TF3: Toxic Impacts

Motivation

The task force on Toxic Impacts is established under the Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) programme and working group, which aim at identifying a recommended practice for impact categories, category indicators, characterisation models, and characterisation factors to be used in LCIA. The program recognises that the scientific development for LCIA is ongoing, and therefore advises against too specific or standardised recommendations. The recommended practice should contain the option of generic application dependency, and preferably support the choice between midpoint and damage oriented assessment. More detailed information about the LCIA programme and working group can be found in the LCIA definition study (Jolliet et al., 2003) and its associated background documents (Stewart and Goedkoop, 2003, Jolliet, 2003a, Anonymous, 2003) and in the terms of reference for the LCIA definition study (Jolliet, 2003b).

Aims

Identification and quantification of impacts on human health and on ecosystems linked to the use and emissions of toxic substances are of central importance to the development of sustainable technology. On the one hand, the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative can take profit of significant recent progress in LCIA of toxics. On the other hand, several crucial shortages of present methodologies still exist which need to be addressed to enable a proper interpretation of LCI results. Interaction with emerging public substance databases (like REACH of the EU) are of high interest on the application side.

General Aims

The UNEP/SETAC LCIA Programme aims at the enhancement of the availability of sound LCIA data and methods and at guidance on their use. In this context and according to the user needs survey, the LCIA programme has the following objectives:

• the development of a consistent conceptual framework for LCIA, including the relationships with the LCI results on the one hand, and with damages on the other hand

• the establishment of a recommended list of impact categories and category indicators, preferably consisting of sets at midpoint and at damage level, including new impact categories and indicators of specific relevance to developing countries

• the establishment of recommended methodologies for the calculation of characterisation factors for different impact categories

• the establishment of recommended characterisation factors for the different impact categories, to be included in the database on LCIA

• the development of an LCIA information system to facilitate the use of LCIA in Life Cycle Management practice and the stimulation of collaboration with industry.

Arriving at consistent recommended and widely available characterization factors implies a concerted, well coordinated and continuous effort. Task forces are created to coordinate the process in different categories in the coming three years.

Specific aims

The Toxic Impacts task force aims at establishing recommended practice and guidance for use for the ecotoxicity, human toxicity and related categories with direct effects on ecosystem health and human health, i.e: Ecotoxicity, human toxicity, ionising radiation, accidents and noise. (photochemical smog and respiratory effects of inorganic substances will be coordinated with the task force on Transboundary Impacts). The task force will address midpoint categories and their relation to damage categories human health and biotic natural environment.

Contact:
Michael Hauschild (chair)
Department of Manufacturing Engineering and Management
Technical University of Denmark, Building 424
DK-2800 Lyngby (Denmark)
Tel. +45 45 25 46 64

Working web page