Numerical approaches towards life cycle interpretation five examples

  • Reinout Heijungs
  • René Kleijn
LCA Methodology
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

The ISO-standard for LCA distinguishes four phases, of which the last one, the interpretation, is the least elaborated. It can be regarded as containing procedural steps (like a completeness check) as well as numerical steps (like a sensitivity check). This paper provides five examples of techniques that can be used for the numerical steps. These are the contribution analysis, the perturbation analysis, the uncertainty analysis, the comparative analysis, and the discernibility analysis. All five techniques are described at a non-technical level with respect to basic concept, possibilities, tabular and graphical representation, restriction and warnings, and all are illustrated with a simple example.

Key words

Comparative analysis contribution analysis discernibility analysis life cycle interpretation perturbation analysis sensitivity analysis statistical techniques uncertainty analysis 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

References

  1. Burmaster DE, Anderson PD (1994): Principles of good practice for the use of Monte Carlo techniques in human health and ecological risk assessments. Risk Analysis 14 (4) 477–481CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  2. Consoli F, Allen D, Boustead I, Fava J, Franklin W, Jensen AA, de Oude N, Parrish R, Perriman R, Postlethwaite D, Quay B, Seguin J, Vigon B (1993): Guidelines for life-cycle assessment: a ‘Code of Practice’. Edition 1. SETAC, Brussels/PensacolaGoogle Scholar
  3. Heijungs R, Guinée JB, Huppes G, Lankreijer RM, Udo de Haes HA, Wegener Sleeswijk A, Ansems AMM, Eggels PG, van Duin R, de Goede HP (1992): Environmental life cycle assessment of products. Backgrounds-October 1992. CML, LeidenGoogle Scholar
  4. Heijungs R (1994): A generic method for the identification of options for cleaner products. Ecological Economics 10 (1) 69–81CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  5. ISO (1999): Environmental management-Life cycle assessment-Life cycle interpretation. FDIS 14043. ISO, GenevaGoogle Scholar
  6. Huijbregts MAJ (1998): Application of uncertainty and variability in LCA. Part 11. Dealing with parameter uncertainty due to choices in life cycle assessment. International Journal of LCA 3 (6) 343–351CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  7. Johnson RA, Wichern DW (1992): Applied multivariate statistical analysis. Third edition. Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood CliffsGoogle Scholar
  8. Morgan MG, Henrion M (1990): A guide to dealing with uncertainty in quantitative risk and policy analysis. Cambridge University Press, New YorkGoogle Scholar
  9. Siegel S (1956): Non-parametric statistics for the behavioral sciences. Mc-Graw-Hill Book Company, Inc., New YorkGoogle Scholar
  10. Vigon BW, Tolle DA, Cornaby BW, Latham HC, Harrison CL, Boguski TL, Hunt RG, Sellers JD (1993): Life-cycle assessment. Inventory guidelines and principles. EPA, CincinattiGoogle Scholar
  11. Weidema BP, Wesnaes MS (1996): Data quality management for life cycle inventories. An example of using data quality indicators. Journal of Cleaner Production 4 (3–4) 167–174CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Ecomed Publishers 2001

Authors and Affiliations

  • Reinout Heijungs
    • 1
  • René Kleijn
    • 1
  1. 1.Centre of Environmental ScienceLeiden UniversityRA LeidenThe Netherlands

Personalised recommendations