Product Life Cycle Assessment

Life Cycle Flowchart Adapted from Industrial Designers Society of America - Okala

Premanufacture Raw Material Extraction Material Processing

Premanufacture: Raw Material Extraction All consumer products depend on the natural environment for raw materials Some form of energy is required Typically produces large quantities of outputs (wastes and emissions)

Premanufacture: Material Processing Often material-intensive

Premanufacture: Material Processing Often material-intensive Energy is required MaterialEnergy Cost (MJ/kg) Extracted from Titanium Ore concentrate Aluminum Bauxite Polystyrene Crude oil Polyvinylchloride (PVC) Crude oil Paper25-50Standing timber Glass18-35Sand, etc. Wood3 – 7Standing timber

Premanufacture: Material Processing Often material-intensive Energy is required Processing often produces wastes and other outputs –Example: Aluminum refining waste products Red mud Greenhouse gases SPL – spent potlining

Manufacture Component Manufacture Assembly

Manufacture Additional energy and material required Various outputs created

Product Delivery Packaging Distribution

Product Delivery: Packaging Creates waste, emissions, and other releases Very short lifetime Large amount of material turned directly to waste

Product Delivery: Distribution Consumes large amounts of energy Creates large amounts of emissions Large distances between manufacturer and consumer can create barriers to recycling

Use Installation & Use Maintenance Up-grading

Use Products remain at this stage as long as they are usable or repairable Powered consumer products have a large environmental impact

End of Life/Disposal Land Fill Incineration Material Recycling Component Reuse Product Reuse

Why We Throw Things Away Do consumers throw something away because it has stopped working or because they want something different? Industrial Designers Society of America - Okala

Reduce Reuse Recycle Disposal End of Life most favorable least favorable

Recycling Downcycling –Converting waste materials into new materials of lesser quality and reduced functionality Reduces consumption of raw materials Reduces energy usage Reduces the volume of waste material Reduces air and water pollution –Examples: Office paper to toilet paper Plastic recycling Aluminum recycling

Recycling Upcycling –Converting waste materials into new products of better quality or higher environmental value without degrading the material Reduces consumption of raw materials Reduces energy usage Reduces the volume of waste material Reduces air and water pollution –Examples: Tires to steps Drink pouches into backpacks Skateboards into bookcases Fire hoses into belts, bags, and cufflinks Old clothes into quilts and blankets Toothbrushes into a welcome mat

Environmental Concerns Global climate change Human organism damage Water availability and quality Depletion of fossil fuels Loss of biodiversity Stratospheric ozone depletion Land use patterns Depletion of non-fossil fuel resources Acid disposition

Ecological Design A method of design that is environmentally benign and economically viable. Economically Viable ECOLOGICAL DESIGN Environmentally Benign Economically Viable: Design is competitive in the marketplace. Environmentally Benign: Design demonstrates obvious or measurable environmental benefits. Industrial Designers Society of America - Okala

Sustainable Design Design that is environmentally benign, economically viable, and socially equitable. Economically Viable SUSTAINABLE DESIGN Environmentally Benign Socially Equitable Socially Equitable: Design considers all people participating in production, use, disposal, or reuse. Industrial Designers Society of America - Okala

Design for Sustainability Economically Viable SUSTAINABLE DESIGN Environmentally Benign Social Equity Sustainable product design involves... –Minimizing the consumption of materials, energy, and water –Avoiding toxic or hazardous materials and processes –Recycling or reusing materials

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) INPUTS OUTPUTS Natural Environment Identifies and quantifies the environmental impacts of a product, process, or service

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Economically Viable SUSTAINABLE DESIGN Environmentally Benign A technique used to assess the environmental aspects and potential impacts of a product, process, or service throughout the life of a product LCA includes: –Goal definition and scoping –Inventory analysis of inputs and outputs –Environmental impacts assessment –Interpretation

Chemicals Solvents Biological Agents Electricity Water Fossil Fuels Raw Material Parts Components Finished Components Finished Parts Non-hazardous Outputs Hazardous Material Outputs Liquid Gaseous Solid PROCESS Product Life Cycle Flow Diagram

Life Cycle StageMaterialsEnergySolidLiquidGaseousTotal Premanufacture Manufacture Product Delivery Use End of Life/ Disposal Total Inventory Analysis Score: : Poor environmental practices. Serious environmental concerns. 4: Excellent environmental practices. No serious environmental concerns.

Life Cycle StageMaterialsEnergySolidLiquidGaseousTotal Premanufacture Manufacture Product Delivery Use End of Life/ Disposal Total Inventory Analysis – Desktop Computer and CRT Score: : Poor environmental practices. Serious environmental concerns. 4: Excellent environmental practices. No serious environmental concerns

Image Resources Industrial Designers Society of America. (2009). Okala: Learning ecological design. Phoenix, AZ Microsoft, Inc. (n.d.). Clip art. Retrieved from

Resources Gutowski, T. G. Design and manufacturing for the environment. (2004). Retrieved from g%20Handbook%20Ch%20Dec%206% pdfttp://web.mit.edu/ebm/www/Publications/Gutowski%20Mech%20En g%20Handbook%20Ch%20Dec%206% pdf Scientific Applications International Corporation. (2006). Life cycle assessment: Principles and practice. Retrieved from