Life-Cycle-Assessment-steps

The challenge of making the global production and consumption of food more sustainable is becoming increasingly urgent Businesses, governments and NGOs are looking for ways to tackle this problem to define the contours of a healthy and sustainable society Therefore there is a growing need for a clear, comprehensive assessment of the sustainability of agricultural products and foods How to assess the sustainability of agricultural products and foods? LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT Environmental Footprint Carbon Footprint LCA WHAT? Research method to evaluate the environmental impact associated with the life of a product or service from cradle to grave WHY EVALUATE THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT? Insights in the environmental impact: You, your clients or investors want insights in the environmental impact of your products or production process Cost reduction: You aim to get insights in saving options for energy and materials which are used in the production process Substantiate a strategic decision: You want to make certain strategic decisions, which need supporting information Development of innovations: You want to know the environmental advantages of certain innovation ideas Increase market value: You want to increase market value, for instance by communication about the sustainability of your products SOME ADVANTAGES OF AN LCA Holistic approach Takes the whole lifecycle into account Quantifies all inputs and outputs of material flows Trustworthy and sound basis for sustainability claims • • • • • • Greenhouse Gas Emissions Water consumption Land use Fossil depletion Fresh water eutrophication And more… Investigates multiple environmental impacts Performed according to international guidelines ISO 14040 and 14044 Types of LCAs USE REVIEW/ VERIFICATION DATA DELIVERABLES SCREENING LCA internal internal review company specific presentation or report Approx 1,5 months PRODUCT LCA external independent external review (1 expert) company specific & supply chain specific presentation and/or report Approx 2,5 months COMPARATIVE LCA external independent external review (3 experts) company specific & supply chain specific presentation and/or report Approx months PROJECT DURATION Steps of an LCA How to assess the environmental impact? STEPS OF AN LCA Goal & Scope definition Inventory analysis: Data collection Impact Assessment Interpretation APPLICATIONS Product development Product improvement Strategic planning Public policy making Marketing & Et cetera Communication • • • • What is the reason for carrying out the study? What is the intented application? What is the targeted audience of the deliverables? What to analyse and how? Goal & Scope definition • • • • • • • • Goal of the study Primary intentions Intended audience Involved parties Main characteristics of the study Definition of product system Definition of scope of analysed product system Definition of Function and Functional Unit Main part of LCA study Inventory analysis: Data collection Preferably primary data Use of background databases • • • Collection of data Data modelling Result: Inventory table, an extensive list of environmental interventions Impact Assessment Dependent on goal & scope (step 1) • Determine the environmental impact of reference flows for different impact categories • Translate inventory table into impact indicator results NO3CH4 CO2 NH3 H2O et cetera Interpretation • • • • • Consistency check Completeness check Contribution analysis Sensitivity analysis Discussion & conclusions 10 What’s next? How to implement the results Results… what’s next? APPLICATIONS Product development Product improvement Strategic planning Public policy making Marketing & Communication Et cetera 11 Some examples Communication of LCA results LABEL: EUROPEAN ENERGY LABEL REPORTING: CARBON FOOTPRINT HEINEKEN APP: FRUIT & VEGETABLES CALENDAR 12 Some examples Communication of LCA results FACTSHEET: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT HUMVI FACTSHEET: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT MEATLESS PACKAGING: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF CHOCOLATE 13