What is the primary purpose of conducting a life cycle assessment?

The primary purpose of conducting a life cycle assessment (LCA) is to identify and quantify material and energy flows throughout the entire life cycle of a product or service, from raw material extraction to production, use, and disposal. This comprehensive evaluation helps in understanding the environmental impacts associated with each stage of the product's life cycle.

LCA is crucial for making informed decisions about resource use, energy consumption, and the overall sustainability of products. It can highlight inefficiencies, inform design improvements, and aid in the development of strategies to reduce negative environmental impacts. By quantifying these flows, stakeholders can make better choices that promote sustainability and reduce ecological footprints.

While minimizing production costs, measuring profitability, and promoting corporate social responsibility are important aspects of business operations, they do not encapsulate the fundamental goal of LCA, which is focused on understanding and quantifying the environmental impacts associated with a product or system.