Life Cycle Assessments

• What does the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) evaluate?

  Environmental impact of a product's life
• Why is it important to assess the total environmental costs in an LCA?

  To understand the product's environmental impact
• How can extracting raw materials disrupt the local environment?

  It can lead to pollution and habitat destruction
• What are the consequences of raw material extraction on energy consumption?

  It increases energy needed for extraction processes
• Why do raw materials often require processing?

  To extract desired materials and reduce waste
• What is a potential environmental impact of manufacturing and packaging products?

  It can lead to significant energy resource use
• How can fertilizers contribute to environmental damage?

  They can cause pollution in streams and rivers
• What is a long-life product?

  A product used many times over time
• Why is it important to consider waste products in an LCA?

  To minimize environmental pollution and waste
• What can be done with waste products to reduce environmental impact?

  They can be transformed into useful chemicals
• How do chemical reactions of raw materials affect waste production?

  They often produce waste products during processing
• What is a common outcome of waste reduction in manufacturing?

  Less environmental pollution
• How does using a product impact the environment?

  It can release harmful substances into the air
• What is a consequence of burning fuels for energy?

  It releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere
• What is the relationship between long-life products and energy consumption?

  They often require significant energy to produce
• What happens to products that are often disposed of?

  They contribute to environmental pollution
• Why is it important to manage product disposal?

  To prevent environmental damage and pollution
• What is a common method of product disposal?

  Landfilling
• What are the stages of a product's life cycle in LCA?

  1. Raw material extraction
  2. Manufacturing and packaging
  3. Use of the product
  4. Product disposal
• What are the environmental impacts associated with each stage of the life cycle?

  • Raw material extraction: habitat destruction, pollution
  • Manufacturing: energy consumption, waste production
  • Use: emissions, resource depletion
  • Disposal: landfill pollution, recycling challenges
• What is the focus of the study material?

  Ecological systems
• What is a characteristic of long-life products?

  They are used for many times
• Why do long-life products require a lot of energy to produce?

  They need lots of energy for production
• What happens to products that are disposed of?

  They often pollute land and water
• What is the consequence of waste being used to generate heat?

  It leads to burning and pollution
• What is a common disposal method for products?

  Disposing into the ground
• What is the impact of waste on urban areas?

  It fills up space and pollutes
• What is a characteristic of biodegradable waste?

  It can decompose naturally
• How do plastic bags compare to paper bags in terms of energy use?

  Plastic bags use less energy to make
• What is the environmental impact of plastic bags compared to paper bags?

  Plastic bags are less harmful to the environment
• What is the significance of life cycle assessments?

  They evaluate environmental impacts of products
• What is a common characteristic of crude oil?

  It is a raw material for production
• What is the process to extract plastic from crude oil?

  Fractional distillation followed by cracking
• What happens to waste in urban factories?

  It is released into the environment
• What is the fate of pulp in production?

  Pulp is bleached, pressed, and dried
• How does the recycling of materials impact the environment?

  It reduces waste and conserves resources
• What is a characteristic of biodegradable materials?

  They can be composted
• What is the environmental benefit of using biodegradable products?

  They reduce landfill waste and pollution
• How do life cycle assessments help in product development?

  They identify environmental impacts throughout production
• What is the main issue with plastic bags?

  They are not biodegradable