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Experiences and thoughts about life cycle assessment in the automotive industry in Japan

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Abstract

Experiences with-Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in the Japanese Automotive Industry and the author’s thoughts on how to apply LCA for automobiles are described. In this paper, LCA applications are categorized into three types:

  1. 1.

    LCA that is strictly based on ISO 14040 series standards → In Japan, this type of LCA studies is used commonly by industry-wide or nation-wide research work,

  2. 2.

    LCA that is somehow not consistent with the ISO standards → This type is internally utilized by individual business companies for the purpose of development of environmentally conscious products with discussions about their own subjective judgement and choices, and

  3. 3.

    LCA that is completely streamlined in regard to the ISO standards → This type is limited to internal improvement activities for each process or shop in a factory, based on Life Cycle considerations.

The idea of the above mentioned categorization and distinctions of LCA applications may also be useful for assembly-based industries other than the automotive industry.

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References

  1. Kobayashi O (1996): Automobile LCA Study. Proceedings of the Second International Conference on EcoBalance, Tsukuba, Japan

  2. Kobayashi O (1997): Life Cycle Inventory Study of Passenger Car. SAE Total Life Cycle Conference, Auburn, Michigan, USA

  3. Kobayashi O, Yamato M (1998): Life Cycle Analysis of a Complex Product — Application of ISO 14040 to a Complete Car. SAE Total Life Cycle Conference, Graz, Austria

  4. JAMA will submit some LCI case studies to the Eco-balance Conference, 31 October to 2 November 2000, Tsukuba, Japan

  5. Kalisvaart SH, Remmersvaal JAM (1994): The MET-points Method: A New Single Figure Environmental Performance Indicator. ‘Integrating Impact Assessment into LCA’. SETAC Europe, Brussels, October 1994

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Materials Development Section 2, Vehicle Research and Experiment Department, Manager, ISUZU Motors Ltd., 8 Tsuchidana, 252-8501, Fujisawa-shi, Kanagawa-ken, Japan

    Junichi Kasai

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  1. Junichi Kasai
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Correspondence to Junichi Kasai.

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Kasai, J. Experiences and thoughts about life cycle assessment in the automotive industry in Japan. Int. J. LCA 5, 313–316 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02977585

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02977585

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