LCA for decision-making in solid waste management

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Author list: Bonnet S., Gheewala S.H.

Publisher: Hindawi

Publication year: 2016

Start page: 693

End page: 712

Number of pages: 20

ISBN: 9780784479308; 9780784414101; 9780784414101

ISSN: 0146-9428

eISSN: 1745-4557

URL: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85018831216&doi=10.1061%2f9780784414101.ch22&partnerID=40&md5=01356dd856646fdde33d33081cb3a66f

Languages: English-Great Britain (EN-GB)

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Abstract

This chapter reviews the concept and use of life-cycle assessment (LCA) for environmental performance evaluation of solid waste management and discusses the potential and challenges of such a holistic approach for decision making. According to ISO 14040, conducting an LCA includes four main phases: goal and scope definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation. With regard to waste management, LCA enables evaluation of the environmental impacts of a particular waste management system and trade-offs as compared with waste treatment alternatives. The functional unit under the goal and scope of an LCA is a crucial parameter to define as it provides the basis for the assessment. The development of several LCA computer models has accompanied the increased number of solid waste management LCAs. ฉ 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers.

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