Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
Land use, energy use and global warming potential can be assessed by using life cycle assessment (LCA) methods. LCA is:
“the compilation and evaluation of the inputs, outputs and the potential environmental impacts of a product system throughout its life cycle, from raw material acquisition through production, use, end-of-life treatment, recycling and final disposal” (ISO, 2006a).
LCA uses a product-oriented approach considering the whole life cycle of a specific product. LCA uses a structured and comprehensive method to evaluate the sustainability of production procedures (Figure 4). LCA quantifies all relevant emissions and resources consumed as well as environmental and health impacts that are associated with the entire life cycle of any goods and services (European Union, 2010).
LCA is used as a powerful decision support tool, complementing other methods, to identify and implement effective and efficient methods to make production more sustainable. LCA uses a rigorous scientific approach to quantify the effects of environmental policies and business decisions to achieve more sustainable production and consumer choices. The Integrated Product Policy (IPP) of the European Union states:
“All products cause environmental degradation in some way, whether from their manufacturing, use or disposal. IPP seeks to minimize these by looking at all phases of a products life cycle and taking action where it is most effective.”
LCA provides an excellent opportunity to avoid creating new problems while solving old ones.
Figure 4. LCA Stages (ISO 14040).
The international standard ISO 14040 series (listed below) present standardized methods for conducting LCAs (http://www.iso.org/iso/home.htm).
14040: Principles and framework
14041: Goal, scope and inventory analysis
14042: Impact assessment
14043: Life cycle interpretation
14044: Requirements and guidelines
14047: Examples of application of ISO 14042
14048: Data documentation format
14049: Examples of application of ISO 14041 to goal and scope definition and inventory analysis