Life-Cycle-Assessment-steps

Research method to evaluate the environmental impact associated with the life of a product or service from cradle to grave.. LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT LCA Environmental Footprint Carbon

The challenge of making the global production and consumption of

food more sustainable is becoming increasingly urgent

Therefore there is a growing need for a clear, comprehensive

Businesses, governments and NGOs are looking for ways to

tackle this problem to define the contours of a healthy and

sustainable society

Research method to evaluate

the environmental impact

associated with the life of a

product or service from

cradle to grave.

LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT

LCA

Environmental Footprint Carbon Footprint

How to assess the

sustainability of agricultural

products and foods?

WHY EVALUATE THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT?

Insights in the environmental impact: You, your clients

or investors want insights in the environmental impact

of your products or production process

Cost reduction: You aim to get insights in saving options

for energy and materials which are used in the production process

Substantiate a strategic decision: You want to make

certain strategic decisions, which need supporting information

Development of innovations: You want to know the

environmental advantages of certain innovation ideas

Increase market value: You want to increase market

value, for instance by communication about the sustainability of your products

Performed according to international guidelines

Takes the whole lifecycle

into account

Quantifies all inputs and outputs

of material flows

Investigates multiple environmental impacts

• Greenhouse Gas

Emissions

• Water consumption

• Land use

• Fossil depletion

• Fresh water

eutrophication

ISO 14040 and 14044

SOME ADVANTAGES OF AN LCA

Holistic approach

Trustworthy and sound basis for sustainability claims

Types of LCAs

PRODUCT LCA

USE VERIFICATION REVIEW/ DATA DELIVERABLES DURATION PROJECT

internal

external

external

internal review company specific

SCREENING LCA

COMPARATIVE LCA

company specific &

supply chain specific

company specific &

supply chain specific

independent external review (1 expert)

independent external review (3 experts)

presentation or report

presentation and/or report

presentation and/or report

Approx

1,5 months

Approx.

2,5 months

Approx

5 months

Goal & Scope

definition

Inventory analysis:

Data collection

Impact Assessment

Interpretation

Product development

Strategic planning

Public policy making

Marketing &

Communication

Product improvement

STEPS OF AN LCA

APPLICATIONS

Et cetera

Steps of an LCA

How to assess the environmental impact?

Goal & Scope

definition

• What is the reason for carrying out the study?

• What is the intented application?

• What is the targeted audience of the deliverables?

• What to analyse and how?

• Goal of the study

• Primary intentions

• Intended audience

• Involved parties

• Main characteristics of the study

• Definition of product system

• Definition of scope of analysed product system

• Definition of Function and Functional Unit

Inventory analysis:

Data collection

Main part of LCA study

Preferably

primary data

Use of

background

databases

• Collection of data

• Data modelling

• Result:

Inventory table, an extensive list of environmental interventions

• Determine the environmental impact of

reference flows for different impact categories

• Translate inventory table into impact

indicator results

3

Impact Assessment

Dependent on

goal & scope

(step 1)

NO3

Interpretation

• Consistency check

• Completeness check

• Contribution analysis

• Sensitivity analysis

• Discussion & conclusions

What’s next?

How to implement the results

Results… what’s next?

Product

development

Strategic planning

Public policy making

Marketing &

Communication

Product improvement

Et cetera

APPLICATIONS

Some examples

Communication of LCA results

LABEL: EUROPEAN ENERGY LABEL REPORTING: CARBON FOOTPRINT HEINEKEN APP: FRUIT & VEGETABLES CALENDAR

Some examples

Communication of LCA results

FACTSHEET: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT HUMVI FACTSHEET: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT MEATLESS PACKAGING: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF CHOCOLATE