Lifecycle Assessment (LCA)
A method to assess the environmental impacts associated with all stages of a product's life.
What is Lifecycle Assessment (LCA)?
Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) is a systematic methodology for evaluating the environmental impacts associated with all stages of a product's or service's life cycle, from raw material extraction and processing, through manufacturing, distribution, use, repair and maintenance, and final disposal or recycling. It provides a comprehensive 'cradle-to-grave' or 'cradle-to-cradle' view of environmental performance.
Why is Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) important?
LCA is important because it helps identify the environmental hotspots throughout a product's lifecycle, preventing unintended burden shifting between different life stages or environmental categories. It enables informed decision-making for product design, policy development, and consumer choices by providing a holistic understanding of environmental impacts, including carbon footprint.
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Frequently asked questions
Beyond carbon footprint, LCA can assess a wide range of environmental impacts, including resource depletion, water pollution, air pollution, acidification, eutrophication, and ecotoxicity.
The main stages are: Goal and Scope Definition, Inventory Analysis (data collection), Impact Assessment (evaluating environmental effects), and Interpretation (drawing conclusions and recommendations).
While often applied to products, LCA can also be used to assess the environmental impacts of services, processes, and even entire organizations or systems.