Life Cycle Framework 1 Flashcards
The term holistic is strongly emphasized in the definition of life cycle assessment. What does the term refer to?
That a reliable assessment can only be performed if all stages of a products life are investigated!
A reliable analysis of the ecological impact requires the consideration of all relevant interactions with the environment (e.g. all phases of the life cycle: material acquisition, production, use and disposal)
What are the four phases of life cycle assessment as defined in the ISO 14040/44?
- Goal and scope
- Inventory analysis
- Impact assessment
- Interpretation
What is the definition of a product system?
System of unit processes, elementary flows, and product flows that leads to one or more functions and models a product life cycle. The term “product” used alone includes not only product systems but can also include service systems.
What is the definition of a unit process? Does a unit process belong to the ecosphere or technosphere?
Smallest element for which input / output data are quantified, Technosphere
Name two types of elementary flows and two types of intermediate flows which are typically connected to a unit process
- Elementary flows: Resources, Emissions
- Intermediate: Energy, Materials, Products, Waste
Give two examples for midpoint impact indicators. Name two elementary flows, that are associated to these midpoint impact indicators.
- Global Warming, CO2, CH4, N2O
- Resource Depletion, Minerals, Fossil fuels
- Ozone Depletion, CFC, HCFC, CH3Br
- Terrestrial Acidification, Sox, NOx, NH4
- Eutrophication, PO4 NO, NH4, etc.
Name two impact models, which can be used in the impact assessment of a LCA.
CML, TRACI, ReCiPe, LC-impact
What is the objective of an LCA.
The assessment of the environmental impact of a product
What is the definition of a unit process?
Smallest element for which input / output data are quantified
Name four types of flows associated with unit processes (input or output).
Resources, Emissions, Energy, Materials, Products, Waste
