Including the Effects of Artificial Light at Night on Moths in Life Cycle Impact Assessment

Abstract

The aim of this research is to implement the effects of artificial light at night on moths in a model that functions as an impact category in the life cycle assessment methodology. The model defines the attraction of moths in a specific region of influence. This attraction might result in multiple direct and indirect effects that could lead to the reduction of moth population, due to an increase in mortality. The region of influence is expressed in square meters and is the area where the intensity of streetlight is higher than the intensity of the background light, which includes the moon- and starlight combined with skyglow of a certain region. The first prototype is tested in two districts of Berlin to demonstrate how the method is used in a region and to show the limitations and the different scenarios per intensity class and mounting height of the streetlight. Practitioners should be able to use this model to implement this in life cycle impact assessment. Weather conditions, moon phase, and skyglow are spatially dependent and should therefore be assessed per region. Including the wavelength of the lamp type of the streetlight and including other objects such as vegetation are seen as limitations in this research and could extent this model by doing further research.