Data Quality and Peer Review
The quality, integrity, and transparency of the science that forms the basis of EPA’s work is essential to effectively protecting human health and the environment. EPA uses data quality assessments and peer review to ensure the appropriate level of objectivity, utility, integrity, and transparency of our products for their intended uses. Since launching the Waste Reduction Model in 1998, EPA has used feedback to continuously improve it. In 2022 and 2023, EPA conducted an external peer review of WARM and a data quality assessment of the factors used in WARM.
On this page:
WARM Peer Review Report
In the Fall of 2022, EPA initiated an independent external peer review of EPA’s WARM version 16 methodology. The review followed EPA’s Peer Review Handbook, 4th edition. The final report provides an overview of the peer review process used, a summary of reviewer comments, and the reviewers’ individual written comments.
WARM Data Quality Assessment Report
In 2023, EPA conducted a detailed assessment of the quality of the data used to develop the greenhouse gas emission and energy factors in WARM Version 16, according to EPA’s “Guidance on Data Quality Assessment for Life Cycle Inventory Data.” The data quality assessment involved a comprehensive review of the datasets used in WARM modeling for the material types and materials management pathways. It offers recommendations for prioritizing future updates based on data quality.