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The Opportunities and Pitfalls of Applying Life Cycle Thinking to Nanoproducts and Nanomaterials
Citation:
CURRAN, M. A. The Opportunities and Pitfalls of Applying Life Cycle Thinking to Nanoproducts and Nanomaterials. Presented at Workshop , Chicago, IL, November 05 - 06, 2009.
Impact/Purpose:
To inform the public.
Description:
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a well-established methodology for evaluating the environmental impact of products, materials, and processes. LCA experts worldwide agree that existing LCA tools are capable of supporting the development of decisions on the use of nanomaterials and nanoproducts as long as uncertainties and data gaps are clearly stated. A recent review of the literature (Meyer et. al 2009) found that global warming potential based on energy and fossil fuel requirements was the only impact category that was consistently covered in all studies. This and other potential shortcomings (i.e. research needs) are being raised regarding the application of LCA to nanotechnology.
