LCI modelling approaches applied on recycling of materials in view of environmental sustainability, risk perception and eco-efficiency

• DOI: 10.1007/s11367-010-0201-6
• Publication Date: 2010-06-14T07:41:08Z
• Authors: Rolf Frischknecht
• Keywords: 13. Climate action; 11. Sustainability; 7. Clean energy; 01 natural sciences; 12. Responsible consumption; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences

Purpose and scope Two ISO-compliant approaches on modelling the recycling of plastics and metals are frequently applied in life cycle assessment case studies and intensively debated: the recycled content or cutoff approach and the end of life recycling or avoided burden approach. This paper discusses the two approaches from three different perspectives: (1) the kind of sustainability concept served, (2) the risk perception involved and (3) the eco-efficiency indicators resulting from the two approaches.