2. UNESCO Desire – Net project Introduction to Life Cycle Assessment, a sustainability decision-supporting tool Paolo Masoni ENEA – LCA & Ecodesign Lab (PROT – INN) paolo.masoni@bologna.enea.itUNESCO Rome, 2006 27 th June

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. How is life-cycle assessment used? By manufacturers: –product development –product improvement –product comparison

7. What is life-cycle assessment? Source: CML

8. What is a “product life-cycle?” Source: CML

9. LCA as standard procedure ISO 14040 Source: ISO

10. 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

11. 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?

12. 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.

13. The Functional Unit Source: CML

14. 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

15. Example flow diagram Source: EA

16. 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

17. 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

18. Characterisation methods Source: CML

19. Example of an environmental profile Source: CML

20. 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

21. Conclusions The advantages of a life cycle approach: Holistic Upstream effects (back to raw materials) Downstream effects (to final release into the environment) O bjective T ransparent Source: EA

22. Conclusions Difficulties: –Capable of abuse –Doesn’t cover everything (traffic, health etc.) –Doesn’t make decisions –Complex –Results can be difficult to understand