Page 284 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

272 LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT HANDBOOK

However, we are seeing changes to this attitude and the industry is increas-
ingly engaging with life cycle thinking and considerations.

12.2.2 Life Cycle Inventory/Life Cycle Assessment in Mining and
Processing

Recently we have seen the industry having an increased focus on delivering
LCI and LCA information. This includes carbon footprinting which is often
delivered as a "LCA" which includes only a single impact category (global
warming potential in tonnes of C0 2-e) with all other aspects of the LCA being
ISO 14040/44 compliant.

12221 Corporate Initiatives

Two notable instances of corporate initiatives are the public commitments
of Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton to conduct LCAs on all of their products. This
enables these companies to understand the environmental risks associated
with their products across the value chain, considering both cradle-to-gate and
downstream implications. This also satisfies customers, companies or sectors
requesting life cycle information. Indicative information published by compa-
nies is included in call out boxes 2 and 3.

Box 2. LCA at Rio Tinto

As part of their product stewardship strategy, Rio Tinto has commissioned
ISO compliant life cycle assessments for all their key products. In some
instances Rio Tinto participates in the development of industry level life
cycle inventories, such as the aluminium life cycle inventory developed by
the International Aluminium Association. Rio Tinto also conducts product
specific life cycle assessments to reflect the material flows, operating condi-
tions and downstream impacts of operations; this enables increased under-
standing of risks, which means that they can be better managed.
Further, Rio Tinto reports that their customers are increasingly request-
ing company specific life cycle information. Supplying this information
allows Rio Tinto businesses and their customers and consumers to have
access to information on the environmental impacts and risks associated
with a product. Rio Tinto feels that, by demonstrating that they know their
products to this level of detail, they will encourage their customers to con-
duct similar activities.
Goal and scope definition for life cycle assessments depends on business
and customer requirements. They may be undertaken as a cradle to gate
assessment, extended to the customer's gate to incorporate product trans-
port or they may be partial assessments that focus on specific impacts, such
as greenhouse gas emissions.
http: / / www.riotinto.com/ourapproach/17203_product_stewardship_l 7272.asp