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1. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
• LCA also called as Life Cycle Analysis is a
tool for examining the total
environmental impact of a product
through every step of its life. – from
obtaining raw materials all the way
through making it in a factory, shipping
it, selling it in a store, using it and
disposing of it.
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2. Life Cycle Assessment
• LCA was first developed in the late 1960s/ early 1970s during oil crisis.
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3. LCA
• International Standards Organizations(ISO) provides a succinct definition of “Life
Cycle Assessment,” describing it as a technique for assessing the environmental
aspects and potential impacts associated with a product, by:
• Compiling an inventory of relative inputs and outputs of a product system;
• Evaluating the potential environmental impacts associated with those inputs and
outputs; and
• Interpreting the results of the Inventory Analysis and Impact Assessment phases
in relation to the study’s objectives.
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5. Objectives
• Product Improvement: Identifying opportunities to improve the environmental aspects
of products/services at various points in their life cycle.
• Decision Making: Decision making in industry, governmental or non-governmental
organizations (strategic planning, priority setting, product and process design or
redesign)
• Environmental Planning: Selection of relevant indicators of environmental performance,
including measurement techniques.
• Marketing: (ex: An environmental claim, eco-labelling scheme or environmental product
declarations.)
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6. Advantages of LCA
• LCA Allows analysis of all steps within the life cycle of a product
• LCAs offer valuable quantitative comparisons
• LCAs can serve as an effective marketing tool when used appropriately
• LCAs are currently becoming a hot button issue in industry and regulatory
organisations alike.
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7. Disadvantages of LCA
• Completing a full life cycle analysis on complicated products is much easier said
than done
• Requires complete data which sometimes are very daunting
• LCAs depending on the specific product or processes, can be very time intensive
• Lack of global standards.
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