Life Cycle Analysis

Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)

Life cycle analysis (LCA) is one such
tool that can help companies to
understand the environmental
impacts associated with their
products, processes, and activities
The goal of LCA is not to arrive at the
answer but, rather, to provide
important inputs to a broader
strategic planning process.

Component of LCA
Life cycle analysis takes a systems
approach to evaluating the environmental
consequences of a particular product,
process, or activity from cradle to grave.
By taking a snapshot of the entire life
cycle of a product from extraction and
processing of raw materials through final
disposal, LCA is used to assess
systematically the impact of each
component process

Component of LCA
1.Life Cycle
Inventory.
An objective, databased process of
quantifying energy
and raw materials
requirements, air
emissions,
waterborne
effluents, solid
waste, and other
environmental
releases incurred
throughout the life
cycle of a product,
process, or activity.

Life Cycle
Impact
Assessment.
2.

An evaluative
process of assessing
the effects of the
environmental
findings identified
in the inventory
component.
The impact assessment
should address both
ecological and human
health impacts, as well
as social, cultural, and
economic impacts.

3. Life Cycle

Improvement
Analysis.
An analysis of
opportunities to
reduce or mitigate the
environmental
impact throughout the
whole life cycle of a
product,
process, or activity.
This analysis may include
both
quantitative and
qualitative measures of
improvement,
such as changes in
product design, raw
material

Life Cycle Inventory

An inventory may be conducted to aid in decision making by
enabling companies or organizations to:
Develop a baseline for a systems overall resource
requirements for benchmarking efforts;
Identify components of the process that are good targets
for resource-reduction efforts;
Aid in the development of new products or processes that
will reduce resource requirements or emissions;
Compare alternative materials, products, processes, or
activities within the organization; or
Compare internal inventory information to that of other
manufacturers

Life Cycle Inventory

Criteria

Quantitative all data should be quantified and

documented with suitable quality control
Replicable-the source of the information and
methodology are sufficiently by skilled person and
evidence would be available to explain any deviations
ScientificComprehensive-all significant energy and material
uses and waste releases are included
Peer reviewed if the study results are to be used in a
public manner, the should be peer reviewed using
acceded protocols
Useful the users of study can make appropriate
decisions in areas covered by the inventory. Any
limitations regarding the utility of study should be
clearly notes.

Life Cycle Analysis

Process inputs can be divided into two kinds:
Inputs of raw materials and energy resources
(environmental input).
Inputs of products, semi-finished products or energy, which
are outputs from other processes (economic input).

There are two kinds of outputs:

Outputs of emissions (environmental output).
Outputs of a product, a semi-finished product or energy
(economic output).

Example:
Life Cycle
of Bread

Example: Biofuels Life Cycle

LCA Bread Production

Braschkat, J., Patyk, A., Quirin, M., &
Reinhardt, G. A.
Proceedings from the 4th International
Conference, October 6-8, 2003, Bygholm,
Denmark

Life Cycle of Bread

1. ...................

2. ..................

3. ............................

Eight Different ways of Bread

Production
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

1. Crop productions
The differences are in;
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

2. Flour productions (grain

milling)
The differences are in :
1.
2.
3.

3. Bread productions
(baking)
The differences are in:
1.
2.

Environment Effects

Acidification:the ongoing decrease in thepHof theEarth's oceans,

caused by the uptake ofcarbon dioxide(CO2) from the atmosphere
Eutrophication : the enrichment of an ecosystem with chemical
nutrients,
typically compounds containing nitrogen, phosphorus, or both
Photo smog : he chemical reaction of sunlight,
nitrogen oxidesandvolatile organic compoundsin the atmosphere,

Analysis Result