With a growing demand for more precise data, LCA is becoming more common as a comprehensive and scientifically accurate method to assess a product’s lifecycle emissions from raw material extraction and manufacturing to transportation, use and disposal. LCA considers environmental indicators beyond just carbon emissions, including factors such as water use, energy consumption, resource depletion and various types of pollution. Providing a holistic view, it helps identify areas for improvement.
A LCA study is comprised in two phases. The first is Life Cycle Inventory (LCI). This quantifies material and energy inputs and outputs across all lifecycle stages according to the environmental impact categories that form the scope of the LCA. For the impact category of climate change, one of the inputs includes energy consumed, and an output would be GHG emissions. For other nature impact categories, inputs include materials used such as fertiliser and output is nitrogen compounds. The second phase is the Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) that weighs and standardises the outputs into common units for each environmental impact category.