The Life Cycle Impact Assessment For China Products: Model Framework Of Endpoint Damage Category And Case Study

The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is one of the most important environmental management tools. The Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) phase Of LCA is aimed at understanding and evaluating the magnitude and significance of the potential environmental impacts of a product system. The goal of this study is to build a endpoint damage model framework which represents the envitonment in China.This paper firstly reviewes the LCA method and its applications. Subsequently, it focuses on the progress of the key steps and hotpot of LCIA. Based on above part, the endpoint damage model framework of life cycle for China products is created. The model framework includes selection of damage categories, normalization and weighting steps.Firstly, based on the model, the damage categories and sub-damage categories are selected. Available characterization model are selected and the damage categories are characterized at the endpoint level in the cause-effect chain.Secondly, normalization factors are developed. The factors represent the total, annual damage potential for per damage category for China over the year 1995. Two types of normalization factors are given: yearly totals and totals per inhabitant.Because of the limitation of weighting methods and the faultiness of datas, the weighting values available for China are not created. According to the similarity of the attitute to three damage categories, four types of weighting values in eco-indicator 99 are selected.Last, a case study of life cycle assessment for Xiali car made in China is performed by using the damage model which has been built. Not only the case can make reference to the congeneric products, but also the results of assessment can be applied to determine the environmental tax rate, the ecological labeling criteria and the certification of the environmental-friendly products.In conclusion, the endpoint damage model framework of life cycle for China products established is transparent and operational. It will be helpful to LCA practices within the industrial processes of China.