).
44) UBA (1992).
45) SETAC Europe (1992).
46) Giegrich et al. (1995), Kl¨ opffer and Volkwein (1995), Volkwein, Gihr and Kl¨ opffer (1996), Kl¨ opffer
(1998), BUWAL (1990) and Volkwein, Gihr and Kl¨ opffer (1996).
47) IW ¨ O (1996) and Grahl and Schmincke (1996).
48) ISO (2006b).