Life Cycle Assessment
Life Cycle Inventory
Abstract
Life Cycle Inventory Data Research Program is a research program with the principal aim of developing detailed data inventory resources for Australia.
Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) is the second stage of life cycle assessment, but it is often the most resource intensive stage, so the better general data which are available, the easier the LCI development becomes.
The Centre for Design's LCA resources are published in spreadsheets, and are also available in SimaPro LCA software. For the download page please go to http://simapro.rmit.edu.au/lca/datadownloads.html .
Project Partners
The initial development of the inventory was a collarboartive effort between the Centre for Design at RMIT and the University of New South Wales.
Project funding was provided by Environment Australia, New South Wales Environment Protection Authority, Victorian Environment Protection Authority, South Australian Environment Protection Agency, Queensland Department of Environment and the Cooperative Research Centre for Waste Management and Pollution Control.
The inventory data has been updated and added to by the Centre for Design particularly with assistance from EcoRecycle Victoria.
Methodology
Developing LCA data in Australia is difficult due to lack of industry knowledge of LCA, and the poor availablility of environmental data, particlually data based on per unit of production.
Development from primary data
The development of life cycle inventory data from primary information sources is only possible where cooperation can be established with the industry partner that produces the material or product.
In this case questionnaires can be used to collected data from the industry on the major production inputs and environmental releases. This data is then added to models for upstream production process for the material and energy inputs. Consideration in LCA inventory collection are the scope of processes to include, and the types of envionmental indicators which are being used in later assessments.
Development from existing data
Its often not possible to get data from primary data and in this case data can be developed or adapted from existing inventory information. There are a range of public LCA databases around the world which can be used to guide inventory development. Inventory can also be developed from company envirnomental report, greenhouse gas inventories, pollutant inventories, engineering handbooks and environmental compliance reports.
Most of the data currently developed by the Centre and provided to the public had been developed from secondary data.
Timeframe
This project began in 1997 with a joint project with the CRC for Waste Management and Pollution Control sponsored by Victorian EPA, NSW EPA, Queensland Environment Department, SA Department of Heritage and Environment and Environment Australia. Since this initial development the data have been added to substantially and updated with new data.