Handbook on Life Cycle Assessment

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xi

   PDF

2. LCA in Perspective

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-3

      PDF

   2. Why a new Guide to LCA?

      • Hans de Bruijn, Robbert van Duin, Mark A. J. Huijbregts, Jeroen B. Guinee, Marieke Gorree, Reinout Heijungs et al.

      Pages 5-5

   3. Main characteristics of LCA

      • Hans de Bruijn, Robbert van Duin, Mark A. J. Huijbregts, Jeroen B. Guinee, Marieke Gorree, Reinout Heijungs et al.

      Pages 5-10

   4. International developments

      • Hans de Bruijn, Robbert van Duin, Mark A. J. Huijbregts, Jeroen B. Guinee, Marieke Gorree, Reinout Heijungs et al.

      Pages 10-12

   5. Guiding principles for the present Guide

      • Hans de Bruijn, Robbert van Duin, Mark A. J. Huijbregts, Jeroen B. Guinee, Marieke Gorree, Reinout Heijungs et al.

      Pages 12-13

   6. Reading guide

      • Hans de Bruijn, Robbert van Duin, Mark A. J. Huijbregts, Jeroen B. Guinee, Marieke Gorree, Reinout Heijungs et al.

      Pages 13-13

3. Guide

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 15-20

      PDF

   2. Management of LCA projects: procedures

      • Hans de Bruijn, Robbert van Duin, Mark A. J. Huijbregts, Jeroen B. Guinee, Marieke Gorree, Reinout Heijungs et al.

      Pages 21-29

   3. Goal and scope definition

      • Hans de Bruijn, Robbert van Duin, Mark A. J. Huijbregts, Jeroen B. Guinee, Marieke Gorree, Reinout Heijungs et al.

      Pages 31-40

   4. Inventory analysis

      • Hans de Bruijn, Robbert van Duin, Mark A. J. Huijbregts, Jeroen B. Guinee, Marieke Gorree, Reinout Heijungs et al.

      Pages 41-62

   5. Impact assessment

      • Hans de Bruijn, Robbert van Duin, Mark A. J. Huijbregts, Jeroen B. Guinee, Marieke Gorree, Reinout Heijungs et al.

      Pages 63-95

   6. Interpretation

      • Hans de Bruijn, Robbert van Duin, Mark A. J. Huijbregts, Jeroen B. Guinee, Marieke Gorree, Reinout Heijungs et al.

      Pages 97-108

4. Back Matter

   Pages 109-120

   PDF

5. Operational Annex

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 121-127

      PDF

   2. Management of LCA projects: procedures

      • Hans de Bruijn, Robbert van Duin, Mark A. J. Huijbregts, Jeroen B. Guinee, Marieke Gorree, Reinout Heijungs et al.

      Pages 129-129

   3. Goal and scope definition

      • Hans de Bruijn, Robbert van Duin, Mark A. J. Huijbregts, Jeroen B. Guinee, Marieke Gorree, Reinout Heijungs et al.

      Pages 131-132

   4. Inventory analysis

      • Hans de Bruijn, Robbert van Duin, Mark A. J. Huijbregts, Jeroen B. Guinee, Marieke Gorree, Reinout Heijungs et al.

      Pages 133-159

   5. Impact assessment

      • Hans de Bruijn, Robbert van Duin, Mark A. J. Huijbregts, Jeroen B. Guinee, Marieke Gorree, Reinout Heijungs et al.

      Pages 161-388

   6. Interpretation

      • Hans de Bruijn, Robbert van Duin, Mark A. J. Huijbregts, Jeroen B. Guinee, Marieke Gorree, Reinout Heijungs et al.

      Pages 389-390

Environmental policy aims at the transition to sustainable production and consumption. This is taking place in different ways and at different levels. In cases where businesses are continuously active to improve the environmental performance of their products and activities, the availability of knowledge on environmental impacts is indispensable. The integrated assessment of all environmental impacts from cradle to grave is the basis for many decisions relating to achieving improved products and services. The assessment tool most widely used for this is the environmental Life Cycle Assessment, or LCA. Before you is the new Handbook of LCA replacing the previous edition of 1992. New developments in LCA methodology from all over the world have been discussed and, where possible, included in this new Handbook. Integration of all developments into a new, consistent method has been the main aim for the new Handbook. The thinking on environment and sustainability is, however, quickly evolving so that it is already clear now that this new LCA Handbook does not embrace the very latest developments. Therefore, further revisions will have to take place in the future. A major advantage of this Handbook is that it now also advises which procedures should be followed to achieve adequate, relevant and accepted results. Furthermore, the distinction between detailed and simplified LCA makes this Handbook more broadly applicable, while guidance is provided as to which additional information can be relevant for specialised applications.

• chemistry
• development
• ecology
• environment
• environmental science
• environmental sciences
• industry
• life-cycle assessment (LCA)
• organization
• ecotoxicology
• industrial pollution prevention
• air pollution and air quality

From the reviews:

"The Handbook on Life-Cycle Assessment is a guidance document and handbook, one that covers everything from the best choice of methods for all phases of an LCA study to detailed scientific discussion on methodological issues. … The information given … is very detailed. … It provides 225 pages of tables of conversion factors, characterization factors, normalization factors, and so on. … readers are entitled to high expectations given the impressive team of authors behind this book, and the assumed intended audience will not be disappointed." (Lars-Gunnar Lindfors, Journal of Industrial Ecology, Vol. 7 (2), 2003)

• School of Systems Engineering, Policy Analysis and Management, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands

  Hans Bruijn

• Fuels and Raw Materials Bureau, The Netherlands

  Robbert Duin

• Interfaculty Department of Environmental Science, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands

  Mark A. J. Huijbregts

• Department of Environmental Studies, the University of Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

  Mark A. J. Huijbregts

• Centre of Environmental Science, Leiden University, Germany

  Jeroen B. Guinee, Marieke Gorree, Reinout Heijungs, Gjalt Huppes, Renée Kleijn, Arjan Koning, Lauran Oers, Anneke Wegener Sleeswijk, Sangwon Suh, Helias A. Udo de Haes

Policies and ethics