ASSIGNMENT-MKAK1003

SEM-I 2023/2024

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

(LCA ANALYSIS OF STAINLESS STEEL WATER BOTTLE & PLASTIC WATER BOTTLE)

Submitted by

ALIYU MUHAMMAD AMINU (MKA221059)

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MALAYSIA

JANUARY 2024
QUESTION

Choose two (2) comparable products and please list down the possible inventory of the selected
products based on LCA stages. Based on your analysis, select the most environmentally friendly
product between the two products and justify your selection.

1
 ANSWER

1.0 INTRODUCTION

LCA stands for Life Cycle Assessment. It is a methodology used to evaluate the environmental
impact of a product or system throughout its entire life cycle, from raw material extraction to
disposal. LCA takes into account various stages, such as raw material extraction, manufacturing,
transportation, use, and disposal, and assesses the energy usage, resource depletion, waste
generation, and emissions associated with each stage. LCA helps identify the potential
environmental hotspots and allows for comparison between different products or systems to
determine their overall environmental friendliness.

The LCA methodology involves four main stages:

i. Goal and scope definition: This stage defines the goal of the LCA study, and identifies the
system boundaries, functional unit, and the impact categories to be assessed. It sets the
basis for the LCA study and defines the data requirements.
ii. Life cycle inventory: This stage collects data on the inputs and outputs of the system, such
as energy consumption, resource depletion, and emissions throughout the life cycle. It
includes data collection and analysis, data allocation, and data normalization.
iii. Impact assessment: This stage characterizes the potential environmental impacts associated
with the data collected in the inventory stage. It uses different impact assessment methods
to categorize the environmental impacts according to the level of relevance to the goal and
scope of the study.

iv. Interpretation: This stage involves synthesizing and analyzing the information generated
in the previous stages. It includes identifying the relative importance of the different impact
categories, comparing different options, and making conclusions and recommendations.

LCA is widely used in industries, governments, and international organizations to assess the
environmental impacts of different products, processes, and systems. It helps stakeholders make
informed decisions by analyzing the environmental performance of a product and comparing it

2
with alternatives to promote sustainable production and consumption. LCA provides insights into
the potential environmental hotspots in a product's life cycle and identifies opportunities for
improvement, enabling decision-makers to implement more sustainable practices.

2.0 CASE STUDY

For LCA analysis, two comparable products were selected here as shown in the figure below.
Figure 1a shows a stainless steel water bottle while Figure 1b shows a plastic water bottle.

Fig 1a Stainless Steel water bottle Fig. 1b Plastic water bottle

The LCA analysis can be looked at based on the heading stated above, from raw material for the
production of each product, manufacturing process and energy usage involved, transportation,
usage, and disposal. This was examined and presented in the tabular form in Table 1 below:

3
 Table 1: LCA analysis of Stainless Steel water bottle and Plastic water bottle.

Raw material Manufacturing Transportation Usage Disposal

Stainless Steel Steel ore, Energy usage, Transportation of Refilling with Recycle
water bottle nickel, water usage, and raw materials and water and material
chromium, and air emissions finished product cleaning.
manganese.
Plastic water Crude oil, or Energy usage. Transportation of Single-use, May be
bottle. natural gas Water usage, raw materials and Disposal recycled but
greenhouse gas finished product mostly end
emissions. up in the
landfill.

3.0 COMMENTS

Based on LCA analysis, the most environmentally friendly product between the two is the stainless
steel water bottle. This is because it is made of recyclable material, does not rely on non-renewable
resources, and does not contribute to the proliferation of non-biodegradable wastes.

On the other hand, plastic water bottles contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions during
manufacturing and transportation, add to the overflowing landfills, and have a low recycling rate.
While these bottles are convenient for on-the-go refreshments, it is crucial to consider their long-
term impact on the environment.