Impact assessment tools

Based on the process description above, Table 6.11 can be generated which contains the total emission of each pollutant. Emissions are converted to impact indicators using the environmental fate and impact assessment tool EFRAT.79 A comparison of environmental indicators for MA production from either benzene or n-butane is shown in Table 6.12. All of the environmental indices in the n-butane process are less than or equal... 

Engineer processes and products holistically, use systems analysis, and integrate environmental impact assessment tools. 

Processes and products should be engineered holistically using systems analysis and integrating environmental impact assessment tools. 

Landis, A.E. and Theis, T.L. (2008) Comparison of life cycle impact assessment tools in the case of biofuels. IEEE International Symposium on Electronics and the Environment. (ISEE 2008, San Francisco, CA, 19-22 May 2008). Online available http-.jl ieeexplore.ieee.org/servlet/ opac punumber=4555641. 

Air Pollution Dispersion Application of air dispersion modeling principles and EPA tools to assessing environmental impacts from stack and area releases of pollutants Dispersion theory Gaussian plume model Ground-level concentrations Worst case scenarios Air quality impact assessments Stationary source emissions... 

Multidimensional assessment tools obtain information about the pain and impact on quality of life, but are often more time-consuming to complete. Examples of these types of tools include the Initial Pain Assessment Tool, Brief Pain Inventory, McGill Pain Questionnaire, the Neuropathic Pain Scale, and the Oswestry Disability Index.29-33... 

Abstract Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a useful tool to assess impacts of cradle-to-grave chains of products/services. In the Riskcycle framework, the focus is on additives. Additives are usually minor constituents of products, but depending on their specific properties they can be important in the total scope of impacts of such products. In the LCA literature, additives are hardly visible. Most case studies of products containing additives do not mention them. The reasons for this are unclear, but are at least partly due to the fact that information on additives is not included in standard LCA databases. This is true for both life cycle inventory (LCI) and life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) databases. Therefore, it is difficult to conclude whether or not additives indeed are important contributors to environmental impacts over the life cycle. 

Apart from the risk assessment models, there exist models for assessing impacts to human health and the environment in LCA. Both tools [risk assessment and life cycle impact assessment (LCIA)] have different purposes and aims that are summarized in Table 1 [7]. 

Over the last decades direct and indirect environmental effects of human activities has become a focus of special attention of the general public, state authorities, and international organizations. A number of approaches to predict, evaluate, and mitigate human-induced alterations in the biophysical environment have emerged including environmental impact assessment (EIA). EIA has become a powerful tool to prevent and mitigate environmental impacts of proposed economic developments. 

Often contrasted in conceptual terms, EIA and RA have a common ultimate goal— the rational reform of policy-making (Andrews 1990). Both assessment tools are intended to provide reasoned predictions of possible consequences of planned decisions to facilitate wiser choices among the alternatives. To link risk assessment and impact assessment paradigms one can suggest a definition of environmental impact as any change in the level of risk undergone by receptors of concern that are reasonably attributable to a proposed project (Demidova, 2002). 

Tools for environmental impact assessment of process designs. 

Ensuring that all activities are based on all available, evaluated, transparent evidence and include powerful tools for feedback, impact assessment and review, for shared, global use. 

This thesis focuses on the applicability of in vitro, in vivo bioassays and bioindicators as tools for evaluating the effects of complex chemical mixtures in the process of deciding whether dredged harbour sediments can be disposed of at sea without serious adverse effects on marine ecosystem and human health. It considers the North Sea delta area in order to determine a comprehensive approach for the application of both in vitro and in vivo bioassays for hazard assessment, advanced risk assessment, and location-specific ecological impact assessment for dredged harbour sediments. To aid in the selection of appropriate, robust and reliable in vitro and in vivo bioassay and bioindication methods for these specific purposes, the uneertainty, predictability and specificity of the bioassays have been explored and the applieability in eombination with other analyses is discussed. The focus of the chosen examples is on bioassays and bioindicators for the relatively well studied dioxin-like contaminants and TBT. 

In vitro and in vivo bioassays have been shown to be useful tools in the process of hazard, ecotoxicological risk and impact assessment of dredged harbour sediments, provided they are consciously chosen. Three different purposes for application were distinguished (Fig. 1) for which the considerations differ. 

Parrott JL, Chong-Kit R, Rokosh DA. 1999. EROD induction in fish a tool to measure environmental exposure in impact assessment of hazardous aquatic contaminants. In Rao SS, editor. Impact assessment of hazardous aquatic contaminants concepts and approaches. Boca Raton (FL) Lewis Publishers, p 99-117. 

Multi-criterion analysis is a decision-making tool for qualitative weighting of aggregated impact assessment indicators. Further information is available in the OECD Technical Guidance Document on the use of Socio-economic Analysis in Chemical Risk Management Decision-Making [510]. 

The provision of goods and services (collectively, products) contributes to environmental impacts. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a tool for comparing product options and for identifying opportunities for reducing related impacts. LCA provides insights that are complimentary to those of many regulatory and more site- or process-oriented risk and impact assessments. 

The CAP Gap Audit assessment tool grades a corporation s CSR/SRI performance and generates readiness indicators for the top-ranking standards. Risk areas are flagged, performance is documented, and results are delivered in a concise high-impact executive report or on-site presentation. Figure 4.18 illustrates one of the reporting features - Readiness Indicators - for the major accountability standards that the CAP Gap Audit reprises. 

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