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Current Practice and Future Sustainability
conceptual framework used by researchers. The code of practice for LCA
stands out currently as the most widely recognized procedural model. The
code divides LCA into four distinct components: (1) scoping; (2) compiling
quantitative data on direct and indirect materials/energy inputs and waste
emissions; (3) impact assessment; and (4) improvement assessment. While
variations exist, the theme of taking an inventory and performing an assess-
ment based on collected data is common to all LCA approaches dating back
to the early 1970s (Wernick and Ausubel, 1997).
There have been a lot of different methods developed by researchers to
obtain LCA. Though some methods for LCA receive approval for thoroughness
and analytic consistency, these same methods have been criticized as requiring
too much data, time, and money when each is in short supply. As an alterna-
tive method for assessing the environmental impact of products, researchers at
AT&T have devised the Abridged Life Cycle Assessment Matrix, a method that
couples quantitative environmental data with qualitative expert opinion into
an analysis that conveys the uncertainty and multidimensionality of LCA and
also yields a quantitative result (Wernick and Ausubel, 1997).
A lot of work has been done to develop methodologies, guidelines, ben-
efits, etc. for LCA according to the “cradle-to-grave” concept to protect the
environment throughout the life cycle of the product. Nowadays, individuals
and organizations adhere to the International Organization for Standardiza-
tion (ISO) which has developed a series of international standards to cover
LCA in a more global sense such as ISO14040 (LCA-Principals and guide-
lines), ISO14041 (LCA-Life Inventory Analysis), ISO14042 (LCA-Impact
Assessment), and ISO14043 (LCA-Interpretation). All ISO 1404X related to
LCA based on “cradle-to-grave” approach for environmental protection.
It is now time to change the LCA-ISO standard from a “cradle-to-
grave” concept to protect the environment to a “cradle-to-cradle” concept to
protect not only the environment but also the natural resources as will be
discussed in the next section. This might require an added responsibility to
the producer according the principle of extended producer responsibility.
The concept of producer responsibility was introduced to solve the prob-
lem of waste recycling from the beginning “design phase” to give full respon-
sibility to the producer to select recyclable material in the products. The
concept of producer responsibility was first introduced by Riddick (2003) and
requires all producers to be responsible for any environmental impacts their
products may have throughout the product’s wide life cycle and not just at
the end. In reference to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD), Riddick defined producer responsibility as “an envi-
ronmental policy approach in which a producer’s responsibility, physical,
and/or financial, for a product is extended to the post consumer stage of a
product’s life cycle”. Applying this concept shifts the physical and financial
responsibilities of managing these wastes from the government to the pro-
ducer. Riddick explained that since producers are fully responsible for design-
ing products, they must also become responsible for dealing with the damage