What is the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) evaluation method?

Overview of the LCA method

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a technique for analyzing and evaluating the comprehensive environmental impacts of a product or service throughout its entire life cycle, raw material extraction to production, use, recycling, or disposal.

This is a standardized method according to ISO 14067, which helps measure carbon footprint and continuously improve the impact of carbon emissions on the environment. During this process, the evaluator must identify and quantify all energy sources and input and output materials throughout the product's life cycle: raw materials - production - distribution - use - disposal.

Benefits of the LCA method

Through the LCA method, we can understand the entire life cycle of a product. From here, the LCA evaluation method has the ability to reduce the product's impacts by reducing energy and fuel consumption in the production, circulation, distribution, and use processes, improving the natural environment and living environment.

Measures to minimize can include changes in technology, equipment, preservation and use processes. Additionally, there is the potential to reduce energy and unnecessary resource costs, as well as design and develop more environmentally friendly products.

Procedure for conducting LCA evaluation

Currently, the LCA evaluation process consists of 4 important steps.

Step 1: Define goals and scope: Before conducting an assessment and analysis, it is important to clearly define the goals and scope of the LCA.

Step 2: Compile product life cycle statistics report: List all environmental factors within the defined scope.

Step 3: Evaluate impacts: In this stage, additional environmental information is provided to support the assessment of inventory results, helping to better understand their significance for the environment.

Step 4: Implement improvements: Based on the statistics and impact assessment, there is a basis for drawing conclusions, making recommendations, or proposing directions for improving the impacts.

Currently, LCA is considered a useful tool for establishing environmental profiles for products, thereby assessing the environmental hotspots in the supply chain of these products. Additionally, manufacturers or service providers can combine the LCA program with other types of environmental labels (such as Environmental Product Declarations - EPDs) to enhance their product introduction strategy.