This document provides an introduction to life cycle assessment (LCA). It discusses key aspects of LCA including midpoints, mechanisms, endpoints, damages and the life cycle inventory. The document also presents examples of LCA results for dairy production and cheese, showing the environmental impacts at different stages and comparing mozzarella and cheddar cheese. It notes that LCA has pros and cons which will be discussed in more detail in future sections.

1. INTRODUCTION TO LIFE CYCLE
ASSESSMENT
Magdalena Czyrnek-Delêtre
PhD candidate
Bioenergy & Biofuels Research Group
Environmental Research Institute UCC
10th of November 2014

2. ECO-DESIGN
LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT
LCA – PROS and CONS

3. ECO-DESIGN

12. = +

14. LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT

33. 25%
35%
40%
30%
50%
20%

38. Midpoints
Mechanisms
Endpoints
Damages
Life Cycle
Inventory
Acidification
Climatechange
Resource
depletion
Ozonelayer
depletion
Humantoxicity
Eutrophication
Landuse
Ecotoxicity
Summersmog
Human health Ecosystems Resources scarcity
Emissions and resources such as CO2, CO, NOX, SOX, CH4, VOC, heavy metals,
natural gas, coal, cultivation practices
Environmentalmechanismpathway

42. 24%
50%
1%
8%
1%
2%
8%
6%
Climate change [kg CO2eq]
Feed production
Farm
Raw milk transport
Manufacturing
Packaging
Distribution
Retail
Consumption

43. 24%
93%
56%
13%
51%
4%
9%
7%
8% 33%
27%
5%
8%
20%
6%
25%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Climate change Freshwater
depletion
Marine
eutrophication
Human toxicity
Feed production Farm
Raw milk transport Manufacturing
Packaging Distribution
Retail Consumption

46. 100% 100%94%
76%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Climate change Human toxicity
Mozzarella Cheddar

47. LCA – PROS and CONS

53. TO BE CONTINUED