Question

When performing a Life Cycle Assessment, if you include the emissions from raw material extraction, manufacturing, and final disposal, which specific type of analysis boundary are you applying?

Accepted Answer

When you include emissions from raw material extraction, manufacturing, and final disposal in a Life Cycle Assessment, you are applying a Cradle-to-Grave boundary. A Life Cycle Assessment is a methodology used to evaluate the environmental impacts of a product throughout its entire life. The boundary defines the scope of processes included in the study. The term cradle refers to the very beginning of the product life cycle, which is the extraction of raw materials from the earth. The term grave refers to the end of the product life cycle, which is when the product is discarded as waste and sent to a final disposal site, such as a landfill or an incinerator. By using a Cradle-to-Grave boundary, the assessment accounts for every stage in between, including the processing of raw materials, the manufacturing of components, product assembly, transportation, and consumer use. This approach is considered the most comprehensive scope for an assessment because it captures the total environmental footprint of a product from the moment resources are harvested until the product ceases to exist.

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When performing a Life Cycle Assessment, if you include the emissions from raw material extraction, manufacturing, and final disposal, which specific type of analysis boundary are you applying?