Life Cycle Assessment in a Nutshell

Best Practices and Status Quo for the Plastic Sector

authored by

Marina Mudersbach, Meret Jürgens, Merlin Pohler, Sebastian Spierling, Venkateshwaran Venkatachalam, Hans Josef Endres, Leonie Barner

Abstract

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is an internationally standardized methodology to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of products and technologies and assists in lowering their negative environmental consequences. So far, extensive knowledge of LCA—their application and interpretation—is restricted to experts. However, the importance of LCA is increasing due to its application in business, environmental, and policy decision-making processes. Therefore, general knowledge of LCA is critically important. The current work provides an introduction to LCA for non-experts discussing important steps and aspects and therefore can be used as a starting point for LCA. In addition, a comprehensive checklist for non-experts with important content and formal aspects of LCA is provided. Specific aspects of LCA for the plastics sector along the value chain are also discussed, including their limitations.

Organisation(s)

Institute of Plastics and Circular Economy

External Organisation(s)

Queensland University of Technology

Type

Article

Journal

Macromolecular Rapid Communications

ISSN

1022-1336

Publication date

27.11.2023

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Polymers and Plastics, Organic Chemistry, Materials Chemistry

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.1002/marc.202300466 (Access: Open)