What is Life Cycle Assessment?

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is the systematic analysis of the environmental impact of products during their entire life cycle. The life cycle of a product comprises of production, use and disposal phases. Environmental impacts are evaluated throughout, also including the upstream and downstream processes associated with the production (e.g. production of raw, auxiliary and operating materials) and with the disposal (e.g. waste treatment). Environmental impacts refer to all relevant extractions from the environment (e.g. ores and crude oil), as well as emissions into the same (e.g. wastes and carbon dioxide).

What can life cycle assessment do for you?

Compare environmental impacts of various products Optimize processes with regard to ecological aspects, (increased efficiency costs) Compare environmental impacts of various raw materials and substances Evaluate the environment-relevant aspects of transport processes Give backing to marketing of environment-friendly products or processes Provide support with environmental reporting and certification (EMAS II, Product certification, environmental product declaration) Provide help with creating a sustainable line of products

What are the special terms of life cycle assessment? System boundaries (Goal & Scope) Description of the products life cycle phases and the cut-off criteria delimiting the system under investigation. Functional Unit (FU) Reference unit of the system; environmental impacts are evaluated based on this unit. E.g. 1 kg product, annual output, 1kg*km, etc. Life Cycle Inventory Analysis (LCIA) Assembly and quantification of inputs (resource and energy flows) and outputs (emissions and wastes) into and out of the system. Impact Assessment Evaluation of environmental impacts according to ISO 14040/44. based on LCIA, and displaying the results in impact categories. Abbildung 1 Modularer . Impact categories: Aufbau einer kobilanz Global Warming Potential (GWP), expressed as CO2-equivalents [kg]; nach ISO Global warming
Acidification Potential, expressed as SO2 equivalents [kg]; Acid rain / forest decline; Eutrophication Potential, expressed as PO4 equivalents [kg]; Over-fertilization of the soil or water; Ozone Depletion Potential, expressed as R11 equivalents [kg]; Thinning of the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere; Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential (Summer Smog), expressed as ethene equivalents [kg]; Ozone formation in the lower atmosphere; Primary energy [MJ], renewable and fossil energy sources (on the input side) Modular design of an LCA

Interpretation and reporting Displaying the environmental impacts of a report according to ISO 14040/44 standards. Critical Review Critical assessment by an independent expert to verify the data and to increase credibility of results.
PE INTERNATIONAL GmbH Telefon +49 [0] 711-34 18 17-0 www.pe-international.com

How is data collected for LCAs?

What is the chain of events leading up to a complete LCA study?
Flow chart The flow chart of the system to be analysed is provided by the customer. On the basis of the flow chart, PE INTERNATIONAL works out a questionaire for analysing the material and energy flows of the process cycle. The customer collects data with the support of PE INTERNATIONAL. PE INTERNATIONAL creates a model resulting from the collected data with the self developed software solution called GaBi. The developed model is evaluated regarding ist potential environmental impact.
Inputs
Energietrger incl. Wirkungsgrad (12) Menge Einheit (9) Bandbreite (10) Datenqualitt und Kommentare (11)

Questionaire

Data collection

GaBi Model Evaluation and Interpretation Critical Review (optional)

A critical review is possible in order to examine the ISO conformity and to increase the reliability of the study.
Stoffliche Inputs (13) Betriebsstoffe (14)

What are the requisites for data quality?

Correct units and their reference values (base year, production units etc.) Reference to a single, well-defined functional unit Adequate precision System-relevant material and energy flows

Inputs
Energietrger incl. Wirkungsgrad (12)

Menge

Einheit (9)

Bandbreite (10)

Datenqualitt und Kommentare (11)

Prozess
Prozessbezeichnung (1) Prozessbetreiber (2) Standort (3) Bezugsgre und -einheit (4)

Stoffliche Inputs (13)

Ansprechpartner (5) Anschrift Telefon e-mail Prozessfliebild (8)

Erstellungsdatum (6) Betrachtungszeitraum (7) Bitte separates Blatt "Prozessfliebild" erstellen bzw. beifgen

Outputs
Produkt(e) (15)

Betriebsstoffe (14)
Emissionen in Luft (16)

Prozess
Prozessbezeichnung (1) Prozessbetreiber (2) Standort (3) Bezugsgre und -einheit (4) Ansprechpartner (5) Anschrift Telefon e-mail Prozessfliebild (8)

Emissionen in Wasser (17)

Abflle / Entsorgungsweg (18)

Erhebung der Transportaufwendungen (19)

Stoffliche Inputs, Betriebsstoffe und Abflle Betrachtungszeitraum (7) (ins bzw. vom Werk geliefert) (20) Distanz (km) (21) Transportmittel (22) Auslastung (%) (23)

Erstellungsdatum (6)

Bitte separates Blatt "Prozessfliebild" erstellen bzw. beifgen

What are the options for collecting data?

Outputs
Produkt(e) (15)

1. Data collection based on a Black Box process, summarizing the entire process chain 2. Data collection for each individual process in the chain separately
Emissionen in Wasser (17) Abflle / Entsorgungsweg (18)

Emissionen in Luft (16)

Erhebung der Transportaufwendungen (19)

Stoffliche Inputs, Betriebsstoffe und Abflle (ins bzw. vom Werk geliefert) (20) Distanz (km) (21) Transportmittel (22) Auslastung (%) (23)

PE INTERNATIONAL GmbH

Telefon +49 [0] 711-34 18 17-0

www.pe-international.com