Chemistry›Life Cycle Assessment
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C9 Atm ChemistryAQA GCSE Chemistry · 8462 (Triple)

Life Cycle Assessment

LCA stages, comparing products, limitations of LCA, reducing environmental impact.

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CognitoLife cycle assessments — stages, examples and limitations
Key facts & methods

What is LCA? — fill in the table

  • LCA evaluates the total environmental impact of a product from cradle to grave.
  • Each stage has environmental costs. LCA adds them up to compare products.
StageDetails
1. Raw material extraction
2. Manufacturing and processing
3. Use
4. Disposal/End of life

Limitations of LCA

  • Some data is difficult to quantify precisely (e.g. damage to local ecosystems).
  • Different studies may use different assumptions and weightings.
  • Results can be subjective — which factors to prioritise?
  • May be used selectively by companies to present their product favourably.
  • Does not easily account for social or economic factors.

Using LCA to reduce impact — fill in the table

StrategyHow it helps
Compare materials
Design for recyclability
Reduce packaging
Local sourcing
Reusable vs single-use
Exam questions — 3 questions · 9 marks · AQA 8462 style
⚡ Show all working — the AI marks against the AQA mark scheme. Method marks awarded for correct working even if the final answer is wrong.
1 markLCA scopeAQA 8462 style

Which stage is included in a complete life cycle assessment?

A Manufacturing stage only
B Use stage only
C All stages: raw material extraction, manufacture, use and disposal
D Extraction and disposal only
4 marksCompare two productsAQA 8462 style

A student compares a glass bottle and a plastic bottle using LCA. The glass bottle uses more energy to manufacture. The plastic bottle is less likely to be recycled. Evaluate which is more environmentally friendly overall. (3 marks)

Hint: Consider: manufacturing energy (plastic wins) vs recyclability/end of life (glass wins). LCA is about the full picture — acknowledge the trade-off.
+40 XP
1 markLCA limitationAQA 8462 style

Which of the following is a limitation of life cycle assessment?

A LCA can only be applied to plastic products
B LCA results are always objective and reliable
C Some environmental impacts are difficult to quantify, making comparisons subjective
D LCA does not consider the manufacturing stage
Quick recall flashcards

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