Abstract:
To promote the localization application of life cycle assessment, a life cycle impact assessment model for endpoint damage was explicitly created for China. This mode has been established in terms of literature review of damage factors, accounting for per capita normalisation values, and weighting-based surveys. The results are as follows: (1) Eleven environmental impact categories have been carefully selected within this model, including carcinogenesis, fine particulate matter formation, climate change, water consumption, photochemical oxidant formation, ecotoxicity, acidification, eutrophication, land use, mineral resources and fossil fuels, and the corresponding damage endpoints were human health, ecosystem quality and resources. (2) The damage factors of pollutants, resources and energy were obtained. (3) With consideration of the fascial year 2017, the regional per capita normalisation values of human health, ecosystem quality and resources in China are 0.019 DALY, 6.08×10
-5 species and 2467.42 MJ, respectively. This study indicates that the constructed endpoint damage model can represent the environmental impact by normalizing different pollutants, resources and energy consumption into a specific value. In addition, the major findings can support for intra-product and inter-product impact comparison, identification of the links with more significant impacts on the environment, and further promote the sustainable development.