C6.2 - Life Cycle Assessments

• What are the 4 main stages of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)?

  1. Extracting and processing the raw materials
  2. Manufacturing and packaging the product
  3. Using the product
  4. Disposing of it
• What damage does the first stage of LCA cause?

  • Directly damages the local environment e.g. mines and cutting down forest
  • Indirectly damages the local environment e.g. large amounts of energy required when extracting metals from their ores or fractional distillation of crude oils
• What damage does the 2nd stage of LCA cause?

  • Energy use
  • Release of pollution e.g. carbon monoxide or hydrogen chloride
  • Waste products (could be used as a raw material for another product)
• What to consider when looking for the impact of a product:

  • How much damage it does during its lifetime.
  • How long the product is used for.
• Damages of how we dispose of the product:

  • In landfill, takes up space which could have been used for nature
  • If we burn the product, it releases pollutants and chemicals could seep into surrounding ecosystems
• What are limitations of the LCA?

  • Companies can manipulate their LCAs to look more favourable
  • It is difficult to compare different harms e.g. lung disease vs global warming
  • It is difficult to gather all of the required data about each step