Life Cycle Assessment, LCA is a consolidated methodological approach to the environmental impact analysis of products and services, which consists in compiling and evaluating through the entire life cycle of inbound and outbound flows, as well as the potential environmental impacts of a product system.[1]Through an LCA it is therefore possible to reconstruct the phases that characterize the life cycle of a product /service (from the supply of raw materials, to processing processes, transport and distribution, up to use and/or consumption and disposal, calculating for each of them the impact in terms, for example, of climalterant gases, eutrophication, acidification, etc.)
The phases of an LCA study
The elaboration of an LCA study is divided into 4 phases, closely related to each other:
- Definition of objectives: purpose of the study, choice of product categories, identification of functional units, boundaries of the system studied; all this influences the objectives and level of in-depth study of LCA;
- Life Cycle Inventory (LCI): compilation and quantification of inbound and outbound elements, for a product in its life cycle[1], in practice it is a question of determining the flows of raw materials used and waste produced, water and energy consumption, emissions into air, water and soil for each phase of the life cycle of the product analyzed;
- Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA): qualitative and quantitative characterization of the potential environmental impacts associated with the particular study system[1];
- Life cycle interpretation: this is the final phase of an LCA, in which the results of inventory analysis and/or impact assessment are evaluated in relation to the objective and scope defined in order to draw conclusions and recommendations[1]; it is in practice the stage at which the changes necessary to reduce the potential environmental impact of the processes or activities considered are proposed.
The methodological basis
The LCA methodology (Product Life Cycle Assessment) is based on the ISO 14040 series standards:
- UNI EN ISO 14040[a] Life cycle assessment – Principles and framework
- UNI EN ISO 14044[b] Lifecycle Assessment – Requirements and Guidelines
On the basis of these two standards, a number of specific rules have been developed which have taken into account a single potential environmental impact::
- UNI EN ISO 14067[c] Greenhouse gases - Climatic footprint of products (Products carbon footprint ) - Requirements and guidelines for quantification
- UNI EN ISO 14046[d] Environmental Management - Water Footprint (Water Footprint) - Principles, Requirements and Guidelines
- UNI EN ISO 14064-1[e] Greenhouse gases – Part 1: Specifications and guidance,at the organization level, for the quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and their removal
- UNI EN ISO 14064-2[f] Greenhouse gases - Part 2: Specifications and guidance, at project level, for the quantification, monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions or the removal of greenhouse gases
Or a set of potential environmental impact indicators. From this point of view, mention should be made of the European Commission's Environmental Footprint codified in a COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION of 9 April 2013 on the use of common methodologies for measuring and communicating environmental performance during the life cycle of the products of organizations (GUUE of 04.05.13):
- PEF – Product Environmental Footprint
- OEF - Organizational Environmental Footprint
The PEF set of indicators includes 16 indicators of environmental impact potential.
The advantages
The benefits expected from the preparation of a calculation model of its production chain and based on the study of LCA can be aimed both inside and outside the organization that undertakes the Life Cycle Thinking methodology;.
From the company's internal point of view:
- Have a complete quantification of the potential environmental impacts associated with the product, detailed for each stage of its life cycle;
- Identify the "bottlenecks" and environmental criticalities of the product life cycle and the consequent possible optimization interventions, both from a technological point of view (in terms of rationalization of some production phases);
- Compare different scenarios, immediately highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of precise technical and organizational options;
- Have a quantitative database for objectives/programs to improve its Environmental Management System, certified in accordance with ISO 14001:15[2] and/or the EMAS Regulation.
From an external point of view:
- Inform the customer, having clear and transparent environmental information on products and services in order also to make a comparison between several alternatives that can influence subsequent purchasing choices;
- Prepare environmental communication strategies (transparent, credible, objective and comparable) outside the company and/or sector aimed at the various stakeholders (market, administrative and legislative bodies, interest groups, etc.);
- To participate in regional to European funding calls which are among the criteria for selecting specific environmental requirements;
- Have on the list lines of products or services characterized from the point of view of commitment to the environment and sustainability which can be proposed, in particular within the GPP - Green Purchases of the Public Administration;
see in particular Italian and European CAM (Minimum Environmental Criteria); - Aggregate and enhance its production chain not only in terms of economic values, but also with characteristics of environmental sustainability with respect to the function of the proposed final product/ service;
- Have a quantitative database whose results can be used for the preparation of an environmental business report, an Environmental Product Declaration (according to ISO 14025:06) or an environmental label using one or more environmental impact indicators (see point precedent and on methodological basis).
[1] Definizione tratta da UNI EN ISO 14040.
[2] L’evoluzione della normativa internazionale sui SGA ha puntato ad una maggiore valorizzazione degli aspetti ambientali “indiretti” delle organizzazioni, quali appunto gli aspetti legati all’acquisizione di forniture a basso impatto ambientale e di responsabilità ambientale anche sulle fasi a valle del proprio ciclo produttivo.
[3] RACCOMANDAZIONE DELLA COMMISSIONE del 9 aprile 2013 relativa all’uso di metodologie comuni per misurare e comunicare le prestazioni ambientali nel corso del ciclo di vita dei prodotti e delle organizzazioni (GUUE del 4.05.13).
[a] Ultima versione vigente del 2006
[b] Ultima versione vigente del 2018, prima versione del 2006
[c] Ultima versione vigente del 2018
[d] Ultima versione vigente del 2016
[e] Ultima versione vigente del 2019
[f] Ultima versione vigente del 2019