A Global Consensus Life Cycle Impact Assessment Method (GLAM): impacts on human health
The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, vol. 31
Abstract
Abstract Purpose Millions of humans worldwide die prematurely or live with reduced quality of life, partly attributable to pollutant emissions along product, service and technology life cycles, including greenhouse gas emissions, and exposure to air pollutants and toxic chemicals. However, while many of these factors are considered in currently available life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) methods, other aspects affecting human health as a central area of protection in LCIA are currently incomplete or missing. This includes impacts in occupational environments and nutrition-related impacts. Methods The Global Life Cycle Impact Assessment Method (GLAM) was developed as a comprehensive and consensus-driven LCIA method, with methodological documentation and guidance on GLAM human health impact categories provided in the present study. For human health, GLAM proposes indicators for climate change, fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) impacts, human toxicity and ionizing radiation that are also available in other LCIA methods as well as for work environment impacts, water scarcity impacts, and lifestyle impacts related to nutrition and physical activity as novel impact categories. Results Beyond the introduction of new impact categories, GLAM provides innovation related to differentiating short- and long-term climate change impacts, exposure to indoor and spatialized outdoor PM 2.5 sources, coupling exposure from chemical life cycle emissions and chemicals in products and introducing reproductive/developmental effects for human toxicity, and building on the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study series for the exposure-response and severity assessment across most considered impact categories. GLAM version 1 was released publicly end of 2024. Conclusions While GLAM impact characterization factors can be used in life cycle assessment and environmental footprinting, they still require extensive testing in practical studies. GLAM ultimately contributes to achieving health-related targets set in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals as well as in the Global Framework on Chemicals.
Authors 24
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Peter Fantke corresponding
Goethe University Frankfurt · University of South Africa
Affiliation as printed
Department for Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Goethe University, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
Department of Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Roodepoort, South Africa
substitute ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark
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CIRAIG · Polytechnique Montréal
Affiliation as printed
Department of Chemical Engineering, CIRAIG, Polytechnique of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
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Wageningen University & Research
Affiliation as printed
Earth Systems and Global Change Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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CIRAIG · Polytechnique Montréal
Affiliation as printed
Industrial and Mathematical Engineering, CIRAIG, Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, Canada
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California Department of Toxic Substances Control
Affiliation as printed
California Department of Toxic Substances Control, Sacramento, USA
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National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
Affiliation as printed
Integrated Research Center for Nature Positive Technology, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan
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CIRAIG · Polytechnique Montréal
Affiliation as printed
Department of Chemical Engineering, CIRAIG, Polytechnique of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
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École de Technologie Supérieure
Affiliation as printed
Department of Construction Engineering, École de Technologie Supérieure, Montreal, Canada
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Affiliation as printed
School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, USA
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Affiliation as printed
College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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Affiliation as printed
John Molson School of Business, Concordia University, Montréal, Canada
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HES-SO University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland · HES-SO Valais-Wallis · CIRAIG · Polytechnique Montréal
Affiliation as printed
Industrial and Mathematical Engineering, CIRAIG, Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, Canada
Institute of Energy and Environment, HES-SO Valais Wallis, Sion, Switzerland
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National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
Affiliation as printed
Integrated Research Center for Nature Positive Technology, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan
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Eastern Research Group (United States)
Affiliation as printed
Eastern Research Group Inc., Ann Arbor, USA
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Technical University of Denmark
Affiliation as printed
Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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Affiliation as printed
Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Affiliation as printed
Built Environment Solutions Unit, Finnish Environment Institute (Syke), Helsinki, Finland
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Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Social Medicine, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Affiliation as printed
Institute of Sustainability and Planning, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
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Technical University of Denmark
Affiliation as printed
Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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University of California, Berkeley
Affiliation as printed
School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, USA
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