Data availability and data quality are still critical factors
for successful LCA work. The SETAC-Europe LCA Working
Group -Data Availability and Data Quality- has therefore
focused on ongoing developments toward a common data exchange
format, public databases and accepted quality measures
to find science-based solutions than can be widely accepted. A
necessary prerequisite for the free flow and exchange of life cycle
inventory (LCI) data and the comparability of LCIs is the consistent
definition, nomenclature, and use of inventory parameters.
This is the main subject of the subgroup -Recommended
List of Exchanges- that presents its results and findings here:
•Rigid parameter lists for LCIs are not practical; especially,
compulsory lists of measurements for all inventories are
counterproductive. Instead, practitioners should be obliged
to give the rationale for their scientific choice of selected
and omitted parameters. The standardized (not: mandatory!)
parameter list established by the subgroup can help to facilitate
this.
•The standardized nomenclature of LCI parameters and the
standardized list of measurement bases (units) for these parameters
need not be applied internally (e.g. in LCA soft-ware),
but should be adhered to in external communications
(data for publication and exchange). Deviations need to be
clearly stated.
•Sum parameters may or may not overlap -misinterpretations
in either direction introduce a bias of unknown significance
in the subsequent life cycle impact assessments (LCIA). The
only person who can discriminate unambiguously is the practitioner
who measures or calculates such values. Therefore, a
clear statement of independence or overlap is necessary for
every sum parameter reported.
•Sum parameters should be only used when the group of emissions
as such is measured. Individually measured emission
parameters should not be hidden in group or sum parameters.
•Problematic substances (such as carcinogens, ozone depleting
agents and the like) may never be obscured in group emissions
(together with less harmful substances or with substances
of different environmental impact), but must be determined
and reported individually, as mentioned in paragraph 3.3 of
this article.
•Mass and energy balances should be carried out on a unit
process level. Mass balances should be done on the level of
the entire mass flow in a process as well as on the level of
individual chemical elements.
•Whenever possible, practitioners should try to fill data gaps
with their knowledge of analogous processes, environmental
expert judgements, mass balance calculations, worst case assumptions
or similar estimation procedures. |
