A Structured Approach to LCA Improvement Analysis

The third stage of life-cycle assessment, interpretation analysis (and improvement analysis, one of its components), has received relatively modest attention from LCA developers, especially as regards approaches for effecting improvements. However, this latter step is crucial if the LCA is to produce environmental benefits. A structured approach to improvement analysis is proposed, in which it is recognized that decisions regarding the recommendations that flow from the first two LCA stages are based not only on the environmental aspects of the recommended actions but also on such factors as technical feasibility, economic benefit, implications for product management, and effects on customer perception. A prioritization technique based on these factors is developed, as are two prioritization diagrams, one segmented by action agent and one segmented by life stage.