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Key Terms Lifecycle analysis (or Assessment) A lifecycle analysis (LCA) of a product serves as a start-to-finish investigation of each step in the production of a product, its use and its disposal. The sum of these phases is the lifecycle. A LCA is a useful method to understand every opportunity for change or reduction in relation to waste, ingredients, packaging, transport, energy, operational improvements, improving supplier collaboration and more.
A full LCA emphasizes the use of primary data to render the precise measurement of environmental impacts throughout the lifecycle.
A simplified lifecycle analysis emphasizes the use of secondary data, or "readily available data", to measure lifecycle impacts. Secondary data is usually published by industry, academic institutions, or government in an effort.
Much like a simplified lifecycle analysis, an initial lifecycle screening often relies on secondary or derived data to measure environmental impacts. A screening is usually the first step towards a more detailed LCA.
Primary data is the observation and measurement of activity generating environmental impact collected directly at the source.
Secondary data is published data (by private, academic or government studies) or information that is derived from mathematical models based on primary data. Secondary data is published data (by private, academic or government studies) or information that is derived from mathematical models based on primary data.
The equation for carbon footprinting is the sum of all materials, energy and waste across all activities in a lifecycle multiplied by their emission factors. The calculation itself involves multiplying the activity data by the appropriate emission factors:
A product carbon footprint (PCF) refers to the calculation of carbon emissions throughout the lifecycle of a product. This is a slightly more precise term that refers specifically to a product, compared to the more general term, "carbon footprint" that can equally refer to a process or a facility.
Triple-Bottom-Line is used to describe the delicate balance of priorities between the financial, social, and environmental impacts of a business. It is a move away from relying only on financial reports, towards an understanding of the other assets of a business such as human capital (social) and natural capital (environmental). These assets have traditionally been hard to quantify and measure.
Ecolabel or Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) The goal of an ecolabel or an EPD is to provide verified information to consumers about the environmental impacts of goods and services.
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Key Terms topics Lifecycle analysis (or Assessment) Ecolabel or Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)
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