Life Cycle Analysis Right Ans - o Systematic analysis and evaluation of
environmental impacts of product or service, during all phases of its life
(production, transport, use and recycling/waste fase of the product)
Result of an LCA Right Ans - o A quantification of all emissions and
resources translated into an overview of the environmental impacts related to
a product
Why Perform an LCA Right Ans - § Comparing alternatives, which one has
the lowest impact?
· Determining policies
· Green image
§ Finding hotspots in the life cycle of a product or service, which phase has the
highest environmental impact?
· Optimizing processes
§ Proving a certain environmental performance
· Marketing, green labeling
· Licenses
· Subsidies
LCA Focus Right Ans - § Environmental LCA
· Environmental impacts (global warming, ozone depletion, ecotoxicity, etc)
§ Social LCA
· Social impacts (employment, safety, health, etc)
§ Life cycle costing
· Real costs of all phases
· Shadow costs, social costs of environmental impacts
Questions answered by LCA Right Ans - § Disposable plates or ceramic
ones?
§ Replace your car for a new more environmental friendly car now or keep
your old car?
, § Lower the burden of the production of a refrigerator or make it more energy
efficient in the use phase?
§ How should a product be designed to give it a low environmental impact?
LCA Structure Right Ans - -Extraction of Raw Materials
-Supplier
-Transport
-Manufacturing
-Packaging
-Use
-Disposal
ISO Right Ans - International Standardization Organization
§ LCA results are highly sensitive to assumptions and choices in methodology.
§ To reduce the impacts of individual choices of LCA practitioners, standards
are set up to streamline the
methodologies.
§ Standards are defined by the International organization for standardization
(ISO)
ISO 14040 Right Ans - gives guidelines for LCA in general
ISO 14044 Right Ans - detailed description for performing an LCA
The Four Phases of an LCA Right Ans - -Goal and Scope
-Inventory (LCI Phase)
-Impact Assessment (LCIA Phase)
-Interpretation
System Boundaries (Goal and Scope) Right Ans - -Which processes do you
take into account