Liu et al recently published a paper called "GIS-Based Regionalization of LCA" in the "Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection", published by "Scientific Research" (whose motto apparently is "an academic publisher").

This paper is not life cycle assessment, but risk assessment.

If you are interested in the methodology of regionalized risk assessment, I recommend my paper GIS-Based Regionalized Life Cycle Assessment in Environmental Science & Technology.

I also want to make clear that, in my opinion, the problem with Liu et al is not open access but poor peer review. There is no doubt that open access is both necessary and right.