I Analisi del ciclo di vita; LCA – UK LCA Life Cycle Assessment – F Analyse du cycle de vie; LCA – D Analyse des Lebens Ablaufs; LCA – E Análisis del ciclo de vida; LCA
An objective method for estimating and quantifying the potential environmental impact associated with a product, process or activity throughout its entire life cycle, "from cradle to grave". Starting from the acquisition of raw materials and going on to manufacturing, transport, distribution, use, recycling and final disposal, the energy and environmental impacts are estimated by determining energy used and wastes released into the environment. The life cycle assessment study is standardized at an international level in the ISO 14040 and 14044 standards, which require the following steps: definition of the objective and application field of the analysis, compilation of an inventory of inputs and outputs in a specific system, estimating the potential environmental impact related to those inputs and outputs, and interpretation of the results.