Definition
The Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) is the third phase of the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology according to the ISO standard for LCA (ISO 14040: 2006; ISO 14044: 2006). The overall LCA methodology and its applications are treated in the entry on “Life Cycle Assessment.”
Theory and Application
An international standard has been developed for the assessment of environmental impacts in LCA as part of the standardization of the methodological foundation (ISO 14040: 2006; ISO 14044: 2006). The standard lays down the structure and principles which are generally acknowledged and followed by all LCIA methodologies today. According to the standard, the impact assessment proceeds through a number of steps:
First the categories of environmental impact to address are defined or – typically – chosen among already defined and developed categories of impact (reference to “Environmental Impact” entry). The selection of impact categories shall be consistent with the goal and...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Bare JC, Hofstetter P, Pennington DW, de U, Haes HA (2000) Life cycle impact assessment midpoints vs. endpoints: the sacrifices and the benefits. Int J LCA 5(5):319–326
Bare JC, Norris GA, Pennington DW, McKone T (2003) TRACI, the tool for the reduction and assessment of chemical and other environmental impacts. J Ind Ecol 6(3–4):49–78
Brand G, Braunschweig A, Scheidegger A, Schwank O (1998) Weighting in ecobalances with the ecoscarcity method – ecofactors 1997. BUWAL (SAFEL) environment series no. 297, Bern
EC- JRC (2010) Framework and requirements for LCIA models and indicators. ILCD handbook – international reference life cycle data system, European Union EUR24586EN. Available at http://eplca.jrc.ec.europa.eu/uploads/ILCD-Handbook-LCIA-Framework-Requirements-ONLINE-March-2010-ISBN-fin-v1.0-EN.pdf. Accessed 12 Mar 2018
EC-JRC (2011) Recommendations based on existing environmental impact assessment models and factors for life cycle assessment in European context. ILCD handbook – international reference life cycle data system, European Union EUR24571EN. Available at http://eplca.jrc.ec.europa.eu/uploads/ILCD-Recommendation-of-methods-for-LCIA-def.pdf
Goedkoop MJ, Spriensma R (2000) Eco-indicator 99, a damage oriented method for lifecycle Impact assessment, methodology report (update April 2000)
Guinée JB (ed), Gorrée M, Heijungs R, Huppes G, Kleijn R, de Koning A, van Oers L, Wegener Sleeswijk A, Suh S, Udo de Haes HA, de Bruijn JA, van Duin R, Huijbregts MAJ (2002) Handbook on life cycle assessment: operational guide to the ISO standards. Eco-efficiency in industry and science. Kluwer, Dordrecht
Hauschild M (2005) Assessing environmental impacts in a life cycle perspective. Environ Sci Technol 39(4):81A–88A
Hauschild MZ, Huijbregts MAJ (eds) (2015) Life cycle impact assessment. Springer, Dordrecht
Hauschild M, Potting J (2005) Spatial differentiation in life cycle impact assessment – the EDIP2003 methodology. Environmental news no. 80. The Danish Ministry of the Environment. Environmental Protection Agency, Copenhagen
Hauschild MZ, Wenzel H (1998) Environmental assessment of products. Vol. 2 – scientific background. Kluwer, Hingham 565 pp
Hauschild MZ, Goedkoop M, Guinée J, Heijungs R, Huijbregts M, Jolliet O, Sala S (2013) Identifying best existing practice for characterization modeling in life cycle impact assessment. Int J Life Cycle Assess 18(3):683–697
Huijbregts MAJ, Steinmann MAJ, ZJN EPMF, Stam G, Verones F, Vieira MDM, Hollander A, Zijp M, van Zelm R (2016) ReCiPe 2016 -a harmonized life cycle impact assessment method at midpoint and endpoint level report I: characterization. RIVM report 2016–0104. National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven
ISO 14040:2006 (2006) 2006 Environmental management – life cycle assessment – principles and framework. International Organisation for Standardisation, Geneva
ISO 14044:2006 (2006) 2006 Environmental management – Life cycle assessment – Requirements and guidelines. International Organization Standardisation, Geneva
Itsubo N, Sakagami M, Washida T, Kokubu K, Inaba A (2004) Weighting across safeguard subjects for LCIA through the application of conjoint analysis. Int J LCA 9(3):196–205
Jolliet O, Margni M, Charles R, Humbert S, Payet J, Rebitzer G, Rosenbaum R (2003) IMPACT 2002+: a new life cycle impact assessment methodology. Int J LCA 8(6):324–330
Rosenbaum RK, Bachmann TM, Gold LS, Huijbregts MA, Jolliet O, Juraske R et al (2008) USEtox-the UNEP-SETAC toxicity model: recommended characterisation factors for human toxicity and freshwater ecotoxicity in life cycle impact assessment. Int J Life Cycle Assess 13(7):532
Steen, B (1999a) A systematic approach to environmental priority strategies in product development (EPS). Version 2000-general system characteristics; CPM report 1999:4. Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg
Steen, B (1999b) A Systematic approach to environmental priority strategies in product development (EPS). Version 2000-Models and data of the default method; CPM report 1999:5. Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Section Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 CIRP
About this entry
Cite this entry
Hauschild, M.Z. (2018). Life Cycle Impact Assessment. In: The International Academy for Production (eds) CIRP Encyclopedia of Production Engineering. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35950-7_16861-1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35950-7_16861-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-35950-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-35950-7
eBook Packages: Springer Reference EngineeringReference Module Computer Science and Engineering
