What is the main objective of a life cycle assessment?

The main objective of a life cycle assessment (LCA) is to evaluate the environmental impacts of a product, process, or service throughout its entire life cycle, from raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal or recycling. This involves quantifying the energy and resource inputs, as well as the environmental releases (air emissions, water pollution, solid waste) associated with each stage of the life cycle, including raw material acquisition, manufacturing, transportation, use, and end-of-life management. The goal is to identify the stages with the greatest environmental impacts and to explore opportunities for reducing those impacts through product redesign, process optimization, or changes in consumption patterns. By providing a comprehensive and quantitative assessment of environmental performance, LCA can help inform decision-making related to sustainable product development, eco-labeling, and environmental policy.