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NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competencies and with regard for appropriate balance.
This report has been reviewed by a group other than the authors according to procedures approved by a Report Review Committee consisting of members of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine.
This study was supported by the Forest Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, under Cooperative Agreement No. FP-94-2341. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the organizations or agencies that provided support for this project.
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STEERING COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS OF WOOD AS A RAW MATERIAL FOR INDUSTRIAL USE
ERIC ELLWOOD, Chair,
Dean Emeritus, North Carolina State University
JOHN ANTLE,
Montana State University
GREGORY EYRING, Energy and Materials Consultant,
Washington, D.C.
PETER SCHULZE,
Austin College, Sherman, Texas
Staff
CHARLOTTE KIRK BAER, Program Officer
SHIRLEY THATCHER, Senior Project Assistant
BOARD ON AGRICULTURE
DALE E. BAUMAN, Chair,
Cornell University
JOHN M. ANTLE,
Montana State University
SANDRA S. BATIE,
Michigan State University
MAY R. BERENBAUM,
University of Illinois
LEONARD S. BULL,
North Carolina State University
WILLIAM B. DELAUDER,
Delaware State College
ANTHONY S. EARL,
Quarles & Brady Law Firm, Madison, Wisconsin
ESSEX E. FINNEY, JR.,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Mitchellville, Maryland
CORNELIA FLORA,
Iowa State University
GEORGE R. HALLBERG,
University of Iowa
RICHARD R. HARWOOD,
Michigan State University
T. KENT KIRK,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Madison, Wisconsin
HARLEY W. MOON,
Iowa State University
WILLIAM L. OGREN,
University of Illinois
GEORGE E. SEIDEL, JR.,
Colorado State University
JOHN W. SUTTIE,
University of Wisconsin
JAMES J. ZUICHES,
Washington State University
PAUL GILMAN, Executive Director
MICHAEL J. PHILLIPS, Director
PREFACE
At the request of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service, the Board on Agriculture convened a symposium on "Environmental Implications of Wood as a Raw Material for Industrial Use" in March 1996 to explore issues related to the use of life-cycle analysis methodologies. Ten symposium papers are included in this report and they address several major topics:
- critical analysis of strengths and weaknesses of life-cycle methodologies;
- emerging issues related to life-cycle assessments of environmental impacts of wood used as a raw material;
- global perspectives, including methodologies used in other countries; and
- potential impacts of methodologies on public policy and international standardization.
The ten papers in this report, as well as the round table rapporteur's perspectives, reflect the authors' viewpoints and do not represent general overall opinions or findings of the symposium steering committee and symposium participants.
ERIC ELLWOOD
JOHN ANTLE
GREGORY EYRING
PETER SCHULZE
SYMPOSIUM STEERING COMMITTEE
The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts is president of the National Academy of Sciences.
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CONTENTS
Overview |
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Life-Cycle Thinking for Wood and Paper Products |
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Committee on Renewable Resources for Industrial Materials: a Look Back and Consideration of the Future |
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Assessing Environmental Impacts of Wood Used As a Raw Material in North America |
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European Assessment Methodologies |
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International Organization for Standardization: Environmental Management Systems Standards |
Life-Cycle Assessment for Paper Products |
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Consumer Acceptance of Environmental Labeling on Wood Products |
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Environmental Impact Assessment Applied to Decision Making |
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Policies Today and for the Future |
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Seventh American Forest Congress |
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Certification and Standards |
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Life-Cycle Assessment and Certification |
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Implications of Life-Cycle Concepts |
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TABLES AND FIGURES
Tables
1-1 |
Typical composition of wood |
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1-2 |
Typical ranges for wood calorific values |
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2-1 |
Net U.S. imports of selected materials as a percentage of apparent consumption, and by major foreign sources |
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3-1 |
Impact categories and chains |
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3-2 |
Sample impact matrix |
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3-3 |
Hazard potential |
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3-4 |
Hypothetical valuation structure |
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4-1 |
Environmental problem types |
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7-1 |
Environmental parameters examined for the recycled- and virgin-fiber-based systems |
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7-2 |
Energy, air emissions, solid waste outputs, waterborne wastes, and water use associated with component activities of three methods for managing newsprint |
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8-1 |
ISO Type III label performance indicators |
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9-1 |
Assessment methods for elements in the product system model |
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9-2 |
Enhancements to the life-cycle inventory |
Figures
1-1 |
Materials flows in the wood and paper products system |
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3-1 |
Flow of materials and products associated with lumber |
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3-2 |
Equivalence factors for acid gas emissions impacts in the continental United States |
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4-1 |
System boundaries |
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4-2 |
Steps in the forest system boundary |
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4-3 |
A tree and its environment: main physical inflows and outflows |
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7-1 |
Total, purchased, and fossil fuel energy use for component activities of paper production and management |
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7-2 |
Average energy use and environmental releases for managing newsprint by recycled production + recycling vs. virgin production + waste management (landfilling and incineration) |
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8-1 |
Forest Conservation Program label |
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8-2 |
Eco-Profile label |
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9-1 |
Model for the product system |
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9-2 |
Product stewardship |
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9-3 |
Expanded product responsibility within the sustainable development structure |
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A-1 |
Useful components of a life-cycle inventory |
THE STEERING COMMITTEE ACKNOWLEDGES the outstanding contributions of all symposium speakers and participants representing academia, industry, environmental organizations, professional societies, and other associations throughout North America and Europe. Special thanks is extended to Frank Beall and Joseph Fiksel for their service and coordination of the symposium program.