ABSTRACT
The challenge of including time and regional aspects in life cycle assessments is important but not a new reflection: it has been properly identified for more than 20 years: Owens (1997a, 1997b) identifies the lack of temporal and geographical resolutions (especially in the development of the life cycle inventory (LCI)) as one of the main limits of the LCA, with the effect of limiting the ability to evaluate some environmental issues with relevance. One can easily imagine that, in some cases, it is difficult to estimate the impacts and risks for humans or the environment with due scientific rigour. Owens does not hesitate to conclude that, in certain cases, the LCA is too simplified to be able to provide sufficiently robust environmental impact indicators.
