Life cycle assessment (LCA)

Quantify impacts and make decisions

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is carried out by our Design for Tomorrow department and is included in the eco-design justification file, which aims to assess the eco-responsibility of a product throughout its development.

What are the advantages of LCA?

More specifically, LCA aims to quantify and identify all the material and energy flows involved in the life cycle of a product, service or process, through :

Consideration of the entire life cycle to avoid transferring impacts from one stage of the life cycle to another.

Multi-criteria analysis: global warming, depletion of natural resources, water consumption…

Standardized analysis: ISO 140140, ISO 14044, EIME software (Bureau Veritas)

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Why conduct a life cycle assessment?

Lifecycle analysis is the 1st step in implementing an informed and relevant eco-design approach, by quantifying and assessing the impact of a product’s entire lifecycle. It makes it possible to compare choices on a global scale (recycling, relocation of production) or a local scale (design element, manufacturing process). Finally, LCA targets the best levers for reducing overall impact.

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What are the stages in a life cycle assessment?

01
Defining objectives and fields of study

02
Taking inventory

03
Assessing potential environmental impacts

04
Interpreting and analyzing

05
ACT

Life cycle assessment is an iterative process, with each phase of an LCA using the results of previous phases, and going back and forth each time.

Life cycle assessment is carried out in 5 stages, starting with the definition of the objectives and scope of the study, followed by the inventory. The inventory includes the identification and quantification of element such as manufacturing processes (including the disposal of process and product waste), the production and consumption of fuels, electricity and heat, lighting and heating, distribution and packaging, and the recovery of products after use (reuse, recycling and energy recovery). The 3rd stage of LCA is the evaluation of environmental impacts, leading to the 4th stage, which is the analysis of the evaluation results.

At the end of the process, LCA enables us to understand the relevant areas for action, so that we can take effective action.

Find out more about the Ecodesign Diag

The key stage of an LCA: Stage 5, Taking action

The 5th step is a result of the life cycle analysis carried out. In the light of the findings, actions can be taken that will have an impact:

Product eco-design, an expertise supported by our mechanical and electronic design office

The choice of recycled plastics

Rethinking product end-of-life with Altyor’s Remanufacturing and Recycling loops

Example of a life cycle analysis

Opposite is an extract from the lifecycle analysis of a connected button. This graph enables us to identify which phase of the lifecycle has the greatest impact. The production phase, shown in orange on the graph, is the most costly in terms of the product’s environmental footprint.

FAQs on life cycle assessment

What is product LCA?

This is a multi-criteria approach that aims involved in the life of a product, service or process, with the ultimate aim of determining its impact on the environment. vto quantify and identify all the material and energy flows involved in the life of a product, service or process, with the ultimate aim of determining its impact on the environment.

Why carry out an LCA on your electronic or mechanical product?

LCA means taking an informed and relevant environmental approach, by quantifying and assessing the impacts of a product’s entire life cycle. By identifying the stages in a product’s life that have the greatest impact on the environment, you can act accordingly to reduce your environmental footprint.

What indicators are used in LCA?

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is an analysis that quantifies the impact of the product studied on 19 indicators derived from European standards (PEF), including global warming potential, depletion of natural resources, acidification, ozone depletion, eutrophication, water consumption, and so on.

What are the stages in an LCA?

There are four main stages in carrying out a life cycle assessment (LCA):
Definition of objects and scope of study
Life cycle inventory (LCI)
Impact assessment
Interpretation of results

How do you realize a LCA ?

Several software packages are available. Altyor has equipped itself with EIME software, a secure web application specialized in quantifying the environmental impact of products. Thanks to this tool and a specialized team within Altyor, we can carry out lifecycle analyses of electronic products.

Which activities should be included in an LCA?

The life cycle covers all stages in the life of a product:
the end-of-life: the impact of waste management (recycling, reuse, incineration, etc.)
the manufacture of all product parts
the transport used to move these parts (both individual parts and the finished product) from the extraction of raw materials to the manufacturing process (plastic injection, molding, etc.)
use, what the product consumes during its use by the consumer in terms of energy (electricity, batteries, etc.)

When should an LCA be carried out?

As part of the development of a new product, LCA is an analysis to be carried out during the design and prototyping phases, in order to influence the choice of materials, processes, manufacturing sites, etc. The analysis will enable impacts to be minimized as early as possible.

In the case of a product already in production, LCA enables us to understand the eco-responsible actions that have a real impact on the environment. A common misconception is that transport plays a major role, but this is not always the case. So before changing your entire production layout, carry out a lifecycle analysis, which will enable you to implement relevant improvements on version 2.

How do you perform a life cycle assessment (LCA)?

We can help you calculate and analyze your product’s ecological footprint using LCA.
Life cycle assessment is the starting point for understanding your product’s impact on the environment. To help you understand the ins and outs of LCA (Life Cycle Assessment), we’ve put together 14 answers that will shed some light on the subject.

Download our guide to Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

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