Life Cycle Assessment Questions and Answers 2023

Life Cycle Assessment Questions and Answers 2023 Tools for analysing environmental impacts of human behaviour •Life cycle assessment •Ecological Footprints •Direct-indirect-policy arena relationships •Household decision models (conceptual and formal) •Pressure state response framework •Bio-economical models (national, regional, village) •Environmental impact analysis Steps of LCA? •From cradle to grave environmental analysis •Analysis of environmental impact of different products and processes (cars, agricultural productions, tooth paste, etc) •Local and global environmental impacts What is LCA? Life-cycle Assessment What is cradle to grave environmental analysis? From raw material extraction through materials processing, manufacture, distribution, use, repair and maintenance, and disposal or recycling Why is LCA useful? Designers use this process to help critique their products. LCAs can help avoid a narrow outlook on environmental concerns by: Compiling an inventory of relevant energy and material inputs and environmental releases; Evaluating the potential impacts associated with identified inputs and releases; Interpreting the results to help make a more informed decision. Goal of LCA The goal of LCA is to compare the full range of environmental effects assignable to products and services by quantifying all inputs and outputs of material flows and assessing how these material flows affect the environment. This information is used to improve processes, support policy and provide a sound basis for informed decisions. What can LCA do? •A decision support tool •Evaluate environmental impact (climate change, land-use, euthropication) •Compare different products and production methods •Analyze which part of the process has the highest environmental impact •Eco-labeling •There are different ways of doing LCA and the results may not always correspond Eco-labeling is useful on which products? •Laundry detergents •Refrigerators (A;B etc) •Copy machines •Washing machines •Toilet paper •In England different food products are getting CO2 emissions labels (Tesco) Four main phases of LCA •Goal and scope •Life cycle inventory •Life cycle impact assessment •Improvement analysis What is Eutrophication? Is the depletion of oxygen in a water body, which kills aquatic animals Goal and Scope of LCA •Reasons for carrying out the study •The functions of the system •The functional unit (kg CO2per ton maize) •Data requirement •Assumptions •List the products from the study •System boundary System boundary of LCA •Geographical boundary •Time boundary •Factors to include Life cycle inventory of LCA •Data collection •Refining system boundaries •Calculation •Validation of data An inventory table is produced of LCA •Input presented (how much energy is used) •Output (how much CO2is produced) •Balances •Models can be used to calculate input and output data •Data are given in megajoule, kg etc) Quality of data of LCA •Low quality in --> low quality out •Precision of data •Completeness •Representativity •Consistency •Reproductability