 Midpoint impact categoriesRoland Meyer Chapter 112 in Elgar Encyclopedia of Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment, 2026, pp 414-416 from Edward Elgar Publishing Abstract: The Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) phase plays a critical role in evaluating environmental impacts associated with various processes and products. This phase is centered on the classification and characterization of emissions, which are systematically grouped into predefined impact categories. The process begins with classification, where emissions are categorized based on their specific environmental effects, such as “Global Warming Potential” and “Acidification Potential”. Following this initial step, characterization quantifies the impact of each emission in relation to a reference substance. Midpoints, such as global warming potential or human toxicity, provide a structured framework for assessing potential environmental changes; however, it is important to note that they do not measure final damage directly. This intermediate step is crucial for comprehensively understanding and comparing the contributions of different emissions to pressing environmental issues, ultimately guiding informed decision-making and fostering sustainability improvements across various sectors. Keywords: Impact Assessment; Classification; Characterization; LCIA; Life Cycle Impact Assessment (search for similar items in EconPapers) Downloads: (external link) Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:elg:eechap:22215_112 Ordering information: This item can be ordered from Access Statistics for this chapter More chapters in Chapters from Edward Elgar Publishing |
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