Session: LCA and Regulation

Life cycle assessment: Applications to solid waste policy and program development in Oregon
David M. Allaway,^*   Oregon Department of Environmental Quality

In the last few years, the United States Environmental Protection Agency has developed several tools that facilitate the evaluation of the energy and greenhouse gas impacts of various solid waste management options, including recycling and composting. The State of Oregon's Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has applied these tools, along with other life cycle assessment research and literature, to evaluate a variety of solid waste policy and program options.

This presentation will demonstrate how DEQ has applied - and proposes to continue to apply - life cycle assessment to inform a variety of program and policy decisions. Examples will include: 1) technical evaluation of policy and program options in support of Oregon's Governor's Advisory Group on Global Warming; 2) evaluation of the potential greenhouse gas and energy impacts of reducing the frequency of residential curbside recycling collection; 3) education of solid waste professionals and the general population regarding the benefits of recycling and the relative impacts of "upstream" (resource extraction and manufacturing) vs. "downstream" (disposal) life cycle stages; 4) evaluation of e-commerce order fulfillment packaging options, conducted as part of a larger packaging waste prevention project with business; and 5) development of a Waste Prevention Strategy and the identification of "high impact" materials, wastes, and processes to focus on for environmental improvement.

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