The Life Cycle Assessment is a tool used to assess the potential environmental impact of a product or process. It allows to compare different products with the same function and to identify the most relevant impacts on which to focus reduction efforts. It considers the entire life cycle, performing an unbiased and comprehensive assessment that includes the steps of 1) extraction, 2) raw material processing, 3) production, 4) distribution, 5) use and 6) final disposal.
The Life Cycle Assessment is based on five phases. The first step is to define the objectives of the study. One asks what purpose the study is being done for and what subjects the study is aimed at.
In the second phase, you define the scope of the study; that means you define the functional unit and the boundaries of the system. The functional unit is the unit of measure to which all results of the Life Cycle Assessment are referenced. The boundaries of the system define which parts of the product life cycle and which processes associated with them are included in the system analyzed.
The third step is to compile the life cycle inventory. Input and output data are collected for the processes that contribute to the production of the product or service within the defined boundaries. This is the most important phase of the Life Cycle Assessment study, in which an analog model of reality is built to represent as faithfully as possible the exchanges between individual operations in each phase of the life cycle.
In the fourth phase, the environmental footprint is calculated, i.e. the environmental performance of the product or service is assessed through the classification and characterization of inventory data.
Finally, the fifth step is to interpret and communicate
the environmental footprint. Science-based conclusions and recommendations are
drawn from the analysis to support environmental improvements. Finally, the
results are interpreted to assess the sustainability of circular economy
solutions.
Through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), the environmental footprint of a product or service is assessed throughout its life cycle.
