Green Composites from Natural Resources

162 Green Composites from Natural Resources

An LCA study has the following four phases:

The goal and scope denition—aims and objectives of the study

Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) analysis—compilation and quantication of

inputs and outputs for a product through its life cycle

Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA)—understanding and evaluating the

magnitude and signicance of the potential environmental impacts for a

product system throughout the life cycle of the product

Life Cycle Interpretation—the ndings of the LCI or LCIA or both are eval-

uated in relation to the dened goal and scope in order to reach conclusions

and recommendations

Although the concept of the LCA is simple, the analysis is quite complex in real-

ity, primarily due to the difculty ...