Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Global Impacts (At World Level)
First, end-users select the most applicable impact
categories and functional areas. Second, they
agree upon specific criteria and objectives for
each category. Third, they analyze each alterna-
tive's performance toward each criterion. The
proposed answer to the basic research question
is that the best performing alternative is one that
fulfills best the criteria and objectives specified
for each impact category and functional area.
The inclusion of LCA concepts in the evaluation
process is explored later in this chapter.
In the development of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) Tool for the Reduction
and Assessment of Chemical and Other Envi-
ronmental Impacts (TRACI), Bare et al. (2002)
observed that impact categories are generally of
two types: (1) depletion categories, which include
abiotic and biotic resource depletion, land use,
and water use, and (2) pollution categories, which
include ozone depletion, global warming, human
toxicology, eco-toxicology, smog formation, acidi-
fication, eutrophication, odor, noise, radiation,
and waste heat. In this paper, we present a set of
global impact categories that have consequences
at global level as well as a set of local impact
categories, where the consequences are limited
to the immediate vicinity of an airport project.
These categories are considered to be minimal
and to reflect the most significant and commonly
reported impacts caused by airport development.
Future development should aim toward consider-
ing, at the very least, all impact categories defined
in the TRACI framework.
End-users are invited to adopt an “avoid-min-
imize-mitigate” strategy: decision-makers should
consequently strive to avoid negative impacts,
and if not, to minimize and mitigate their effects
(Airport Futures PAG, 2009). The definition of
sustainability objectives for each impact category
follows this strategy. The impact categories are
outlined below, based on and adapted from Bare
et al. (2002) and Janic (1999):
•
Global Warming
: The contribution of
Greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions and
their build-up in the earth's atmosphere
to anthropogenic climate change (IPCC,
2007). The objective is to avoid-minimize-
mitigate GHGs emissions.
•
Resource Depletion
: Consumption of bi-
otic and abiotic resources and production
of waste in addition to the impacts of min-
ing and quarrying (Douglas & Lawson,
2003). The objective is to avoid-minimize-
mitigate natural resources consumption
and waste as well as to maximize the use
of existing facilities and materials, such as
recycled or renewable resources.
Local Impacts (At the Airport System
and Local Community Level)
•
Noise
: Noise in the vicinity of airports
caused by aircraft movements at the air-
port. The objective is to avoid-minimize-
mitigate elevated noise levels in the sur-
rounding areas.
•
Air Quality
: Air pollution caused by air-
craft engine emissions, airport motor vehi-
cles, access traffic and other sources. The
objective is to avoid-minimize-mitigate
impacts on local, regional but also indoor
air quality.
•
Water Quality
: Water pollution caused
by inadequate treatment of waste, de-
icing fluid runoff, surface fuel spills, and
groundwater contamination. The objective
is to avoid-minimize-mitigate pollution
to adjacent water bodies and wetlands as
well as to limit stormwater runoffs to pre-
vent downstream erosion and groundwater
depletion.
•
Land Disturbance
: Loss of land and land
use restrictions. The objective is to avoid-
minimize-mitigate pressure on greenfield
