Page 114 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

L1644_C03.fm Page 89 Tuesday, October 21, 2003 3:11 PM

TABLE 3.6
Comparison of Concepts for Weighting across Impact Categories
Type of
concept Description Costs Advantages Disadvantages
I Selection of one No Simple application. Parameter is only a
Proxy parameter for the bad approximation
representation of of total impact
the total impact
II Standard or No The reference value is No accepted
Distance to environmental accepted if it exists reference value for
target objectives comparison of
established by different impact
the authorities as categories
reference
III Consideration of No Achievement of a Result depends on
Panels the different value that is composition of the
opinions of accepted by a group panel and/or
experts and/or selected
the general individuals
society
IV Efforts to reduce Internal The efforts can be Internalized costs
Abatement pollution by expressed by costs do not correspond
technology technological that are known to external costs
means as
reference
V Expression of External Attempt to estimate External costs can
Monetization environmental the actual damage only be estimated
damages in costs
monetary values

mental priority strategies (EPS) (Steen, 1999) and in the uniform world model
(UWM; Rabl et al., 1998).
In addition to the weighting scheme used, single index approaches can be
differentiated according to whether impact potentials are the basis for the weighting.
For instance, this is the case for eco-indicator 95 and EDIP, but not for Tellus and
eco-scarcity, in which directly weighting factors are applied.
In the ongoing methodology development of LCIA, panel methods are increas-
ingly important; a tendency also exists to reflect the emission–effect relation more
accurately. In turn, proxy indicators “energy” and “mass displacement” (as a measure
of energy and resource intensity) and monetization methods based on damage or
abatement cost are also acquiring relatively increasing importance.
Next, the eco-indicator 95 will be further explained as a single index method.

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