Which analysis evaluates environmental impacts across the entire life cycle of a product from raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal?

• A. Environmental Life Costing
• B. Product Life Cycle Analysis
• C. Life-Cycle Assessment
• D. Whole-Product Environmental Review

Answer: (C)

The main idea is to assess environmental burdens for a product across every stage of its life, from beginning materials to end-of-life disposal. This is exactly what Life-Cycle Assessment does. It uses a structured process: define the goal and scope (including the functional unit and system boundaries), collect inventory data on energy and material inputs and emissions across all stages (raw material extraction, production, distribution, use, and disposal), evaluate how those inputs and outputs translate into environmental impacts (like greenhouse gas emissions, water use, and pollution), and interpret the results to identify hotspots and opportunities for improvement. Because it covers the entire life cycle and multiple impact categories, it provides a comprehensive picture of a product’s environmental performance and allows meaningful comparisons or optimization.

Other terms aren’t as comprehensive for this purpose. Environmental life costing focuses on costs rather than environmental effects, and other phrases like product lifecycle analysis or non-standard terms don’t consistently convey the standardized cradle-to-grave environmental accounting that Life-Cycle Assessment provides.