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LCI, LCA, and sustainable packaging

Many criteria can be used to assess the environmental sustainability of packaging. Examples include selecting packaging options that are lighter in weight, reusable, made from renewable materials, or contain recycled content.

However, in many cases, packaging options that are being compared have different characteristics so that a single-criterion approach cannot be used. For example, is it better to use a lightweight package derived from fossil resources or a heavier package derived from renewable resources? Is it better to ship goods in a heavy container that can be reused many times or in a light container that is used once then recycled? Life cycle inventory (LCI) and life cycle assessment (LCA) provide the quantified environmental information needed to make such decisions.

The terms “LCI” and “LCA” are often used interchangeably; however, there are important differences. The definitive resource document on LCI and LCA is the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard 14040: “Environmental management—Life cycle assessment—Principles and framework.” As defined in ISO 14040, LCA is the “compilation and evaluation of the inputs, outputs, and the potential environmental impacts of a product system throughout its life cycle.” ISO 14040 goes on to describe LCI as one of the four components of an LCA.

LCI is the foundation for the impact assessment and interpretation phases of LCA

ISO 14040 defines LCI as the “phase of life cycle assessment involving the compilation and quantification of inputs and outputs for a given product system throughout its life cycle.” That is, the LCI identifies and quantifies all energy and material flows entering and leaving the boundaries of the defined system. Flows include energy, solid wastes, and substances released to the atmosphere or to water.

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