Life Cycle Assessment in a Nutshell
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a process of evaluating the impacts that a product has on the environment throughout its entire life cycle, from raw material extraction, production, use, to final disposal. It is a comprehensive tool to assess various environmental impacts of products, materials, processes, or activities towards human health, ecological consequences, and resource use, thus providing a thorough assessment of the environmental impacts of a product.
LCA was first developed in the early 1800s as a procedure known as life cycle inventory. It continued to evolve over time, and modern LCA was formally introduced in the 1970s under the term "Resource and Environmental Profile Analysis (REPA).¹
Today, LCA has several guidelines:
Technical Expert for International Standard Organization (ISO) for Steering Committee 207 Environmental Management System – Life Cycle Assessment
Advisory Committee for Revision on Guidance on Social Life Cycle Assessment – UN Environment Life Cycle Initiative
ISO 14040: 2006 - Environmental management — Life cycle assessment — Principles and framework
ISO 14044: 2006 - Environmental management — Life cycle assessment — Requirements and guidelines
According to ISO 1404, an LCA study consists of four main aspects:
Goal and Scope Definition: Including the system boundary and level of detail, the scope of an LCA depends on the subject and the intended use of the study. The depth and breadth of LCA can differ considerably depending on the goal of a particular LCA.
Life Cycle Inventory: The second phase of LCA. It is an inventory of input/output data regarding the studied system. It involves collecting the data necessary to meet the goals of the defined study.
Life Cycle Impact Assessment: The third phase of the LCA. The purpose of LCIA is to provide additional information to help assess a product system’s LCI results to understand their environmental significance better.
Interpretation: The final phase of the LCA procedure, in which the results of an LCI or an LCIA, or both, are summarised and discussed as a basis for conclusions, recommendations, and decision-making following the goal and scope definition.
There are three types of system boundaries in an LCA study:
Cradle to Grave: Assessment from raw material acquisition to the final disposal of the product.
Cradle to Gate: Assessment from raw material acquisition to the product leaving the factory.
Gate to Gate: Assessment that only includes activities occurring within the factory.
Figure: LCA phases according to ISO 14040:1997/2006¹
In the context of sustainability reports, LCA provides crucial insights that companies must consider when determining material topics emerging from the studies. Furthermore, it can serve as an evaluation tool to establish company policies, strategies, targets, and sustainability initiatives, particularly regarding environmental aspects. By integrating LCA findings, companies can develop effective and efficient strategies to mitigate environmental impacts, enhance operational efficiency, and reduce their overall environmental footprint.
¹Klöpfer, W., & Grahl, B. (2014). Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): A Guide to Best Practice. Wiley.
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