Toward an Information Tool for Integrated Product Policy: Requirements for Data and Computation

• Published in: Journal of industrial ecology Vol. 10; no. 3; pp. 147 - 158
• Main Authors: Heijungs, Reinout, de Koning, Arjan, Suh, Sangwon, Huppes, Gjalt
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 238 Main St., Suite 500, Cambridge, MA 02142-1046 USA MIT Press 01.07.2006; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: computational structure; Data collection; decision support; Environment; Environmental economics; Environmental impact; Environmental management; Environmental policy; European Union; hybrid analysis; Input output analysis; input-output analysis (IOA); Integrated approach; life-cycle assessment (LCA); Multivariate analysis; Product life cycle; Product management; Production policy; Research methodology; Studies; Europe
• ISSN: 1088-1980; 1530-9290
• DOI: 10.1162/jiec.2006.10.3.147

Summary Integrated product policy, according to the European Union, requires reliable data on the impact of consumer products along their life cycles. We argue that this necessarily requires the development of an information tool for hybrid analysis, combining aspects of life‐cycle assessment and input‐output analysis. A number of requirements in the development of such a hybrid information tool are identified, mainly concerning data and computational structure. For the former, some important points of attention are discussed, whereas for the latter, operational formulas are developed.