Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
What it is
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a comprehensive method used to evaluate the environmental impacts associated with all stages of a product’s life, from raw material extraction through production, use, and disposal. LCA enables companies to quantify the environmental burdens of their products or processes in categories such as global warming potential, resource depletion, and human toxicity. This assessment is guided by international standards such as ISO 14040 and ISO 14044, which provide the principles, framework, and requirements for conducting LCA studies.
Who it's for
LCA is particularly valuable across various industry domains, including manufacturing, construction, and consumer goods. For instance, in the manufacturing sector, LCA helps identify the most energy-intensive and polluting stages of production, guiding efforts to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. In construction, LCA can compare the environmental impacts of different building materials, aiding in selecting more sustainable options. For consumer goods, LCA provides insights into the overall environmental footprint of products, from packaging to end-of-life disposal, allowing companies to make informed decisions that enhance sustainability and compliance with environmental regulations.
What you'll get
With a detailed LCA that evaluates the environmental impacts of products, processes, or services from cradle to grave for linear systems or cradle to cradle for circular systems, you will get:
- Inventory Analysis: Collecting data associated with inputs, outputs, and emissions.
- Impact Assessment: Quantifying impacts in categories like global warming potential, resource depletion, and human toxicity.
- Interpretation: Identifying hotspots and improvement opportunities