ISO 14040 Standard: “Life Cycle Analysis is a technique to determine the environmental aspects and potential impacts associated with a product:
compiling an inventory of the relevant inputs and outputs of the system, evaluating the potential environmental impacts associated with those inputs and
outputs, and interpreting the results of the inventory and impact phases in relation to the objectives of the study ”.
INTRODUCTION
The life cycle of a product is a topic of utmost importance today, since due to the problems that have arisen with the contamination of the planet and the scarcity of resources, it has become a topic that has acquired much relevance in large industries, since any company that offers a product should focus on this issue since each product produced impacts in some way the environment.
The impacts generated to the environment by companies are more and more controlled since today it is sought to know the magnitude and scope that the impact generated by the development of a product will have with the sole intention of being able to avoid them or at their worst case reduce them.
In order to know the impact of the product during its life cycle, a technique known as Life Cycle Analysis has been developed, which not only is responsible for analyzing the impact but, in turn, collects information and allows the evaluation of inputs and outputs of which may have said product.
The interesting thing about this technique is its degree of flexibility since it is possible to implement it in any type of company since it does not matter if it is simple or complex, it adapts to the company's situation.
During the development of this article we will be able to observe what the life cycle analysis means and in turn we will understand the importance that it has, as well as the benefits and steps to follow to have a correct implementation of said analysis.
Life cycle analysis.
Definition.
According to (portal.camins.upc.edu) these are some of the definitions corresponding to life cycle analysis:
ISO 14040 Standard: “Life Cycle Analysis is a technique to determine the environmental aspects and potential impacts associated with a product: compiling an inventory of the relevant inputs and outputs of the system, evaluating the potential environmental impacts associated with those inputs and outputs, and interpreting the results of the inventory and impact phases in relation to the objectives of the study ”
Spanish Standard UNE 150-040-96: "Life Cycle Analysis is a
compilation and evaluation of the inputs and outputs of matter and energy, and of the potential environmental impacts directly attributable to the function of the product system throughout its life cycle ”
Nordic Council of Ministers: “Life Cycle Analysis is a process to evaluate the environmental loads associated with a production or activity system, identifying and quantifying the amounts of matter and energy used, and the waste generated, and evaluating the environmental impacts derived from these ”.
LCA allows a simplified model of a production system and associated environmental impacts to be obtained; however, it is not intended to provide a total and absolute representation of each environmental interaction. Despite proposing coverage over the entire life cycle of a product, in many cases it is difficult to cover all activities from “cradle to grave”, so the system required for the product to comply with must be clearly defined. a certain function.
Origins.
The first studies focused on some stages of the life cycle of certain products date back to the end of the 1960s and the beginning of the 70s. Those studies put the emphasis on the analysis of efficiency, energy consumption and its sources, the consumption of raw materials and, to a lesser extent, in the final disposal of the waste generated.
In 1969, the American Coca Cola financed a study aimed at relating and comparing the consumption of resources to manufacture the packaging for its beverages with the emissions associated with the corresponding production processes. Around the same time, a kind of inventory was also being studied in Europe, which was later known as 'Ecobalance'. In 1972, in the United Kingdom, LAN BOUSTEAD was dedicated to calculating the total energy required for the manufacture of various types of beverage containers (glass, plastic, steel and aluminum). Their conclusions can be found in their article "LCA-How it came about-The beggining in the UK", published in the International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 1 (3), 1996.
At the beginning, energy consumption was considered to have a higher priority with respect to the generation of waste, discharges and emissions to the environment, among other things perhaps because there were still not as many demands from public opinion for companies to have taking into account the prevention of environmental deterioration, and because the price of energy fuels had risen so abruptly as to justify giving it that priority.
It should also be remembered that at that time the oil crisis occurred, which mainly affected non-producing countries, and that it manifested itself by restrictions in the provision of electrical energy, among other limitations on the consumption of energy from fossil fuels. After overcoming that crisis, there was a decline in the importance assigned to the energy problem. (Luis Trama, 2001)
The Life Cycle Analysis tool was developed in the 1960s and has been used for pollution prevention since the 1970s. We can say that there are no specific procedures or guidelines to follow, but there are a series of approaches that can be useful depending on the needs to be resolved through this methodology.
The basic principle of the tool is the identification and description of all stages of the product life cycle, from the extraction and retreatment of raw materials, the production, distribution and use of the final product to its possible reuse, recycling or disposed of the product.
Stages of Life Cycle Analysis.
Stages of the life of a product.
The life of a product begins in the design and development of the product and ends with the activities of reuse and recycling, going through the following stages:
- Acquisition of raw materials. All activities necessary for the extraction of raw materials and energy contributions from the environment, including transportation prior to production, processing and manufacturing. Activities necessary to convert raw materials and energy into the desired product. Distribution and transportation. Transfer of the final product to the client. Use, reuse and maintenance. Use of the finished product throughout its service life. It begins once the product has served its initial function and consequently is recycled through the same product system (closed recycling cycle) or enters a new product system. (open recycling cycle). Waste management. It begins once the product has served its function and is returned to the environment as waste.
