Kevin S. Brady

In reply to hertwich & pease, Int. J. LCA 3 (4) 180 — 181, “ISO 14042 restricts use and development of impact assessment”

Life Cycle Impact Assessment describes indicators and does not predict actual impacts. The value of an LCA is its comprehensive review of all stages of a product’s life cycle and its synoptic view of all relevant environmental issues. The current version of the 14042 draft describes the uniqueness of Life Cycle Impact Assessment approach which is distinct from other assessment techniques. The wording was designed to help users of the standard understand how and why LCIA is distinct from other assessment methods.In closing, we would like to highlight our opinion that the present document on the level of a DIS is sound, stable and practical within the ISO 14040 series of standards. We do not agree withHertwich & Pease that the present document prevents the use of LCIA. It makes a choice regarding the exclusion of weighting across categories in order to prevent misuse in deriving inappropriate claims. And for characterisation it has achieved a well founded synthesis. In addition, we strongly believe that this standard will stimulate the international scientific discussion of LCA and will substantially contribute to enhanced and more valuable applications of LCA in the future.

Canada’s life cycle activities and product policies

ConclusionsCanada’s approach has been to pursue life-cycle management (LCM) on a voluntary basis, rather than using a command and control approach. LCM is seen as a valuable tool to promote pollution prevention particularly with respect to internal environmental performance improvements by industry. Current public policy applications of LCM range from eco-labelling criteria to packaging waste reduction strategies to toxics management. Future activity will focus on the monitoring of international activity in this area, particularly in relation to trade issues and methodology development, the promotion of LCM nationally, and the development of LCM tools for use by Canadian industry and governments.

Life cycle assessment of a business telephone

This joint study between Environment Canada and Northern Telecom aimed at carrying out an LCA on a manufactured product, the Nortel M7310 business telephone, in order to identify improvement strategies. The telephone, invented a century ago, by Alexander Graham Bell in Canada, is emblematic of a sophisticated but common everyday product. As such, this study provides an excellent demonstration of the benefits of design-for-environment. This paper describes the details of the methodology.