Abstract
Characterization of toxic chemicals with relevance to human exposure does normally not belong to Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) and is still a topic of research. The concept of hazard potential classes proposed in this paper is primarily based on threshold limit values that are considered to be a measure of the severity of potential effects. In the absence of threshold limit values the R-phrases of the ordinance of dangerous substances are used. Substances are assigned to five hazard potential classes (A to E). Potentially dangerous chemicals are identified and substances of low toxicological relevance are excluded from further evaluation. The location where a probable exposure might occur (indoor versus outdoor) and inter-media transport of substances is considered. The product comparison is based both on the results of the proposed “semi-quantitative screening method” and on toxicological expert knowledge.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bia (1996): BIA — Report 1/96, Gefahrstoffliste 1996, Gefahrstoffe am Arbeitsplatz, Hauptverband der gewerblichen Berufsgenossenschaften (HVBG), Sankt Augustin
Buwal (1984): Bundesamt für Umweltschutz, Bern (Ed.), Ökobilanzen von Packstoffen, Schriftenreihe Umweltschutz, No. 24
EU-Directive 67/548/EEC (1996): Anonymus, Amtsblatt der Europäischen Gemeinschaft No. 196 vom 16.08.1996
Fao (1995): Toxicological Evaluations of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, WHO Technical Report series, WHO, Geneva
Dfg (1996): MAK- und BAT- Werte- Liste 1996, Senatskommission zur Prüfung gesundheitsschädlicher Arbeitsstoffe, VCH, Weinheim
Guineé, J.;R. Heijungs;L. van Oers;D. van de Meent;T. Vermeire;M. Rikken (1996a): LCA impact assessment of toxic releases, Dutch Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment, Product Policy 1996/21
Guineé, J.;R. Heijungs;L. van Oers;A. Wegener Sleewijk;D. van de Meent;T. Vermeire;M. Rikken (1996b): USES. Uniform System for the evaluation of substances, Int. J. LCA, 1 (3), pp. 133–138
Habersatter, K.;F. Widmer (1991): Ökobilanzen von PackstoffenStand 1990, Bundesamt für Umwelt, Wald und Landschaft (BUWAL), Bern, Schriftenreihe Umweltschutz, No. 133
Heijungs, R.;J. Guinee;G. Huppes et al. (1992): Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Products, Guide (Part 1 ) and Background (Part 2), Leiden, English Version 1993
Herrchen, M.;D. Keller;P. Lepper;I. Mangeisdorf;U. Wahnschaffe (1997a): ELA — a framework for life-cycle impact assessment developed by the Fraunhofer Society. Part A — The conceptual framework, Chemosphere, in press
Herrchen, M.;D. Keller;R. Arenz (1997b): Refinement of impact assessment methodologies to solve the global ⇔ local controverse in product Life Cycle Assessment: Relais type Micro A as an example for a long-lived product. Chemosphere, in press
Jolliet, O. (1996) (ed.): Impact assessment of human and eco-toxicity in Life Cycle Assessment. With written contributions from J. Assies, M. Bovy, J. Guinee, G. Finnveden, M. Haushild, R. Heijungs, P. Hofstetter and J. Potting, SETAC-working group on impact assessment in LCA — toxicity subgroup. 4th Draft, 12.2.1996
Keller, D.;M. Herrchen;P. Lepper (1996): Alcohol sulphates based on oleochemical and petrochemical sources: impact assessment. 4th symposium for case studies. Presentation summaries. SETAC-Europe, Brussels, 1996, pp. 89–103
Lepper, P.;D. Keller;M. Herrchen;U. Wahnschaffe;I. Mangelsdorf (1997): ELA — a framework for life-cycle impact assessment developed by the Fraunhofer Society. Part B — Basic functionality of ELA explained with an example: Impact assessment of alcohol sulphates based on oleochemical and petrochemical sources, Chemosphere, in press
Mackay, D. (1991): Multimedia environmental models. The fugacity approach, Lewis Publishers, Chelsey
Oecd (1982): Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. OECD Hazard Assessment Project, Step Systems Group: Final Report. Stockholm, February 1982
Potting, J.;M. Hauschild (1997): SETAC Foundation for Environmental Education, LCA News Vol. 17, No. 1, http://setac.org/janlca.html
Saur, K. (1997): Life Cycle Impact Assessment, Int. J. LCA 2 (2), pp. 66–70
TRGS 900 (1995): Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz, Gruppe Umgang mit Chemikalien, Verlag für neue Wissenschaft GMBH, Bremerhaven
Udo de Haes, H.A. et al. (1995) (ed.): The methodology of impact assessment. With written contributions from M. Bovy, G. Finnveden, R. Frischknecht, J. Giegrich, J.B. Guinee, M. Haushild, R. Heijungs, P. Hofstetter, A.A. Jensen, O. Jolliet, E. Lindeijer, R. Müller-Wenk, Ph. Nichols, J. Potting, H. Wenzel Christensen, P. White, Preliminary report of the SETAC Europe Working group on Impact Assessment (WIA), fourth draft, chapter 1, p. 6
Walz, R.;M. Herrchen;D. Keller;B. Stahl (1996): Ecotoxicological impact assessment and the valuation step within LCA — pragmatic approaches, Int. J. LCA 1 (4), pp. 193–198
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Keller, D., Wahnschaffe, U., Rosner, G. et al. Considering human toxicity as an impact category in life cycle assessment. Int. J. LCA 3, 80–85 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02978494
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02978494