Comparative Life Cycle Assessments
Chemistry: AQA GCSE Higher, topic 10.2.2
Comparative Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs)
LCAs allow us to compare the environmental impact of different products. For example, we can compare the environmental impact of plastic and paper bags:
Plastic bags
- On the surface, plastic bags would seem to have a more significant impact on the environment due to the pollution they cause.
Paper bags
- By examining what actually happens at each stage of the product life cycles, LCAs have shown that paper bags may actually be more harmful.
- This is because their manufacture requires more energy and their lifespan is far shorter.
Test yourself on Comparative Life Cycle Assessments
Have comparative LCAs suggested that paper or plastic bags are worse for the environment?
When compared with plastic bags, paper bags...
Reasons why plastic bags might have a lower overall environmental impact than paper bags
Why would it seem that plastic bags are more damaging to the environment than paper bags?
What does the plastic bag and paper bag example show about judging environmental impact from a single visible effect, such as pollution?