Life Cycle Assessment

Question 1

Life Cycle Assessment LCA

Answer 1

Compilation and evaluation of the inputs, outputs and the potential environmental impacts of a product system throughout its life cycle.

Question 2

Norms of LCA

Answer 2

• ISO 14040: general description, definitions and critical review.
• ISO 14044: step-by-step guide of how to make an LCA.

Question 3

Process

Answer 3

Set of interrelated or interacting activities that transforms inputs into outputs.

Question 4

Elementary flow

Answer 4

Material or energy entering the system being studied that has been drawn from the environment without previous human transformation, or material or energy leaving the system being studied that is released into the environment without subsequent human transformation.

Question 5

Product flow

Answer 5

Products entering from and leaving to another product system.

Question 6

Intermediate flow

Answer 6

Product, material or energy flow occurring between unit processes of the product system being studied.

Question 7

System boundary

Answer 7

Set of criteria specifying which unit processes are part of a product system.

Question 8

Impact category

Answer 8

Class representing environmental issues of concern to which life cycle inventory analysis results may be assigned.

Question 9

Characterization factor

Answer 9

Factor derived from a characterization model which is applied to convert an assigned life cycle inventory analysis result to the common unit of the category indicator.

Question 10

Allocation

Answer 10

Partitioning the input or output flows of a process or a product system between the product system under study and one or more other product systems.

Question 11

Phases of LCA

Answer 11

Phase = portions of LCA procedure

• Goal and scope
• Inventory analysis
• Impact assessment
• Interpretation

Question 12

Stages of LCA

Answer 12

Stage = section of product life cycle

- Extraction and upstream production
   Transport
- Manufacture
   Transport
- Use
    Transport
- Disposal / Recycling

Question 13

Principles of LCA

Answer 13

• Guidance for product, process or constructed element selection
• Entire life cycle environmental burden between stages and processes
• Relative to a functional unit
• Only environmental considerations are addressed
• Iterative process where each phase uses results of other phases

Question 14

Why do an LCA?

Answer 14

• Identify opportunities to improve environmental performance
• Inform decision-makers
• Select relevant indicators of environmental performance
• Marketing, e.g. ecolabel

Question 15

What doesn’t LCA do?

Answer 15

• Measure product performance –> LCA measures environmental performance
• Address compliance with environmental laws –> just environmental impacts are assessed
• Analysis on support personnel needs
• Measure building space conditioning
• Include minor inputs –> cut-off criteria and system boundaries
• Provide information about employee direct impacts
• Risk assessment
• Define specific course of action to take

Question 16

LCA Phases

1. Scope and Goal

Answer 16

Goal must state:

- intended use
- reasons for study
- audience
- whether comparative and disclosed to public

Scope includes:

- product system
- functions of systems
- functional unit
- system boundary
- impact categories
- data requirements
- assumptions and limitations
- type of data

Question 17

Functional Unit

Answer 17

Quantified amount of function obtained from the product or process.

It defines the functionality of the product and it is the reference to report the final results.

Question 18

Reference flow

Answer 18

Refers to the inputs and outputs of the analysis.

It translates the functional unit into specific product flows for each of the compared systems, so that product alternatives are compared on an equivalent basis, reflecting the actual consequences of the potential product substitution.

Question 19

Type of Data

Answer 19

• Primary: obtained directly from the industry and processes.
• Secondary: obtained from databases and literature.

Question 20

Steps to define functional unit

Answer 20

• Describe te product by its properties including the product’s social utility.
• Determine the relevant market segment.
• Determine the relevant product alternatives.
• Define and quantify the functional unit in terms of the obligatory product properties.
• Determine the reference flow for each of the product systems.

Question 21

LCA Phases

2. Life Cycle Inventory / Inventory Analysis

Answer 21

Data collection.

All material flows entering and leaving the product system are compiled in an inventory (input / output table).

Question 22

LCA Phases

3. Life Cycle Impact Assessment

Answer 22

Conversion of inventory data into environmental impact potentials.

Impact categories, indicators and characterization models are chosen.
Classification and characterization of data.

Question 23

Classification

Answer 23

Data are grouped based on potential to cause certain environmental impacts.

The material flows compiled in the life cycle inventory are assigned to environmental impact categories.

Question 24

Characterization

Answer 24

Input and output quantities converted to potential impacts based on characterization factors.

Each material flow is multiplied by a characterization factor which expresses its individual contribution to the environmental impact.

Question 25

Midpoint Indicator

Answer 25

Related to a specific environmental issue. They’re more technical.

Question 26

Endpoint Indicator

Answer 26

Related to the specific area of protection (human health, resource depletion and ecosystem quality). It’s easier to communicate to the general public. But it’s not easy to identify the cause of a certain result.

Question 27

From Midpoint to Endpoint

Answer 27

Two steps:

• Classification
• Aggregation

Question 28

LCA Phases

4. Interpretation

Answer 28

Discussion of inventory analysis and impact assessment results in LCA study.

Question 29

Critical review

Answer 29

Necessary component for comparative studies disclosed to the public.

Verifies process and consistency with principles.

Mandatory step if the LCA is to be made public outside the company.