UNESCO UNESCO Desire – Net projectDesire – Net project

Introduction to Life Cycle Assessment,Introduction to Life Cycle Assessment,

a sustainability decision-supporting toola sustainability decision-supporting tool

Paolo Masoni Paolo Masoni ENEA – LCA & Ecodesign Lab (PROT – INN)ENEA – LCA & Ecodesign Lab (PROT – INN)

paolo.masoni@bologna.enea.itpaolo.masoni@bologna.enea.it

UNESCOUNESCORome, 2006 27Rome, 2006 27thth June June

Table of Content• Why do life-cycle assessment?• How is life-cycle assessment used?• What is life-cycle assessment?• LCA as standard procedure• Planning an LCA Project• Functional Unit and reference flow• Inventory analysis• Impact assessment• Interpretation• Conclusions

Why do life-cycle assessment?

• Support sustainability decision-making both at macro and micro economy level

• Develop and utilize green products/services and cleaner technologies – Minimize the magnitude of pollution– Conserve non-renewable resources– Conserve ecological systems– Maximize recycling of materials and reduce waste– Apply the most appropriate pollution prevention

and/or abatement techniques

How is life-cycle assessment used?

• By public policymakers:– environmental labelling– develop long-term policy – procurement decisions – developing regulations– evaluating resource effects associated with

source reduction and alternative waste management

How is life-cycle assessment used?

• By manufacturers:– product development– product improvement– product comparison

What is life-cycle assessment?

Source: CML

What is a “product life-cycle?”

Source: CML

LCA as standard procedure• ISO 14040

Source: ISO

Stages of life cycle assessment

• Scope and goal definition– what is the purpose of the study and what

does it need to cover to achieve this.– define the system

• Life cycle inventory

• Impact assessment

• Interpretation

• Iterative process

Peer review

Planning an LCA Project

• Determine objectives– Why is LCA being conducted?

• Define product/service under study and its alternatives– What is its function?– What is an appropriate functional unit?

• Choose system boundaries– What inputs and outputs will be studied?– How will data be collected?

Functional Unit and reference flow

• Functional unit is what will be compared– careful thought

• Paper versus. plastic grocery sacks – function is to carry groceries so the functional unit

could be the transport of a defined volume of groceries --one plastic sack does not hold the same volume of groceries as a paper sack

• watch for hidden differences• Reference flow is what is used in the

inventory.

The Functional Unit

Source: CML

Inventory analysis

• The second phase of an LCA, in which the relevant inputs and outputs of the product system(s) under study throughout the life cycle are, as far as possible, compiled and quantified:– economy-environment system boundary– flow diagram– data collection and relating data to unit

processes

Example flow diagram

[CP2] Bottle chipping

[CP3] Washing and sorting

[CP4] Extrusion & Packaging

PackedHDPE pellets

HDPE bottles

Reject Material

Use of HDPE Pellets

Disposal in landfill

Grid electricity

Mains Water

Waste Water to sew er

Recycling System boundary

Packaging Materials sew er

[CP1]Transport

[CP5]Transport

Bottle collection

Clean HDPEFlake

[CP6]Transport

Flake

Source: EA

Data issues

• Assumptions made when choosing system boundaries and data sources

• Acceptability - source, type• Aggregation - degree• Precision - variability of data• Representative - one product/average of 3, UK,

EU• Comparability - with other values• Reproducibility

Impact assessment• Impact assessment• The third phase of an LCA, concerned with

understanding and• evaluating the magnitude and significance of the

potential• environmental impacts of the product system(s) under

study:– selection of impact categories– selection of characterisation methods– classification– characterisation– normalisation– grouping– weighting

OPTIONAL

Characterisation methods

Sou

rce:

CM

L

Example of an environmental profile

Source: CML

Interpretation

• Fourth phase of an LCA, in which results of Inventory analysis and/or Impact assessment are interpreted in light of Goal and scope definition in order to draw up conclusions & recommendations

Conclusions

• The advantages of a life cycle approach:

HolisticUpstream effects (back to raw materials)Downstream effects (to final release into the environment)

ObjectiveTransparent

Source: EA

Conclusions

• Difficulties:– Capable of abuse

– Doesn’t cover everything (traffic, health etc.)

– Doesn’t make decisions

– Complex

– Results can be difficult to understand