What is a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)?

A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a comprehensive method used to evaluate the environmental impact of a product throughout its entire life cycle, from raw material extraction through production, use, and disposal. This assessment considers various factors such as resource consumption, energy use, waste generation, and emissions at each stage. By analyzing these elements, LCA provides insights into the overall sustainability of a product, allowing manufacturers and consumers to make informed choices that reduce negative environmental effects.

This approach is fundamentally different from merely assessing energy consumption trends, which only looks at one aspect of environmental impact. It also goes beyond comparing different types of materials, as that would focus solely on the properties or performance of the materials rather than their full environmental impact. Additionally, while financial analysis is important in product development, it does not encompass the ecological considerations that LCA is designed to address. Overall, the primary aim of LCA is to guide decision-making to minimize the ecological footprint of products throughout their life cycles.