Page 83 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

68 A. Bjørn et al.

7.1 Introduction

The goal definitionis the first phase of any LCA. Here, the purpose of the study is
elaborately defined and described. This greatly influences the LCA because deci-
sions made in later LCA phases (Chaps. 8–12) must be consistent with the goal
definition. The influence may also go the other way, for example, if unforeseen data
limitations in the inventory analysis (Chap. 9) necessitate a revision of the goal
definition. Such a revision is an example of the iterative nature of LCA (see Chap. 6).
The goal definition based on the ISO standard requirements generally contains
six aspects:
1. Intended applications of the results
2. Limitations due to methodological choices
3. Decision context and reasons for carrying out the study
4. Target audience
5. Comparative studies to be disclosed to the public
6. Commissioner of the study and other influential actors.

Each aspect must be considered when performing an LCA. Aspects 1 and 3 are
central for doing an LCA because they have pervasive influence on decisions made
in later LCA phases. On the other hand, aspects 2, 4, 5 and 6 mainly relate to
communicating the results of an LCA. For these aspects, we further refer to
Chaps. 13, 37–39, which provide specific guidance on and examples of the
reporting and reviewing of LCA results.

7.2 Intended Applications of the Results

All LCAs involve studying one or more product systems and this can be used in
several applications, such as
• Comparing environmental impacts of specific goods or services.
• Identifying the parts of a product system that contribute most to its environ-
mental impact (i.e. “hot spot identification”, focusing in product development).
• Evaluating improvement potentials from changes in product designs(analysis
and ‘what-if’ scenarios in eco-design).
• Documenting the environmental performance of products (e.g. in marketing
using environmental product declarations or other types of product environ-
mental footprints).
• Developing criteria for an eco-label.
• Developing policies that consider environmental aspects.
It is important to determine the intended application(s) of the LCA results at the
onset, because it influences later phases of an LCA, such as the drawing of system
boundaries (Chap. 8), sourcing of inventory data (Chap. 9) and interpretation of