Life Cycle Assessment

A Scientific Way to Look at

Going Green!
What does
What doesit mean to beto
it mean Green?? What is
be Green??
Sustainability??
What is Sustainability??
 Sustainability
• Environmentally United Nations World Commission on
Environment and Development (1987)
Friendly Sustainable Development definition:
• Sustainable
Products “… development that meets the needs of
the present without compromising the
• Green product ability of future generations to meet their
• Environmentally own needs.”
Preferable
• Biodegradable
• Recyclable
• Ozone friendly
• Eco-design
• Greenwashing

wwblog.miragestudio7.com
 What Can the Earth Handle?
World Population Statistics
• The estimate of Earth’s Maximum
UN Population Division
supportable population is 13.4 billion.

• Looking at the population statistics, Population Annual Growth Rate

where are we headed? (2007) (00 – 07)

Renewable Energy Source Will World 6.7 Billion 1.24%

Limit Our Growth!
LDC 5.4 Billion 1.44%
MDC 1.2 Billion 0.36%
US 301 Million 1.03%

Average per capita energy

consumption is 3 kW/person
•US 12 kW/person
•Industrialized 7.5 kW/person
•Denmark 5.1 kW/person
•Developing 1kW/person
 Being Green is Trendy . . . . . . . . . . .
What Does Science Say?
• Industry is looking for ways
to green their products and
manufacturing processes.
• Individuals and Families are
looking to green their
homes and lifestyles.

• How can you tell if

something really is green??
• What is currently happening
to achieve this goal? www.scienceinthebox.com

• Scientists perform a Life

Cycle Assessment (LCA)
 Definition:
“Compilation and evaluation of the ISO = International Organization for
inputs, outputs and the potential Standardization
environmental impacts of a product Ensures that an LCA is completed
system throughout its life cycle” in a certain way.
This establishes an environmental
WHAT CAN BE DONE
profile of the system!
WITH LCA?
1.Product or project
development and
improvement
2.Strategic planning
3.Public policy making
4.Marketing and eco-
declarations
www.davidreport.com
 Product Life Cycle
M, E M, E M, E M, E M, E M, E

Ra w Material Ma terial Ma nufacture Use & Re tirement Treatment

Acquisition Processing & Assembly Service & Recovery Disposal

W W W W W W

reuse
rema nufacture

clo sed-loop recycle open-loop

re cycle

M, E = Material and Energy inputs to process and distribution

W = Waste (gas, liquid, or solid) output from product, process, or distribution

Material flow of product component

 What Makes Up LCA
• Goal & Scope Definition
What is the purpose of the LCA
and who is the audience?
• Inventory Analysis (LCI)
1. What is the function & functional
unit?
2. Where are the boundaries?
3. What data do you need?
4. What assumptions are you
making?
5. Are there any limitations?
• Impact Assessment (LCIA)
What are the environmental, social,
and economic affects?
• Interpretation
Ways to reduce environmental
impacts.
What conclusions can you draw
from the study?
What recommendations can be
made?
 Goal and Scope
Wooden Pencil vs. Mechanical Pencil
Goal = Compare 2 writing utensils for classroom use.

Scope: Wooden Pencil (T = Transportation)

Process Flow Diagram
T T T T T
Lumber Lumber End of
Forest Mill
Manufacture Retailer Use Life

T
Rubber (Landfill)
T Sharpening
Graphite
T (Electricity)
Packaging
T
Brass
 Scope: Mechanical Pencil
PE = Polyethylene
PP = Polypropylene
Both materials are plastic polymers (large
molecules) used to make many products. www.germes-online.com

T T T T T
End of
Oil PE / PP Manufacture Retailer Use Life

T
Rubber (Landfill)
T
Graphite T = Transportation
T
Packaging
T
Spring
 Function & Functional Unit
Function Example
• Service provided by a Wooden Pencil vs. Mechanical
system Pencil
• What it does! • Function = “Writing”
Functional Unit • Functional Unit = “1 meter
• Gives the function a of writing”
number value
• Allows comparison between
products
• Reference point
 Items To Consider??
Inputs Outputs
What is needed to make What comes out of the
the substance! system!
1. Energy 1. Products (electricity,
2. Materials materials, goods,
3. Labor services)
2. Waste
3. Emissions
4. Co-products
 Data Collection
Life Cycle Inventory Analysis
1. Time-sensitive = past 5 years Never Forget . . . . . . .
2. Geographical = does it match
the location from the goal Precision:
3. Technology = best available The consistent reproducibility
technology for process of a measurement
4. Representativeness = reflects
population of interest
5. Consistency = matches the Completeness:
procedure Covers all the areas outlined
6. Reproducibility = another in the scope
person could find it
 LCA in Action: Think About It!
Paper Plate vs. China (Plate You Wash & Reuse)

 What is the function?  What are the impacts

 What is the functional to the environment?
unit?  Is there waste?
 What materials &  Does washing the
resources are used? China produce waste?
 What does it take to  What types of data do
produce both? you need?
 How do you know
which is better?
 Data Analysis
Environmental Impact Categories
Global Warming Potential Abiotic Depletion
• Gases in the • Consumption of non-
atmosphere that absorb living resources
and emit radiation Human Toxicity Potential
• Trap heat from the sun • Value that shows harms
• Water vapor, CO2 , CH4 , to humans from
ozone, NO2 chemicals
Land Use
• How much land is
needed
 Environmental Impact Categories
Continued . . . . .
Eutrophication Acidification
• Increase in chemical • caused by pollution from
nutrients containing fuels & acid rain
nitrogen or phosphorus • low pH
• land or water Smog (Winter or Summer)
• overgrowth of plants Energy Use
• killing organisms at Solid Waste
bottom of water Oil
Water Use . . . . . . . AND MANY MORE!!
Mercury
 Where Do We Go From Here?
• What is the purpose of • Industry & Individuals
all this data?? can take a closer look at
• Scientists can make how they can make a
recommendations of difference
choices that are less Class Project
impactful Evaluate 2 products using
• Scientists can analyze a the LCA method and
particular impact and make change!
focus on a solution
 Where Does Our “Stuff”
Come From?
Let’s check it out with . . . .

“The Story of Stuff”

http://www.storyofstuff.com/
Special Thanks

Dr. Michael Lepech Stanford

Department of Civil and University
Environmental Engineering