Page 56 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

38 M. Owsianiak et al.

conventional technologies (Pamminger 2011). The authors’ experience with LCA
application by SMEs in Western Europe shows that SMEs are eager to contribute to
an LCA (e.g. through provision of data) when a dedicated and sufficient budget is
available, e.g. through the involvement in a larger research project. Experience also
shows that SMEs typically find interest in identifying impact reduction opportu-
nities, particularly those stemming from activities in the life cycle on which they
themselves exert some influence. Similar findings were reported in European
countries where the tradition of using LCA has historically not been that strong
(Kurczewski 2013; Witczak et al. 2014).

4.4 Citizen Perspective

LCA results can also serve as decision support for individuals, be it in their capacity
of citizens or consumers. In many cases, these decisions relate to the private con-
sumption of goods and services. Consumers are knowingly or unknowingly
exposed to LCA results, or conclusions drawn from LCA results, through ecolabels
(see Chap. 24) or other consumer information from producers (e.g. printed on
packaging) and media reporting academic findings, and they hold some power
through their influence in the market of consumer products. Consumer decisions
that may be supported by an LCA can range from choosing the product with the
lowest environmental impact amongst a group of similar products (e.g. the more
environmentally friendly vacuum cleaner), over choosing the most environmentally
sound way of fulfilling a function (e.g. washing dishes by hand or in a dishwasher)
to most effectively reducing the total personal environmental impact (e.g. reduce
meat consumption, hot showers or car driving).
Besides decisions related to private consumption, citizens may also indirectly be
affected by LCA results when following political discussions on large
infrastructure-related decisions where LCA provides the underlying decision sup-
port. For example, municipalities often use LCA to support decisions on waste
management infrastructure (European Commission 2008). If a political decision is
made about increasing recycling and reducing landfilling or incineration, this will
affect citizens, as they will have to sort their waste into recyclable fractions rather
than throw all their waste into the same bin. Chapter 35 deals with the use of LCA
in waste management.

4.5 Concluding Remarks

LCA is an important and useful tool to map environmental impacts and support
policy development and concrete decisions, and for a company it can support the
development of a positive image. There are, however, factors that hamper its more
widespread application. This chapter has mainly addressed LCA applications in