Life-cycle assessment

• What is a lifecycle assessment?

  It measures a product's environmental impact
• What should you be able to discuss by the end of the video?

  Life cycle assessments for plastic and paper bags
• What is the first stage of a lifecycle assessment?

  Assessing raw materials' environmental impact
• What materials are commonly assessed in lifecycle assessments?

  Plastics and metals like copper
• What is the process of producing plastics from crude oil?

  Extraction, transportation, refining, cracking, production
• What energy source is primarily used in producing plastics?

  Fossil fuels
• What is a significant environmental issue with extracting metals?

  It produces large amounts of toxic waste
• What happens to the product during its lifetime?

  It may produce toxic waste, like batteries
• What must be assessed at the end of a product's life?

  The disposal of harmful chemicals
• What is a key difference between plastic and paper bags regarding resources?

  Plastic bags use crude oil; paper bags use trees
• Why are trees considered a renewable resource?

  They can be replanted after harvesting
• What is a major environmental concern with plastic bags?

  They are non-biodegradable
• How do paper bags compare to plastic bags in terms of strength?

  Paper bags are not as strong as plastic bags
• What is a significant issue with transporting paper bags?

  They are often heavier than plastic bags
• What happens to plastic bags in the environment?

  They remain for a very long time
• What is a problem with lifecycle assessments?

  They may require estimates or value judgments
• How can lifecycle assessments be biased?

  To support claims by advertisers
• What are the four main stages of a lifecycle assessment?

  1. Assessing raw materials' impact
  2. Manufacturing and packaging
  3. Product usage impact
  4. Disposal at end of life
• Compare the environmental impacts of plastic and paper shopping bags.

  • Plastic bags:
  • Non-biodegradable
  • Made from crude oil
  • Strong and reusable
  • Paper bags:
  • Biodegradable
  • Made from trees
  • Weaker and often single-use
• What are the issues with lifecycle assessments?

  • Difficulty in measuring environmental damage
  • Need for estimates or value judgments
  • Potential bias in assessments