Avaliação do ciclo de vida do produto: uma ferramenta de gestão ambiental

Abstract

The growing concern for environmental impacts has led the development of new tools and methods of evaluation and control of these impacts. The Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) is one such tool, considering the evaluation throughout the product life cycle: from raw material extraction to final disposal. LCA is considered one of the most appropriate tools for this type of analysis because it includes all stages of the life cycle of the product or process, including: extracting and processing raw materials, manufacturing, packaging, transportation, distribution, use, recycling and final disposal. This assessment arose from the need for a methodology to facilitate the analysis of environmental impacts of companies and/or processes. One of the goals of LCA studies is to establish a system to enable reliable decision between activities, which have a lower environmental impact. LCA studies the interaction between a product and the environment, using the evaluation of environmental aspects and potential impacts associated with the life cycle of the product. The Life Cycle Assessment is a methodology used to evaluate the potential environmental impacts generated by products, processes and activities during the ire tire life cycle (cradle to grave); quantifying energy and material flows, gas emissions, effluents and waste providing an overview of the system and serving as a tool to aid decision-making regarding environmental issues. This exploratory work is about the method of Life Cycle Analysis.