How to use a life cycle assessment to its fullest: the fundamentals

摘要

A life cycle assessment (LCA) is a holistic evaluation tool used to identify the environmental impacts of a product that result from its manufacture, use and disposal. An LCA takes into account both the raw materials consumed and the waste generated throughout the entire life of product. Industries are discovering that LCAs can - if conducted properly - lower costs associated with environmental issues, reduce the use of certain materials, and enhance public image. Conducting an LCA can be an extremely time-consuming process, however, if the parameters of the overall system are not clearly defined. A clear definition of a system's limitations or boundaries is necessary to establish each life cycle stage and, in turn, to clearly communicate the intent of the analysis and the basis for the results. This paper will present the fundamentals of conducting an LCA - most importantly, what elements to include and exclude in the process. The techniques presented, commonly accepted by regulatory agencies and manufacturing firms alike, will demonstrate how to use the LCA tool to its fullest.