Life cycle analysis definition and application of LCAdefinition and application of LCA key stepskey steps –goal and scope definition –inventory analysis –impact assessment –interpretation

Life cycle analysis Life-cycle assessment (LCA): a systematic framework for carrying out an assessment of all of the environmental impacts associated with a product over its entire life-cycle.a systematic framework for carrying out an assessment of all of the environmental impacts associated with a product over its entire life-cycle.

Life cycle analysis Goal definition and scoping: identifying the LCA's purpose and the expected products of the study, and determining the boundaries (what is and is not included in the study) and assumptions based upon the goal definition; Life-cycle inventory: quantifying the energy and raw material inputs and environmental releases associated with each stage of production;

Life cycle analysis Impact analysis: assessing the impacts on human health and the environment associated with energy and raw material inputs and environmental releases quantified by the inventory; Improvement analysis: evaluating opportunities to reduce energy, material inputs, or environmental impacts at each stage of the product life-cycle

Life cycle analysis 1.Goal and scope definition. 2.A detailed life cycle inventory (LCI) analysis, with compilation of data both about energy and resource use and on emissions to the environment, through out the life cycle.

Life cycle analysis 3.An assessment of the potential impacts associated with the identified forms of resource use and environmental emissions. 4.The interpretation of the results from the previous phases of the study in relation to the objectives of the study.

Life cycle analysis Goal unambiguously states the intended application, including the reasons for carrying out the study and the intended audience, i.e. to whom the results of the study are intended to be communicated.unambiguously states the intended application, including the reasons for carrying out the study and the intended audience, i.e. to whom the results of the study are intended to be communicated.

Life cycle analysis Goal examples: to compare products fulfilling for marketing or regulating the use of the productsto compare products fulfilling for marketing or regulating the use of the products to identify improvement possibilities existing products or in the design of new productsto identify improvement possibilities existing products or in the design of new products to identify areas, steps etc. in the life cycle of a product where criteria can be set for ecolabelling.to identify areas, steps etc. in the life cycle of a product where criteria can be set for ecolabelling.

Life cycle analysis Scope The following need be considered and described: the functions of the system, or in the case of comparative studies, systems;the functions of the system, or in the case of comparative studies, systems; the functional unit;the functional unit; the system to be studied;the system to be studied; the system boundaries;the system boundaries; allocation procedures;allocation procedures;

Life cycle analysis the types of impact and the methodology of impact assessment and subsequent interpretation to be used;the types of impact and the methodology of impact assessment and subsequent interpretation to be used; data requirement;data requirement; assumptions;assumptions; limitations;limitations; the initial data quality requirements;the initial data quality requirements; the type of critical review, if any;the type of critical review, if any; the type and format of the report required for the studythe type and format of the report required for the study

Life cycle analysis Inventory analysis data collectiondata collection refining system boundariesrefining system boundaries calculationcalculation validation of datavalidation of data relating data to the specific systemrelating data to the specific system allocationallocation

Life cycle analysis Impact assessment category definitioncategory definition classificationclassification characterizationcharacterization valuation/weightingvaluation/weighting

Life cycle analysis Interpretation identification of significant environmental issuesidentification of significant environmental issues evaluationevaluation conclusions and recommendationsconclusions and recommendations