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Life cycle assessment for emerging materials: case study of a garden bed constructed from lumber produced with three different copper treatments
Citation:
Tsang, M., D. Meyer, T. Hawkins, W. Ingwersen, AND P. Sayre. Life cycle assessment for emerging materials: case study of a garden bed constructed from lumber produced with three different copper treatments. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT. Ecomed Verlagsgesellschaft AG, Landsberg, Germany, 19(6):1345-1355, (2014).
Impact/Purpose:
The objective of this research is to evaluate the appropriateness of using lifecycle assessment (LCA) for novel applications that incorporate emerging materials and involve site-specific scenarios. Cradle-to-grave impacts of copper-treated lumber used in a raised garden bed are assessed to identify key methodological challenges and recommendations applying LCA for such purposes as well as to improve sustainability within this application.
Description:
Although important data and methodological challenges facing LCA and emerging materials exist, this LCA captures material and process changes that are important drivers of environmental impacts. LCA methods need to be amended to reflect properties of emerging materials that determine their fate, transport and impacts to the environment and health. It is not necessary that all recommendations come to light before LCA is applied in the context of emerging materials. Applications of such materials involve many inputs beyond emerging materials that are already properly assessed by LCA. Therefore, LCA should be used in its current state to enhance the decision making context for sustainable development of these applications.