LCA is the basis for Ecodesign, Ecolabelling and Environmental Product Declarations
In relation to the Regulatory Framework for Life Cycle Analysis, the main applicable international standards are:
- UNE-EN ISO 14040. Environmental Management. Life cycle analysis. Principles and frame of reference. December 2006.UNE-EN ISO 14044. Environmental Management. Life cycle analysis. Requirements and guidelines. December 2006. ISO 14044 replaced ISO 14041, 14042 and 14043. According to what we have seen so far, LCA is an analysis that considers that products are born and die, that is, they have only one use. Popularly, we know this approach as cradle to grave (from the cradle to the grave). (ecointeligencia.com, 2013)
Stages of the life cycle.
The stages of the life cycle, according to (Goncalves, 2004)
- Acquisition of raw material: stage of activities of direct action on the natural environment. This point includes non-renewable material, water, and collection biomass. Bulk material processing: treatment of the raw material (separation and purification for example) to adapt the materials to subsequent transformations. Production of technical and specialty materials: some authors combine this stage with the previous one, designating it as "material treatment". Manufacturing and assembly: at this stage the base materials and technical materials have just been produced. Transport and distribution: With the current globalized system, this stage acquires special importance given the great distances that products must travel for their commercialization in places other than where they have been produced. In many cases, the components necessary to manufacture the final product also travel significant distances. Use and service: in this stage the maintenance and repairs that the product needs during its use by the consumer are accounted for (some products cannot be used directly, they need actions, such as frozen food). This phase also considers the internal reuse of materials, for example the reuse of beer bottles in a home. Withdrawal and treatment: in this step the possibility of reuse or recycling of the materials (recovery of the material) is key, in some cases it is possible to close the life cycles by inserting the material removed at a point in the manufacture of a new material. Disposal, final destination: when the material is not valued, its life cycle ends. At this point the way in which it is deposited in the natural environment is assessed. In the deposit of a material, its physical-chemical characteristics can be taken into account and controlled, for example, and measures can be taken to avoid negative effects of the discarded material on the environment.
LCA structure.
The ACV structure is represented as a house with four main rooms, which would be represented by the ISO14040, ISO14041, ISO14042 and ISO14043 standards. In the ISO14040 standard, the foundations of the Life Cycle Assessment are established, that is, the methodological framework, and briefly explains each of the phases, the preparation of the report and the critical review process. While in the remaining three regulations each phase of the LCA is explained in detail.
ISO / TR14047 (on illustrative examples of how to apply ISO14042), and ISO14048 (on the format for data documentation for LCA) are currently in preparation. As well as the technical report ISO / TR14049 that deals with illustrative examples of how to apply the ISO14041 standard. (Rodríguez, 2003)
Life Cycle Analysis Methodology.
In its most general expression, the life cycle analysis consists of 4 components:
- Definition of objectives and scope: The objectives that motivate the study must be specified, as well as the limits of the system to analyze and identify the components of the life cycle (eg extraction, transport, storage, production, consumption, recycling, final disposal of waste, etc). Inventory analysis: here the material and energy balances are developed through the different components of the life cycle. Assessment of potential environmental impacts: it must consider the health and safety of people, and environmental burdens. The environmental compartments to be included in the analysis and their relationship with the stages of the product life cycle must be previously identified and characterized. Interpretation: based on the previous analysis,Improvement measures must be identified and evaluated to reduce those most relevant impacts.(portal.camins.upc.edu)
Life Cycle Analysis in industry and administration.
Applications of Life Cycle Analysis in the industrial sector.
LCA is a useful tool to provide information to the public and private sectors involved in decision-making related to environmental improvement. Such information, combined with economic, social and labor data, can be used by both sectors for making important strategic decisions, which extends its applications beyond the environmental field.
Within this sector, LCA has different applications, depending on whether it is used internally or externally:
As internal uses of LCA, the following can be highlighted:
- Applications as a tool for planning environmental strategies. Selection of waste management alternatives. Decision tool during the design phase of new products. Functional comparison of equivalent products. Comparison of different options within a new process in order to minimize environmental impacts. Tool for the identification of processes, components and systems whose contribution to the environmental impact is significant. Evaluation of the effects produced by the consumption of resources in the facilities.
As external uses of LCA in industry, the following stand out:
- Image improvement and environmental marketing. Development of research programs. Provide complementary information to the administration for the regulation and reduction of certain products. Exert pressure on suppliers.
LCA applications for administration.
