Life cycle assessment

Life cycle analysis

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a methodology used to quantitatively evaluate the environmental impacts generated by a product, process or service throughout its life cycle, i.e. from the acquisition of raw materials ( from the "cradle") to the end of its life and its management as waste (to the "grave") through the phases of manufacture, distribution, use, reuse and maintenance of the product, including all transport associated between the different stages.

According to the ISO 14040 standard, it is a "technique to determine the environmental aspects and potential impacts associated with a product, process or service: compiling an inventory of the relevant inputs and outputs of the system, assessing the potential environmental impacts associated with these inputs and outputs and interpreting the results of the inventory and impact phases in relation to the objects of study”.

The LCA allows the identification of impacts beyond the productive stage of the product that may be more important than the manufacturing process of the product.

The evaluation is carried out quantitatively and objectively through models that allow the allocation of both the inputs of materials, water and energy to the system as well as the outputs in the form of emissions or waste to different environmental impact categories previously studied and modeled that they analyze the impacts on natural resources, human health and ecosystem health.

Currently, LCA is used for purposes as diverse as product design, waste minimization, identification of the stages with the greatest impact of the product, the definition of production or management alternatives, eco-labelling or collaboration in the development of environmental policies, among others.