Errors in Conventional and Input-Output—based Life—Cycle Inventories

Lenzen, M

HERO ID

10288604

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year

2000

HERO ID 10288604
In Press No
Year 2000
Title Errors in Conventional and Input-Output—based Life—Cycle Inventories
Authors Lenzen, M
Journal Journal of Industrial Ecology
Volume 4
Issue 4
Page Numbers 127-148
Abstract Summary Conventional process-analysis-type techniques for compiling life-cycle inventories suffer from a truncation error, which is caused by the omission of resource requirements or pollutant releases of higher-order upstream stages of the production process. The magnitude of this truncation error varies with the type of product or process considered, but can be on the order of 50%. One way to avoid such significant errors is to incorporate input-output analysis into the assessment framework, resulting in a hybrid life-cycle inventory method. Using Monte-Carlo simulations, it can be shown that uncertainties of input-output? based life-cycle assessments are often lower than truncation errors in even extensive, third-order process analyses.
Doi 10.1162/10881980052541981
Url https://doi.org/10.1162/10881980052541981
Is Certified Translation No
Dupe Override No
Is Public Yes
Keyword input-output analysis; life-cycle inventory; process analysis; system boundary selection; truncation error; uncertainty