Life-cycle assessment

• What is the purpose of a lifecycle assessment?


  To quantify the environmental impact of a product
• What are the four main stages of a lifecycle assessment?


  1. Assessing the environmental impact of extracting and processing raw materials
  2. Manufacturing, packaging, and transporting the product
  3. Assessing the product's environmental impact during its lifetime
  4. Assessing the disposal of the product at the end of its useful life
• What is the first stage of a lifecycle assessment?


  Assessing the environmental impact of extracting and processing raw materials
• What is a significant source of energy for producing plastics?

  Crude oil
• What environmental issue is associated with extracting metals?


  It can produce large amounts of toxic waste products
• What is a major environmental concern when manufacturing products?

  It requires energy and may release harmful waste products
• What is a potential environmental impact of batteries used in toys?


  They produce a large amount of toxic waste
• What must be assessed regarding the disposal of products?


  The careful disposal of harmful chemicals
• What is the difference between crude oil and trees in terms of renewability?


  Crude oil is non-renewable, while trees are renewable
• What is a consequence of felling trees for wood?


  It is extremely destructive to habitats
• What is a disadvantage of paper shopping bags compared to plastic bags?

  Paper bags are not as strong and tend to tear
• Why do plastic bags remain in the environment for a long time?


  They are non-biodegradable
• What is a significant problem with life cycle assessments?


  They may require estimates or value judgments that are not always accurate
• How can life cycle assessments be biased?


  They can support claims made by advertisers
• What are the environmental impacts of plastic and paper shopping bags?

  • Plastic bags:
  • Non-biodegradable
  • Long-lasting in the environment
  • Major form of litter
  • Paper bags:
  • Biodegradable
  • Require large amounts of water for production
  • Weaker and often used only once
• What are the challenges in measuring the environmental impact of products?


  • Difficulty in assessing the damage caused by certain waste products
  • Need for estimates or value judgments
  • Potential biases in assessments