Life cycle impact assessment

Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) is a process used in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of a product or service throughout its entire life cycle. LCIA considers a range of environmental impacts, including climate change, resource depletion, human toxicity, and ecosystem damage.

Examples of environmental impact categories that can be assessed in LCIA include:

• Global warming potential

• Acidification potential

• Eutrophication potential

• Ozone depletion potential

• Human toxicity potential

• Ecotoxicity potential

LCIA involves the use of models and data to estimate the potential environmental impacts of a product or service. Data is collected on the inputs and outputs of each stage of the life cycle, including raw material extraction, production, use, and disposal. This data is then used to calculate the potential environmental impacts of each stage.

Once the potential environmental impacts have been estimated, they can be aggregated and compared to identify areas of significant environmental impact. This information can then be used to identify opportunities to reduce environmental impact and improve the sustainability of the product or service.

LCIA is a complex process that requires specialised knowledge and tools. However, it is an important tool for understanding the environmental impacts of products and services and for identifying opportunities for improvement.