Life Cycle Assessment and Materiality Assessment Part 2 – Setting up the study Posted March 13, 2017 by Julie Sinistore In Part One of this blog series we covered what a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is and the importance of a materiality assessment. We will now explore some of the aspects that go into an LCA. We’ll work from the milk container example explored in Part One. Which is the most environmentally-friendly milk container option – a glass bottle, a plastic bottle or an aseptic pack? A life cycle carbon assessment of the three different materials discloses the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) associated with the production of the raw materials, plus the impacts of transportation and distribution. Unlike milk sold in plastic or glass, milk sold in aseptic packaging does not have to be refrigerated until it is opened. This means the use of aseptic packaging avoids the energy used to refrigerate transport trucks and the energy used in refrigerated grocery stores shelves. The rectangular aseptic packages also allow for more Read More
Life Cycle Assessment and Materiality Assessment Part 1 – Should I cry over spilled milk? Posted March 1, 2017 by Julie Sinistore I do Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for a living. A lot of people look at my quizzically when I say this. “So… you study butterflies?” Nope, no metamorphosis here. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Life Cycle Assessment is “a tool for the systematic evaluation of the environmental aspects of product or service system through all states of its life cycle.” Or, as I like to explain it in simpler terms, a way to sum up all the environmental impacts from the production, use and disposal of goods and services. The quizzical looks continue. “So, is this a way to tell if a product is better for the environment?” is a common reply. To which I respond with more questions, such as “how do you define better?” and “what environmental aspects are important to you, your company or your customers?” LCA is a method that simply tells you Read More
