Lifecycle analysis

The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a product or a human activity consists in identifying its environmental footprint. This is done in four stages (figure 1 ):

• definition of study objectives and scope ;

• collection of data on material and energy flows associated with life-cycle stages in relation to the functional unit selected, for quantification of natural resources used and emissions discharged into the natural environment (air, water, soil);

• assessment of the potential environmental impact of consumption and emissions;

• interpretation of the results obtained in relation to the initial objectives set.