Among the uses that this group can make of LCA the following stand out:
- Tool to collaborate in the development of environmental legislation and policies that, in the long term, can favor the conservation of resources and the reduction of the environmental risk associated with products and processes. Evaluation of different alternatives for waste management. Provide the public with information on characteristics environmental of products and materials. Detection of research needs and establishment of priorities for action. Establish criteria for the evaluation and differentiation of products in ecolabelling programs. (Ávila)
The following table shows the applications of a LCA:
Benefits of Life Cycle Analysis.
Organizations consider it beneficial to know, in as much detail as possible, the effects - even if unintended - that their products, services or activities could have on the environment; especially, those that cause significant adverse environmental impacts, to attend to the legal, social and political responsibilities that they imply, in addition to economic losses and business image. The LCA, carried out in accordance with the procedures stipulated in the ISO14040 series of standards, is an environmental management tool that provides a solid basis for the management of an organization to make appropriate technical decisions based on the questions that may arise about the launching a new product or modifying existing products,to make them more efficient in terms of their environmental performance and to continue performing the function for which they were programmed. The environmental performance concept of the product includes topics such as its design, manufacturing processes, means of transportation, the type of energy required at different stages of its life cycle, the recommendations for its use and the form and the moment for its final disposal, if it is not recycled or reused before. To the extent that, through the application of the LCA, improvement opportunities are identified and effectively implemented in the product, an improvement in the environmental performance of that product will also have been achieved.The environmental performance concept of the product includes topics such as its design, manufacturing processes, means of transportation, the type of energy required at different stages of its life cycle, the recommendations for its use and the form and the moment for its final disposal, if it is not recycled or reused before. To the extent that, through the application of the LCA, improvement opportunities are identified and effectively implemented in the product, an improvement in the environmental performance of that product will also have been achieved.The environmental performance concept of the product includes topics such as its design, manufacturing processes, means of transportation, the type of energy required at different stages of its life cycle, the recommendations for its use and the form and the moment for its final disposal, if it is not recycled or reused before. To the extent that, through the application of the LCA, improvement opportunities are identified and effectively implemented in the product, an improvement in the environmental performance of that product will also have been achieved.by the application of the LCA, opportunities for improvement are identified and effectively implemented in the product, an improvement in the environmental performance of that product will also have been achieved.by the application of the LCA, opportunities for improvement are identified and effectively implemented in the product, an improvement in the environmental performance of that product will also have been achieved.
Regarding financial aspects, LCA can be a useful aid to lower costs as the new design and the new manufacturing, transportation and distribution processes, among others, promote greater efficiency in the allocation and use of raw materials, supplies and energy.
Likewise, it provides comparative and competitive advantages by providing all the elements of analysis to companies that later wish to certify their products under schemes of environmental seals or eco-labels (Ecolabelling 2). The World Trade Organization itself states that there are more and more environmental labels that base their analysis on LCA.
LCA is not only an instrument to protect the environment and conserve natural resources, but a business instrument to reduce costs and improve market positions. (Rodríguez, 2003).
Conclusion.
Due to the pollution and global warming that exists today, it is necessary to say that companies must raise awareness, since they are born, to avoid harm to the environment, regardless of the size of the company that has been created, even if it is a small or large company, it is always necessary to keep in mind that our product in some way or another will affect the environment directly or indirectly, so it is necessary to take appropriate measures so that this impact is minimized and why not in the future have a clean industry in the sense that each of the items, products or services provided are clean and do no more harm to our planet.
Thesis proposal.
Carry out a life cycle analysis on products made in an SME in the city of Orizaba.
Overall objective.
Prepare a life cycle analysis using the relevant quality tools in an SME in the city of Orizaba Ver. To determine the environmental impact generated in the development of its products.
Thanks.
I thank my mother who without her would not be where I am today, my family and friends for all the support provided to succeed in this master's degree as well as my teachers who dedicate their time and effort to achieve this goal.
Bibliography.
Ávila, MT (sf). EOI business school. Retrieved on February 16, 2018, from EOI business school:
ecointeligencia.com. (February 4, 2013).
Retrieved on February 16, 2018, from https://www.ecointeligencia.com:
Goncalves, AJ (2004). Life cycle analysis and its application to architecture and urban planning. work developed in the subject For a more sustainable city. Urban planning against the paradigm of sustainability of the Doctorate in Cities, Suburbs and Urban Vitality, ETSAM, Madrid.
Luis Trama, JC (2001). Life cycle analysis according to the standards of the IRAM-ISO14040 subseries. Build.
portal.camins.upc.edu. (sf). https://portal.camins.upc.edu. Retrieved on February 16, 2018, from
portal.camins.upc.edu/materials_guia/250504/2013/Analisis%20del%20Cicl o% 20de% 20Vida.pdf
Rodríguez, BI (2003). The analysis of the life cycle and environmental management. Technological Trends, 94.
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