Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

What is LCA?

Simply put, LCA is a scientific method to understand and quantify the environmental impacts of a product or service from manufacture, through use and end of life.

The life cycle includes all consecutive and interlinked stages of a product system, from raw material acquisition to final disposal.

Life cycle assessment is defined as “compilation and evaluation of the inputs, outputs, and potential environmental impacts of a product system throughout its life cycle.” (Source: ISO 14040)

Life cycle assessment is a tool used to quantify the environmental impacts of a product holistically throughout the entire life cycle, from material extraction, manufacturing, transportation, use, and end of life. The impacts associated with the product are assessed by compiling an inventory of relevant energy and material inputs and environmental releases, evaluating the potential environmental impacts associated with identified inputs and releases, and interpreting the results to help make a more informed decision.

Why do an LCA?

LCA can assist in:

• Identifying opportunities to improve the environmental performance of products at various points in their life cycle
• Informing decision-makers in industry, government or non-governmental organizations (e.g., for the purposes of strategic planning, priority setting, and product or process design or redesign)
• Selecting relevant indicators of environmental performance, including measurement techniques
• Marketing (e.g., implementing an ecolabeling scheme, making an environmental claim, or producing an environmental product declaration).
  (Source ISO 14040)

What LCA services does NYSP2I offer?

NYSP2I provides both LCAs as defined above and independent third-party critical reviews.

Our LCA services include comparisons of current products, comparisons to competitor products, and evaluations at the product design phase. NYSP2I performs LCAs in accordance with ISO 14040, the internationally recognized life cycle assessment standard. All processes follow ISO protocol and all results are reported in accordance with the standard.

NYSP2I conducts independent third-party critical reviews. NYSP2I’s panel of LCA experts provides a non-biased, independent evaluation of the methodology and interpretation of the LCA results, in accordance with ISO 14040 international standards.

NYSP2I’s LCA experts can help you decide which approach best suits your needs.

The LCA process

1. NYSP2I and the company determine the scope and boundaries of the LCA. Is it an internal product comparison or comparison to a competitor’s product? Is the goal to quantify environmental impacts or help drive product design?
2. Product and supply chain information is supplied to NYSP2I. The quality of the life cycle data provided to NYSP2I is critical.
3. NYSP2I analyzes the data, compiles the life cycle inventory, and performs the impact assessment.
4. NYSP2I compiles an LCA report, including all background information and results.

For additional information please contact Dr. Anahita Williamson, Anahita.williamson@rit.edu, (585) 475-2512.