ABSTRACT
In Chapter 1 we pointed out that EIO-LCA is only one approach to performing life cycle assessment. While it has many advantages, it operates at an aggregate level and does not give the detailed information required for some analyses. The other common approach is to model the materials and energy balances for each important process involved in manufacturing, running, servicing, and retiring the item of interest. The advantage of the process model is its ability to examine in whatever detail is desired the inputs and discharges for a particular process or product. The disadvantage is that constructing each unit process model is time consuming and expensive.
