[Life Cycle Analysis]

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Acknowledgement

I would take this opportunity to thank my research supervisor, family and friends for their support and guidance without which this research would not have been possible.

DECLARATION

I, [type your full first names and surname here], declare that the contents of this dissertation/thesis represent my own unaided work, and that the dissertation/thesis has not previously been submitted for academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University.

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Abstract

Life cycle assessment of household products can be a useful tool in product oriented environmental management. With this methodology the environmental impacts of the household product during its entire life cycle are attributed quantitatively to the functioning of the product as far as possible. Currently, the scientific basis of methods for assessing the environmental impacts of products is not yet adequate. Methods are divergent, yield conflicting results and contain considerable gaps. In two successive articles an overview of the similarities and differences between these methods, as developed in different countries, is given. To enable fruitful discussions on methods used, and to make life cycle assessment (LCA) an acceptable tool for household product-oriented environmental management, a general methodological framework is proposed. In this first article a general introduction to LCA is given, a general methodological framework is proposed and two components of the methodological framework, the goal definition and the inventory, are discussed in more detail.

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTII

DECLARATIONIII

ABSTRACTIV

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

Background of the study1

Problem Statement2

Purpose of the study3

Significance of the Study3

Rationale/ Nature of the study7

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW19

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY39

Research Design39

Literature Search39

Keywords39

CHAPTER 4: DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS41

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION48

REFERENCES51

Chapter 1: Introduction

Background of the study

The principle of life cycle assessment (LCA) as a tool for household product-oriented environmental management, has become widely accepted, both in Europe' and in the US. LCAs can be applied as a tool for decision making. Major possible applications are household product improvement, the design of new household products, product information, ecolabelling, and the exclusion or admission of household products from or to the market. In its most comprehensive form LCA aims to quantify all environmental impacts of a household product during its entire life cycle. The life cycle starts with resource extraction, goes through all household production steps, the use of the household product and ends with the waste treatment. It includes the necessary transportation, recycling and reuse. This is sometimes described as cradle-to-grave analysis.

The terms LCA and crade-to-grave analysis indicate that it is not the household products per se that are analysed, but in fact household product systems in the sense of household production-consumption-waste treatment systems.

However, the function of the household product as it is used remains the point of reference to which the environmental impacts are attributed. household products may be any items produced. Attention is mainly given to consumer household products like packaging, light bulbs, detergents, etc.

But LCA may also be applied to services like car rental, storage, telephone service etc., and policy strategies.

Besides the quantitative LCA covering the entire life cycle of a household product, there ...