Session: Social LCA

Life Cycle Environmental and Socio-Economic Evaluation of a Glass Bangle Factory in Firozabad (India)
Bastien Roquier,   Université de Lausanne
Olivier Jolliet,^*   University of Michigan, School of Public Health
Pierre Jaboyedoff,   Sorane SA, Ecublens, Switzerland
Girish Sethi,   TERI-The Energy and Resources Institute, New Dehli, India
Sameer Maithel,   TERI-The Energy and Resources Institute, New Dehli, India

Conventional life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology has been adapted to take into account social aspects in addition to the environmental impact assessment. This approach aims particularly to provide an operational evaluation methodology for development and cooperation projects taking place in developing countries. The present study proposes to use a hybrid approach (process and economic input-output LCA) for evaluating the socio-economic and environmental effects associated with a product, process or activity over its entire life cycle. The method provides an impact assessment through four environmental damage categories (Human Health, Ecosystem Quality, Global Warming and Resource Depletion) and a selection of socio-economic indicators (Gender Equality, Income Equity, Poverty, Literacy, Child Work, Human Health Impact and Trade-Union Participation). A unique development is the life cycle quantification of environmental impacts, employment and salary structure separated by life cycle stage. The methodology was applied on a case study of glass bangle production in Firozabad (India). The results depict the social and socio-economic issue for some of the Firozabad glass workers, especially from the informal sector. They also show the decrease of the environmental impacts induced by the technology improvements and the shift from coal to natural gas as fuel. This LCA method including both socio-economic and environmental issues provides an effective tool for sustainability assessment. It supplies also valuable information for policy making. However social LCA is still at the beginning and this approach needs further development towards a comprehensive social and environmental assessment methodology.

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