Applicability of the Resource Availability Index of Life Cycle Impact Assessment to Consumer Durables

Abstract

Characterisation factors of resources developed in the existing life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) methods were calculated on the basis of a specific year. Characterisation where time dependency was neglected would possibly fail to consider the effects of stocks and recovery of secondary resources contained in consumer durables. In this study, the resource availability index developed in the ReCiPe 2008 was reviewed and its applicability to impact assessment of consumer durables was investigated. As a case study, estimation of sales and disposals of color television sets in China was targeted.