The International Organization of Standardization (ISO) has created a specific standard for

conducting LCAs, which provides guidance and the frameworks for conducting an LCA. The

Life Cycle Assessment can be only used in a way of conducting its four phases. These include,

Goal and Scope Definition, Life Cycle Inventory Analysis, Life Cycle Impact Assessment as

well as Life Cycle Interpretation.

Environmental management is defined as a system that incorporates processes for summarizing,

monitoring, reporting, developing and executing the environmental policies (Bhasin, 2020). The

aim of encouraging an environmental management system is to ensure the healthy state of our

planet for future generations. It also works towards preserving all forms of life.

In order to explain what is a Life Cycle Assessment, first we need to know what is a life cycle. A

product’s life cycle refers to all the stages a product goes through, from conception to disposal

(Britt, 1984). The stages of a product’s life cycle include Extraction of raw materials, Production

stage, Distribution, Use as well as End-of-life.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a tool used to assess a product’s or service’s environmental

impact throughout its entire lifecycle, from raw material extraction to end-of-life. It is also used

as a tool for sustainability assessment and decision-making by governments, businesses, and

non-governmental organizations (NGOs) all over the world.

Life cycle assessment is a cradle-to-grave or cradle-to-cradle analysis technique to assess

environmental impacts associated with all the stages of a product's life, which is from raw

material extraction through materials processing, manufacture, distribution, and use (Taylor,

1994).
A wide range of information is typically required to perform a life cycle assessment (LCA), such

as details about the product or service being evaluated, as well as information about the

materials, energy, and other resources used in its manufacture, emissions, wastewater and wastes

generated, transportation and logistics, use, and end-of-life (McKinney, 1995). LCA has many

uses, including supply chain management, environmental impact reporting, and product design.

Goal and Scope Definition is a stage of LCA which should be considered when managing

environment. This phase involves defining the boundaries and the specific goals and objectives

of the assessment, including the products that will be assessed, the functional unit and the

reference flow, and the impact categories that will be evaluated (Taylor, 1994). The system

boundaries describe what is taken into the assessment and what is left out. For example, in

Zimbabwe the pulp and paper industry is can assess the impacts of the product manufacturing. It

can be noted that, these industries are the main contributors to greenhouse and environmental

emission. It's a crucial phase in making LCAs, as it determines the industrial outcome and how

people interpret and check the results. Goal and Scope Definition provides a base for the ways to

deal with the impacts of products on the environment.

Life Cycle Inventory Analysis is another phase need to be considered when using LCA as a tool

for environmental management. At this phase, data on the materials, energy, and other resources

utilized in the manufacturing, distribution, use, and disposal of the good or service must be

gathered and analyzed throughout this phase (Barrow, 1995). This information is used to compile

a list of the environmental impacts associated with the product. For example, in Zimbabwe on

the production of pulp and paper inventory stage is applied to determine energy consumption,

water emissions and air emissions.

Also, Life Cycle Impact Assessment is the phase uses appropriate impact assessment methods to

evaluate the environmental impacts identified in the inventory analysis. Estimating the extent of

the impacts and comparing them to relevant benchmarks or standards are part of this process.

Also, the impact categories chosen in the Goal and Scope Definition phase are quantified and

evaluated in this phase (Barrow, 1995). For example, plastic carrier bags have gained popularity

with Zimbabwean shoppers since they provide convenient carriage of groceries and related

goods. However most of these have a short useful life and are often disposed into landfills or

littered. This phase provides the foundation for the formulation of methods to deal with

environmental degradation due to waste disposal.

Lastly, Life Cycle Interpretation is the phase which should be taken into account when using

LCA in environmental management. This phase includes interpreting the impact assessment

results and communicating them to stakeholders clearly and understandably, usually done via an

LCA report and a presentation of the results (Taylor, 1994). This may include developing

recommendations for improving the product’s or service’s sustainability. For example, after

conducting the life cycle interpretation on the pulp and paper production it can be noted that

there is need to improve metering at MBP M with a view to make informed decisions instead of

estimations and approximations.

In conclusion, the write up indicated that, Life Cycle Assessment can be only used in a way of

conducting its four phases. These are Goal and Scope Definition, Life Cycle Inventory Analysis,

Life Cycle Impact Assessment as well as Life Cycle Interpretation. There is no way you can use

LCA without considering all its stages.

REFERENCE:

Barrow, C. J. (1995). Developing the Environmental, Problems and Management. New York:

Longman.

Bhasin, H. (2020). What is Environmental Management? Definition and Importance.

https://www.marketing91.com/environmental-management/

Britt, K. (1984). Handbook of pulp and paper technology. New York:

McKinney, R. W. J. (1995). Technology of Paper Recycling. Blackie Academic and

Professional. London: Chapman and Hall.

Taylor, B. (1994). The Environmental Management Handbook. London: Pitman Publishing.