GIS-Based Regionalization of LCA

Kevin Fong-Rey Liu^*, Ming-Jui Hung, Po-Chung Yeh, Jong-Yih Kuo

1Department of Safety, Health and Environmental Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan 2Department of Science and Information Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei City.

DOI: 10.4236/gep.2014.22001                

Abstract

Although LCA is normally not focused on the local impacts for a product system, but when LCA is applied to other environmental system analysis tools the local impact may be important, such as the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). In this study, the regionalization of LCA refers to the conversion of the results from site-generic or site-dependent LCIAs into smaller spatial units. The regionalization of LCAs is achieved by a geographic information system (GIS). GIS can easily allocate the impact into smaller spatial units through the overlay analysis of fate, exposure and effect layers.

Keywords

Life Cycle Impact Assessment; Geographic Information System; Strategic Environmental

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

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