7. Glossary

ACV, analyse du cycle de vie; life cycle assessment

An environmental assessment method that quantifies a product's impact over its entire life cycle, from the extraction of its raw materials, through distribution and use, to end-of-life disposal. A standardized, recognized tool, LCA is the most advanced method of global, multi-criteria assessment. It results from the interpretation of a quantified balance of material and energy flows linked to each stage of the product life cycle, expressed in terms of potential environmental impacts (definition taken from Techniques de l'Ingénieur [ TBA 1 420...