Certbie
Question 1 of 30
Anya, an experienced LCA practitioner, is tasked with conducting a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a newly designed eco-friendly laundry detergent, adhering to ISO 14044:2006 standards. The detergent is manufactured using sustainably sourced plant-based ingredients, and the company aims to minimize its environmental footprint throughout the product\'s life cycle. During the goal and scope definition phase, Anya encounters several challenges. The raw materials are sourced from various suppliers, some located nearby and others requiring long-distance transportation. The manufacturing process also yields a small amount of byproduct that is sold as a cleaning agent for industrial use. Furthermore, the company is unsure whether to define the functional unit based on the weight of the detergent or the number of washes it provides. Considering the principles of ISO 14044:2006 regarding goal and scope definition and system boundaries, what is the MOST appropriate course of action for Anya to ensure a robust and reliable LCA study?
Define the functional unit based on the number of washes the detergent provides, clearly justify the inclusion or exclusion of transportation based on its environmental impact, and establish allocation procedures for the environmental burdens associated with the byproduct, ensuring transparency and consistency with the LCA's goal.
Exclude the transportation of raw materials from the system boundaries to simplify the analysis, define the functional unit based on the weight of the detergent for ease of data collection, and ignore the byproduct since it represents a small fraction of the overall production volume.
Define the system boundaries to only include the manufacturing process within the company's facilities, use an arbitrary allocation method for the byproduct to expedite the assessment, and select the functional unit that yields the most favorable environmental performance results.
Postpone the definition of the functional unit and system boundaries until after the inventory analysis phase to allow for a more data-driven approach, exclude all upstream and downstream processes to reduce the complexity of the LCA, and avoid any allocation procedures for the byproduct by considering it as waste.