TSC Researchers to Present at LCA XI in Chicago

Several of TSC’s researchers are preparing to make way to Chicago for the LCA XI conference hosted by the American Center for Life Cycle Assessment October 4 to 6. Research director Dr. Greg Thoma and doctoral researcher Vee Subramanian will be hosting a session on the Sustainability Measurement and Reporting System (SMRSTM) and presenting in a session on Product Category Rule (PCR) harmonization.

The SMRS special session will include a deeper dive presentation of the Level 2 SMRS and will provide input from expert stakeholders on the re-design efforts currently lead by academic director Kevin Dooley and Dr. Greg Norris. Requirements and critical questions from the Knowledge Base will be used to seed breakout group discussion. Feedback from the sessions will be then help guide the re-design efforts.

In the PCR harmonization session Dr. Thoma will present an overview of The Consortiums ideas and plans for achieving harmonization and standardization for PCRs. This session will also include a brief overview of Level 1 and 2 of the SMRS, followed by a description of how SMRS will be used to help solve the current issues. Doctoral candidate, VeeSubramanian will present on “PCR Comparison: Learned Outcomes Towards PCR Alignment.”

Takuma Ono, LCA modeler & research associate, and Christy Slay, senior research associate, will co-present in the session entitled “Emerging LCA Trends and Tools for the Agri-food Industry” where they will report on the status of the Level 2 SMRS work, specifically within TSC’s Food, Beverage & Agriculture Sector. Takuma Ono will present on the overall goal, prototyping process, lessons learned, preliminary outcomes, and the process forward.

Slay will also participate in a panel discussion on “Industry perspective on the use of and need for land use impact assessment within LCA”. This session is chaired by Llorenc Mila Canals of Unilever and several other TSC members such as, David Cockburn of Tetra Pak, Dan Pettit of Kraft Foods, as well as, Jon Dettling of Quantis are participating.