Title: Study of a methodology for life cycle assessment using a related process model

Authors: Michifumi Yoshioka, Hisashi Ishitani, Ryuji Matsuhashi

Addresses: Faculty of Engineering, Osaka Prefecture University, 1-1 Gakuen-tyo, Sakai, Osaka 593, Japan. Faculty of Engineering, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113, Japan. Faculty of Engineering, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113, Japan.

Abstract: In recent years, human activities have begun to seriously influence local and global environments. Under the circumstances, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is expected to be a powerful tool in evaluating impacts on environments. However, LCA is not yet established methodologically or formulated systematically. The main problems are: 1. Estimation of the repercussions of the activity of a main product on others. 2. Allocation of resource consumption or emission between a main product and recycling or cascading products. 3. Allocation of resource consumption or emission between a main product and co-products in a combined production. In this context, we have developed novel LCA procedures using linear programming (LP), an allocation method using the best base inverse matrix of LP (BI-allocation) and investigated passenger cars as an example. As a result of these procedures, the repercussion effect and allocation problems are systematically calculated and it is proved that BI-allocation makes a system more suitable than allocation by product weights.

Keywords: life cycle assessment; allocation problem of environmental consequences; related process model; BI-allocation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGEI.1998.000822

International Journal of Global Energy Issues, 1998 Vol.11 No.1/2/3/4, pp.104-110

Published online: 24 Jul 2003 *

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