Page 446 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

Part 3: Scientific background 429

there may be a misfit between the LCA results and other considerations pertinent to decision-making
(safety,cost-effectiveness,etc.);
the policy/strategy setting often involves many different parties representing differing interests. In
such cases, parties will endeavour to magnify the above objections, for reasons of strategy as well as
substance.
Conducting LCAs in accordance with ISO standards
If an LCA project is performed according to ISO standards, this means not only that the LCA itself will be
methodically structured but also that certain aspects of the LCA process will be established beforehand.
There are two important issues here. First, the ISO standards lay down (quality) criteria for the design
and execution of the LCA as such as well as for the reporting of results, data, methods, assumptions and
limitations. Second, the ISO standards outline a procedure for a ‘critical review’. In general terms, the ISO
standards deem a critical review optional and indicate that use can be made of different review options. If
the LCA results are used to support ‘comparative assertions’ a critical review is mandatory ("since this
application is likely to affect interested parties that are external to the LCA study") according to § 7.2 of
ISO 14040. In cases involving “a comparative assertion that is disclosed to the public” a “review by
interested parties” is required under ISO 14040 (clause 5.1).
For the sake of clarity, we here define several other key terms used in this Guide. An ‘LCA study’ is an
environmental study in which LCA methodology is employed, performed by practitioners who may or may
not be affiliated to the party or parties commissioning the study. An ‘LCA project‘ is a project that seeks to
obtain particular results by means of an LCA study. Besides commissioning parties and practitioners, the
project may also involve other organizations and individuals, in the capacity of data supplier, peer
reviewer or interest group, for example. An ‘LCA process’ is the integral series of exchanges among the
individuals and organisations participating in an LCA project, from project initiation and guidance through
to interpretation and discussion of the results.
Use of a process approach
Against this background, LCA-based decision-making can be seen as a process designed to involve all
relevant stakeholders, which may take a variety of forms. This implies a need to elaborate a process
approach, with the process being designed as appropriately as possible for the specific nature of this kind
of decision-making and the various specific situations that may be involved. If a process approach is
successfully implemented, the process result (i.e. the outcome of such an approach) will show a number
of characteristics.

In the first place, there will be due support for process result. Having exerted an influence on the results,
the various stakeholders will often come to hold different (‘richer’) views. Second, the process result will
be substantially robust. That is to say: the outcome will be scientifically so well underpinned as to stand
up to criticism. The stakeholders will have contributed their know-how and information and enriched the
results with their knowledge and values, with due allowance being made as far as possible for the
dynamics of new developments, innovation and so on. Third, the process will have been fair. All the
stakeholders will have been able to contribute their problem definitions and solutions. These will all have
been taken into due consideration in the decision-making process and a decision ultimately reached. This
process will have been transparent, allowing it to be validated by all parties.