vvEPA United States Environmental Protection Agency Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and Other Environmental Impacts (TRACI): User's Guide and System Documentation Jt^^-^TT^^J^rSl. 5jT",v^~nT,T7^r;'.,; "•''»•/•;••'.'i1,".*' -•.'.--'--'-'". .. I <, •),« •'-'"' ''•'! :.,,: ------- EPA/600/R-02/052 June 2003 Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and Other Environmental Impacts (TRACI): User's Guide and System Documentation National Risk Management Research Laboratory U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development Cincinnati, Ohio 45268 ------- Disclaimer Use of TRACI (the Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other environmental Impacts), including but not limited to the impact assessment modeling, does not confer legal rights or impose legal obligations upon any member of the public. Furthermore, it does not release users from any potential liability, either administrative or judicial for any damage to human health or the environment. Neither EPA nor anyone involved in the development of TRACI makes any warranty, expressed or implied, as to any matter whatsoever, including the accuracy of the database, the appropriateness of actions taken by third parties as a result of using the model, or the merchantability or fitness of the model for a particular purpose. EPA does not endorse any products or services. ------- Foreword The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is charged by Congress with protecting the Nation's land, air, and water resources. Under a mandate of national environmental laws, the Agency strives to formulate and implement actions leading to a compatible balance between human activities and the ability of natural systems to support and nurture life. To meet this mandate, EPA's research program is providing data and technical support for solving environmental problems today and building a science knowledge base necessary to manage our ecological resources wisely, understand how pollutants affect our health, and prevent or reduce environmental risks in the future. The National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) is the Agency's center for investigation of technological and management approaches for preventing and reducing risks from pollution that threaten human health and the environment. The focus of the Laboratory's research program is on methods and their cost-effectiveness for prevention and control of pollution to air, land, water, and subsurface resources; protection of water quality in public water systems; remediation of contaminated sites, sediments and ground water; prevention and control of indoor air pollution; and restoration of ecosystems. NRMRL collaborates with both public and private sector partners to foster technologies that reduce the cost of compliance and to anticipate emerging problems. NRMRL's research provides solutions to environmental problems by: developing and promoting technologies that protect and improve the environment; advancing scientific and engineering information to support regulatory and policy decisions; and providing the technical support and information transfer to ensure implementation of environmental regulations and strategies at the national, state, and community levels. This publication has been produced as part of the Laboratory's strategic long-term research plan. It is published and made available by EPA's Office of Research and Development to assist the user community and to link researchers with their clients. Hugh W. McKinnon, Director National Risk Management Research Laboratory ill ------- Abstract D TRACI allows the examination of the potential for impacts associated with the raw material usage and chemical releases resulting from the processes involved in producing a product. TRACI allows the user to examine the potential for impacts for a single life cycle stage, or the whole life cycle, and to compare the results between products or processes. The purpose of TRACI is to allow a determination of priorities or a preliminary comparison of two or more options on the basis of the following environmental impact categories: ozone depletion, global warming, acidification, eutrophication, photochemical smog, human health cancer, human health noncancer, human health criteria, ecotoxicity, fossil fuel use, land use, and water use. TRACI is an impact assessment tool that will support consistency in environmental decision making. It is recognized that additional tools may be useful to assess, prioritize and reduce potential environmental impacts. This user's guide presents information to assist in the use of, limitations and uncertainties associated with, and information concerning, the methodologies within TRACI. For more information regarding TRACI, please contact: Jane Bare U.S. EPA (MS-466) National Risk Management Research Laboratory Sustainable Technology Division Systems Analysis Branch 26 West Martin Luther King Drive Cincinnati, Ohio 45268 USA Email: bare.jane@epa.gov IV ------- Table of Contents Disclaimer ii Foreword iii Abstract iv List of Figures viii List of Tables ix Acronyms x Acknowledgments xi Chapter 1. Introduction to TRACI 1 1.1 Overview 1 1.2 TRACI 1 1.3 Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) 2 1.4 Limitations of TRACI 3 1.5 Conclusions 3 1.6 Document Organization 4 Chapter 2. How to Use TRACI 5 2.1 Overview of TRACl's Functions 5 2.2 Data Structure 5 2.3 Installation and Uninstallation 6 2.3.1 Installation 6 2,3,2 Uninstallation 7 2.4 Introduction Screens 7 2.5 Main Menu 9 2.6 Program Overview 10 2.7 Enter/Edit LCI Data 10 2.7.1 Projects in TRACI 10 2.7.2 Add a New Project Description 11 2.7.3 Edit/View an Existing Project Description 12 2.7.4 Find a Project 13 2.7.5 View Product List