Health, human ozone depletion

The life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) is used to assess the results of the LCA and evaluate the impact on the environment in the various impact categories. These impact categories include, for example, human health, GWP, energy, water use, eutrophication, ozone depletion, aquatic toxicity, and land use (ISO, 2006b). LCA may focus on one or more impact categories. The results may be normalized, weighted, and aggregated in optional steps of the LCIA for comparison to political objectives, for example. In addition, sensitivity analyses are often conducted over the entire LCA to evaluate the variation in the results due to selected factors. 

Nr contributes to global climate change and stratospheric ozone depletion, both of which impact human and ecosystem health (e.g.. Cowling et al., 1998). 

Ozone depletion has a number of consequences for human health and agriculture. These include increased rates of skin cancer and eye cataracts, weakening of immune systems, damage to crops, reductions in primary producers (plankton) in the ocean and increasing air pollution. 

Midpoint indicatois Climate change. Ozone depletion. Photochemical oxidant formation. Particulate matter formation. Ionising radiation. Terrestrial acidification. Human toxicity. Terrestrial ecotoxicity. Freshwater ecotoxicity. Marine ecotoxicity. Metal depletion. Fossil depletion. Water depletion. Freshwater eutrophication. Marine eutrophication. Agricultural land occupation. Urban land occupation and Natural land transformation. Endpoint indicators Human health. Ecosystem diversity and Resource availability. 

Resource availability Ecosystem diversity Human health Natural land transformation Urban land occupation Agricultural land occupation Marine eutrophication Freshwater eutrophication Water depletion Fossil depletion Metal depletion Marine ecotoxicity Freshwater ecotoxicity Terrestrial ecotoxicity Human toxicity Terrestrial acidification Ionising radiation Particulate matter formation Photochemical oxidant formation Ozone depletion Climate change L -10%... 

Chmate change Ozone depletion Human toxicity, cancer effects Human toxicity, noncancer effects Particulate matter/respiratory inorganics Ionizing radiation, human health Ionizing radiation, ecosystems Photochemical ozone formation Acidification Eutrophication, terrestrial Eutrophication, aquatic Ecotoxicity Land use... 

The seeond tier solvents are more harmful to health and environment than the first five most frequently released and transferred solvents. Ketones are suspected carcinogens by some sourees. Dichloromethane is a probable human carcinogen. 1,1,1-trichloroefliane is an ozone depleter. Because of their volatility, these solvents reside mostly in the lower atmosphere causing pollution and participating in radical processes. 

The comparative environmental impacts of PLA and PE, PS, PP, and PET for other environmental impact categories can be estimated by applying an LCIA tool to the PLA data contained within the ecoinvent database. TRACI (Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and Other Environmental Impacts), developed by the U.S. EPA, was used to calculate the environmental impacts related to eutrophication, ecotoxicity, acidification, ozone depletion, smog formation, and human health (Figure 26.6) [53]. The impacts for PLA from the ecoinvent database (PLArSP) and the modified agricultural stage (PLA SP + L) are calculated in the same manner as previously discussed. 

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a methodological framework for estimating and assessing the environmental impacts attributable to the life cycle of a product, such as climate change, stratospheric ozone depletion, tropospheric ozone (smog) creation, eutrophication, acidification, toxicological stress on human health and ecosystems, the depletion of resources, water use, land use, noise, and others [3,4]. 

The depletion of the ozone layer by CFCs affects society because increased amounts of UV light on Earth affects human health. Most notable is the increased skin cancer risk. The Montreal Protocol banned the production of these ozone-depleting chemicals on January 1, 1996 (11.10). Other, less harmful compounds like HCFCs face bans in the coming years. Like other good environmental legislation, the CFC ban has worked. Atmospheric CFC levels are expected to level out and then drop in the coming years. The ozone hole itself is expected to disappear by the end of this century. 

The production and use of chlorine, as well as certain chlorinated substances bear risks for human health and the environment. International discussions are underway on legally-binding conventions and protocols thereof Matters of concern include the use of mercury, asbestos, chemicals having an ozone-depletion potential (e.g., chloro-... 

Toxic substances can adversely affect human health and the environment. This includes heavy metals (lead, mercury), ozone-depleting substances, organic solvents, carcinogens, and phthalates (chemicals in plastics and solvents). To minimize the use of such substances the product would require a redesign with substitute material, increasing the cost of procurement. 

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