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Tips for Incorporating Life Cycle Methods
 Educate yourself and cross-functional staff in Life Cycle (LC) analysis and methods. Learn what you can from related case studies on life cycle applications to products and processes. Plan for more in-depth training as time and budget allow.
Reason: Knowing the basics of LC are required to get started. Much can be learned from what others have already researched and analyzed.
Example: Search the web for possible mentors and/or case studies on life cycle analysis related to your product(s) and business.
Utilize some of the interactive and software tools available to help learn more about LCA , and to evaluate life cycle impacts of existing products
Reason: Reduce your time spent on a steep learning curve, and utilize data compiled from years of LCA research
Example: Over 20 different LCA tools are linked from EPA's LCAccess website - Go to "LCA Software" for an extensive list.
Example: EPA's Climate and Waste Program has a set of draft emission factors for carpets, personal computers, and selected building materials that quantify the life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts of managing these materials using a variety of waste management practices, including source reduction, recycling, combustion, and landfilling. (Before publishing the new GHG emission factors, EPA is seeking feedback through June 20, 2003).
Apply Design for Environment (DfE) design principles in all life phases of your products and processes
Reason: Some seemingly benign products may have significant environmental impacts when all phases of raw material extraction, production, use and disposal are considered.
Example: See opportunities for each product phase and our DfE section
Incorporate life cycle analysis and consideration in your environmental and procurement policies
Reasons: Help your company move "beyond compliance", and engage all staff in the effort
Example: Nike discusses commitment to life cycle management in their environmental mission statement
Involve, educate, and empower suppliers to use life cycle designs and practices
Reason: Suppliers know their products best; and true life cycle considers every component and raw material going into the final product
Example: Kodak evaluates life cycle impacts of supplier's products
Here is a high-level list of life cycle and DfE opportunities to consider through all life cycle phases of a product
Premanufacture
- Minimize soil, habitat, and other environmental disturbance related to all process and product inputs
- Minimize material (lightweighting and volume)
- Incorporate recovered materials
- Design for disassembly, remanufacture, reuse, and recycle, including minimization of different materials, interchangeable parts, etc.
- Use low-energy materials and processes
- Avoid use of hazardous or toxic materials and constituents
- Consider transport implications of supplies and raw materials
Product Manufacture
- Minimize toxic chemicals and waste
- Avoid chemicals linked to global warming
- Minimize energy & water consumption
- Minimize water and process discharge
- Recover water & energy
- Minimize and/or reuse scrap
Distribution & Packaging
- Use and specify environmentally preferrable packaging materials
- Minimize volume and weight
- Consider reusable packaging
Product Use & Maintenance
- Enhance durability
- Design without need for oil, battery, chemicals, and other consumables
- Minimize energy/water consumption for product use
End of Life
- Make different components and materials easily identifiable
- Maximize recovery and remanufacturing opportunities
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