and Related Projects 13 2.7.6 Add a New Product 14 2.7.7 Edit/View an Existing Product 15 2.7.8 Add/Edit Life Cycle Stages 16 2.7.9 Add a New Process 17 2.7.10 Edit/View an Existing Process 18 2.7.11 Add a New Resource/Release 19 ------- Add a New Chemical Release (Output) 20 D Add Land Use Data 21 D Add Fossil Fuel Use Data 22 D Add Water Use Data 22 D 2.7.12 Importing Releases 22 D 2.7.13 Edit/View Resources and Releases 24 D 2.7.14 View Available Factors 26 D 2.7.15 View TRACI's Characterization Factors 27 D 2.7.16 Enter Process Details 29 D 2.7.17 Add/Edit Related Projects 32 D 2.8 Perform Calculations 33 D 2.8.1 Setting for Calculations 33 D 2.8.2 View the Results 34 D Inventory Table 34 D Classification Table 35 D Characterization Tables 36 D Characterization Graphs 38 D Characterization of Resources/Releases for One Process 39 D Characterization of Multiple Products by Life Cycle Stage 40 D Characterization of Multiple Processes for One Product 40 D Characterization of Life Cycle Stages for One Product 41 D Characterization of Resources/Releases for Multiple Processes for One Product ... 42 D Characterization of Resources/Releases at the Product Level 43 D Abbreviations in Tables and Graphs 44 D Other Features for Graphs and Tables 46 D 2.9 Transfer Data 46 D Chapter 3. Introduction to Life Cycle Assessment 49 D 3.1 Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) 49 D 3.2 Components of LCA 49 D 3.2.1 Goal Definition and Scoping 50 D 3.2.2 Inventory Analysis 51 D 3.2.3 Life Cycle Impact Assessment 52 D 3.2.4 Interpretation 53 D 3.3 Product Stages 53 D 3.3.1 Raw Materials Acquisition 53 D 3.3.2Manufacturing^ 54 D Materials Manufacture 54 D Product Fabrication 54 D Filling/Packaging/Distribution 54 D 3.3.3 Use/Reuse/Maintenance 54 D 3.3.4 Recycle/Waste Management 54D 3.4 Calculating the Results 54 D 3.5 Data Sources 55 D Chapter 4. Providing Inventory Data 57 D Project Description Worksheet 58 D Inventory of Resources and Releases 59 D Appendix A. Glossary A-l D VI ------- Appendix B. Location Specific Data B-l D Appendix C. Bibliography C-l D viin ------- List of FiguresD Figure 2-1. Levels of LCI Data 6 D Figure 2-2. Splash Screen 7 D Figure 2-3. Introduction Screen 8 D Figure 2-4. EPA Disclaimer 8 D Figure 2-5. Main Menu 9 D Figure 2-6. Projects in TRACI 10 D Figure 2-7. Add New Project Description 11D Figure 2-8. Find Project 13 D Figure 2-9. Projects in TRACI with Details 14 D Figure 2-10. Add a New Project 14 D Figure 2-11. Edit an Existing Product 15 D Figure 2-12. Add/Edit Life Cycle Stages 16 D Figure 2-13. Add Process 17 D Figure 2-14. Edit Process 18 D Figure 2-15. Add Release 19 D Figure 2-16. View Release 20 D Figure 2-17. Import Data 24 D Figure 2-18. View Release 25 D Figure 2-19. Available Factors 26 D Figure 2-20. TRACI Characterization Factors 28 D Figure 2-21. Process Details 29 D Figure 2-22. Process Boundaries 30 D Figure 2-23. Data Quality 31 D Figure 2-24. Add/Edit Related Project(s) 32 D Figure 2-25. Setting for Calculations 33 D Figure 2-26. Inventory Results 34 D Figure 2-27. Classification Results 35 D Figure 2-28. Characterization Results 37 D Figure 2-29. Resources/Releases for One Process 39 D Figure 2-30. Multiple Products by Life Cycle Stage 40 D Figure 2-31. Multiple Processes for One Product 41 D Figure 2-32. Life Cycle Stages for One Product 42 D Figure 2-33. Resources/Releases for Multiple Processes for One Product 43 D Figure 2-34. Resources/Releases at the Product Level 44 D Figure 2-35. Transfer LCI Data 46 D Figure 2-36. Export TRACI Data 47 D Figure 2-37. Set Export Criteria 48 D Figure 3-1. Life Cycle Assessment Framework 50 D Figure 3-2. Inputs and Outputs 52 D Figure 3-3. Sources of Data 56 D Figure B-1. Census Regions B-2 D VIM ------- List of Tables Table 2-1. Preparing Import Table 23 D Table 2-2. Location Abbreviations 45 D Table 2-3. Impact Type Abbreviations 45 D Table 2-4. Life Cycle Stage Abbreviations 45 D Table B-l. Geographic Levels for Impacts B-l D Table B-2. Geographical Location Abbreviations and Designated Regions B-2 D IX ------- Acronyms CAS Chemical Abstract Service EPA Environmental Protection Agency g Gram gal Gallon ISO International Organization for Standardization kg Kilogram L Liter Ib Pound LC Life Cycle LCI Life Cycle Inventory LCIA Life Cycle Impact Assessment LCA Life Cycle Assessment M3 Cubic Meter mg Milligram MJ Mega Joule Qty Quantity scf Standard Cubic Foot SETAC Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry sq.ft Square Foot sq.km Square Kilometer sq.mi Square Mile T&E Threatened and Endangered Species TRACI Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and Other Environmental Impacts UOM Unit of Measurement ------- Acknowledgments TRACI, the Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other Environmental Impacts, was developedby the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Risk Management Research Laboratory under the leadership of Jane Bare. In-house support for TRACI's development was provided by the following EPA researchers: Teresa Hoagland, Patrick Hofstetter, and David Pennington. Contractor support for developing TRACI was provided by researchers from Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and Sylvatica. SAIC's efforts were lead by Alina Martin and Steven Rolander. Key contractor support in producing TRACI was provided by the following staff: Greg Norris of Sylvatica and Igor Bakhir, Chris Blankner, Marc Fuentebella, Barry Leopold, Dina Li, and Kim Mihaliuk of SAIC. Additional model development was provided by the University of California at Berkeley, under the direction of Tom McKone and Edgar Hertwich. EPA appreciates and is grateful for the valuable assistance and thoughtful critiques provided by the outside reviewers. XI ------- |