OPEN ACCESS
An important aspect – although not the only one – in planning and developing a system for waste management is to optimise environmental benefits and minimise environmental damage. The purpose of this contribution is to outline a common approach to evaluating environmental impacts – Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) – and to show how it can be used in structured processes to plan and develop waste management policies and systems. LCA, also sometimes known as ‘Cradle-to-Grave’ Assessment, is a general approach to evaluating the total environmental impacts of providing a product or service [1].
life cycle assessment, management, waste
[1] Baumann, H. & Tillman, A.M., The Hitch-hiker’s Guide to LCA, Studentlitteratur, Lund, 2004.
[2] Clift, R., Doig, A. & Finnveden, G., The application of life cycle assessment to integrated solid waste management: part 1—methodology. Process Safety and Environment Protection, 78, pp. 279–287, 2000. http://dx.doi.org/10.1205/095758200530790
[3] Weidema, B., Avoiding co-product allocation in life cycle assessment. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 4(3), pp. 11–33, 2010. http://dx.doi.org/10.1162/108819800300106366
[4] Elghali, L., Clift, R., Begg, K.G. & McLaren, S., Decision support methodology for complex contexts. Engineering Sustainability, 161, pp. 7–22, 2008. http://dx.doi.org/10.1680/ensu.2008.161.1.7
[5] Clift, R., Sustainable development and its implications for chemical engineering. Chemical Engineering Science, 61, pp. 4179–4187, 2006. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ces.2005.10.017
[6] Mitchell, C.A., Carew, A.L. & Clift, R., The role of the professional engineer and scientist in sustainable develropment. Sustainable Development in Practice, Wiley & Sons: Chichester, 2004.