DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1065/lca2002.05.083.2 ---Intention, Goal, Scope, Background --- BASF has developed the tool
of eco-efficiency analysis [1] to address not only environmental
issues, but also issues posed by the marketplace, politics, product
strategy and research. It is based on assessing environmental behaviour,
environmental impact, possible effects on human health
and ecosystems, and the costs of products and processes from the
cradle to the grave. The goal of eco-efficiency analysis is to quantify
the sustainability of products and processes.
--- Objectives --- Many LCAs do not conduct an assessment of the toxicity
potential. But, to arrive at a comprehensive assessment of products
and processes, it is specifically this criterion which constitutes
an important factor with regard to the evaluation of sustainability.
--- Methods --- A comprehensive and easy-to-use model was developed to
assess toxicity for eco-efficiency analysis. Our model uses the classifications
for hazardous materials under EU law (31 R-phrases to
describe different health effects). Moreover, eco-efficiency analysis
requires an actual score of toxicity. This means that the following
question has to be answered for every toxic effect, How severe is a
certain adverse effect compared to others? This is a very personal
judgement. We performed a survey with 40 toxicologists (industry
and academia) and asked for a ranking and scoring of the toxic effects
of 26 substances according to the personal opinion on how
severe the toxic effects actually are considered to be. Based on the
results, we developed a scoring system.
--- Results and Discussion --- The system summarises different health effects
in six groups, each with a score between 0 and 1000; combinations
of various effects and different exposure routes are also taken
into account. A substance is attributed to a group by its R-phrases.
The new toxicity assessment model has been used in eco-efficiency
analysis and has stood the test for one year. However, the hazard has
to be combined with exposure to describe the actual risk. A second
model was developed to describe the exposure using general use-categories
and physico-chemical properties of the individual substances.
The assessment of toxic effects has been a neglected in many LCAs.
--- Conclusions --- The new models allow the assessment of toxic effects
in an appropriate and easy way. The significant impact of thorough
toxicity assessments on the outcome of eco-efficiency analysis is
demonstrated by a comparison of different assessment models.
--- Recommendations and Outlook --- LCA in combination with the evaluation
of toxicity and risk-potentials will become more and more important
in the future. This new methodology allows the calculation of
toxicity potentials in a short time with a short set of input information.
Those data as a part of the eco-efficiency analysis of BASF are useful to
show the most important impacts over the whole life cycle. Decisionmaking
processes with the eco-efficiency analysis will become much
more useful by using this new assessment of toxicity factors. |
