Life Cycle Assessment — AQA GCSE Combined Science: Synergy 8465
AQA GCSE Combined Science: Synergy · 8465
Life Cycle Assessment
What you need to know
Describe the basic principles involved in carrying out a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate the environmental impact of a material or product.
Identify the four key stages assessed in an LCA: extracting and processing raw materials, manufacturing and packaging, use and operation during lifetime, and disposal at the end of useful life (including transport at all stages).
Interpret and analyze LCA data given in graphical and numeric forms to compare different materials or products.
Recognize that while water, energy, and material usage can be easily quantified, allocating values to pollutant effects requires subjective value judgements, meaning LCAs are not purely objective.
Critically evaluate abbreviated or selective LCAs, understanding that they can be misused to reach pre-determined conclusions for advertising or political purposes.
Estimate calculation results and use an appropriate number of significant figures when analyzing LCA data.
