vvEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
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     Tool for the Reduction and
     Assessment of Chemical and
     Other Environmental
     Impacts (TRACI):
     User's Guide and System
     Documentation
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                                                 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

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                                         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.

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                                       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

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                                           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

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                               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

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                      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

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Appendix B. Location Specific Data  	  B-l D




Appendix C. Bibliography 	  C-l D
                                                viin

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                                      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

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                                      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

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                                       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

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                               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

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