LCA National Project of Japan has conducted a study aimed at the development of a Japanese version of the damage oriented impact assessment method called LIME (Life-cycle Impact assessment Method based on Endpoint modeling). In LIME, the potential damage on socio economic impact caused by the utilization of abiotic resources, increase of extinction risk and loss of primary production caused by mining of resources are measured as main damages of resource consumption. Modeling socio-economic impact was based on the concept of user-cost, which accounts for the equity of future generations. The procedure to measure damages on ecosystem is based on studies estimating the risk of extinction of specific species in the field of conservation biology. Lists of damage factors of mineral resources, fossil fuels and biotic resources like wood material have already prepared and released to the public. The development of these factors enables us to compare and integrate with the damages derived from the other impact categories like global warming and acidification without value judgment of ordinary people.
Key Contact: Norihiro Itsubo - email: itsubo-n@aist.go.jp