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Question 1 of 30
Dr. Anya Sharma, an environmental consultant, is tasked with conducting a comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of two competing floor cleaning solutions: a concentrated liquid formula requiring dilution before use and a ready-to-use spray cleaner. The client, \"CleanSweep Corp,\" wants to understand which product has a lower overall environmental impact, considering factors from raw material extraction to disposal of the packaging. Dr. Sharma understands the importance of clearly defining the scope and functional unit of the LCA according to ISO 14044:2006. CleanSweep manufactures both products. The concentrated formula requires the end-user to add water, while the ready-to-use spray cleaner is sold in a pre-mixed form. The products are designed to clean the same floor area under similar conditions. The concentrated cleaner has a much smaller bottle but requires mixing with water at a ratio of 1:10 before application. The spray cleaner is sold in a larger bottle and is used directly. Both bottles are recyclable. Considering ISO 14044:2006, which of the following best describes the appropriate approach to defining the functional unit and system boundaries for this comparative LCA?
The functional unit should be defined as "cleaning 100 square meters of floor surface to a specified cleanliness level over a period of one year," and the system boundaries should encompass all stages from raw material extraction for both cleaning solutions and their packaging, through manufacturing, distribution, use (including dilution for the concentrate), and end-of-life disposal/recycling of the packaging.
The functional unit should be defined as "one bottle of cleaning solution," and the system boundaries should be limited to the manufacturing processes within CleanSweep Corp's facilities, excluding raw material extraction and end-of-life disposal.
The functional unit should be defined as "the volume of cleaning solution sold (e.g., liters)," and the system boundaries should include only the transportation and distribution phases of both products, focusing on minimizing transportation costs.
The functional unit should be defined as "the cost of cleaning solution per square meter," and the system boundaries should encompass the consumer's usage phase, specifically focusing on water consumption and energy used for cleaning equipment.

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