Life cycle assessments Flashcards
What is the first stage of a product’s life?
Getting the raw material
Extracting the raw material needed for a product can damage the local environment
Extraction can also result in pollution due to the amount of energy needed
What is the second stage of a product’s life
Manufacturing and packaging
Manufacturing products and their packaging can use a lot of energy and can cause pollution
You also need to dispose of any waste products
What is the third stage of a product’s life
Using the product
The use of a product can damage the environment
How long a product is used for or how many uses it gets is also another factor
What is the last stage of a product’s life
Product disposal
Products are often disposed of in landfill sites which takes up space and pollutes land and water
Energy is used to transport the waste causes air pollution
Products may also be incinerated and cause air pollution
Life cycle assessments for a plastic Bag
Raw materials + manufacturing and packaging
Crude oil
The compounds needed to make plastic are extracted from crude oil by fractional distillation followed by cracking
Life cycle assessments for a plastic Bag
Using the product + product disposal
Can be reused
Can be used as other things like shopping bags
Recyclable but not biodegradable and will take space in landfill and pollute land
Life cycle assessments for a paper bag
Raw materials + manufacturing and packaging
Made of timber
Pulped timber is processed using lots of energy.lots of waste is made
Life cycle assessments for a paper bag
Using the product + product disposal
Usually used once
Biodegradable, non toxic and can be recyled
