Life Cycle Assessment Report for Sustainable Cups

Sustainable Systems
Assignment 2
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Date Submitted:
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Contents
A. LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT REPORT.................................................................................................3
Executive Summary..............................................................................................................................3
Introduction..........................................................................................................................................4
GaBi Analysis.........................................................................................................................................6
Conclusions and Recommendations.....................................................................................................9
References..........................................................................................................................................10
B. ENERGY EFFICIENCY REPORT Executive Summary.....................................................................12
Introduction........................................................................................................................................12
Cost Benefit Analysis..........................................................................................................................13
Conclusions and Recommendations...................................................................................................14
References..........................................................................................................................................15
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A. LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT REPORT
Executive Summary
Assessing the Life cycle of a product is a practice of sequentially compiling as
well as evaluating different components of the product (Domb, et al., 2011).
These components are the inputs for manufacturing the product and the outputs
that resulting from the manufacturing process of the given product (Brems, et
al., 2013).
Impact analysis is also part of assessment of the life of any given product. This
involves the evaluation that is done to establish any effects that the life of the
product has on the environment, economy and social aspects (Mallampati, et al.,
2011). Thus a life cycle assessment process is a way of carrying out product
development as well as improvement in a bid to make more eco- friendly and
environmentally friendly for the consumers or users (Christian, et al., 2008).
There are several suitable software and programs for effectively conducting a life
cycle assessment for any given product in order to establish its potential impacts
on the environ and its consumers or end users (Yagi, et al., 2013). GaBi is an
example 0of such a software that can be used to meaningfully and easily carry
out an assessment of the life of a product on the environment and its users or
consumers (Nguyen, et al., 2011).
GaBi uses the inputs and outputs of a product to analyse the possible dangers
that the product has on the environment. GaBi is an ISO certified software (Yagi,
et al., 2013).
Inputs are the materials, energy and other products used involved in the life
process of a given product (Athanas, 2011). Output on the other hand are the
emissions to the atmosphere, wastes released into the water bodies, solid
wastes released onto the land surfaces and other bi-products (Cepelio & Putun,
2014).
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In our cup scenario, the analysis has been done in the GaBi program to
determine which of the two alternatives of a cup is sustainable socially,
economically and environmentally (Chunfei & Paul, 2010). A comparison
between a cup made from ceramics and that made from plastic shows that the
have diverse effects in the environment. A notable side effect, however, is that of
a cup made from plastic materials. From the analysis, it is clear that production
of a plastic cup leads to the release of several gases into the atmosphere that
have a potential of causing global warming (Domb, et al., 2011). Similarly, it
demonstrated that the bi- products have a potential of causing eutrophication in
the environment as well as causing acidification of the soil (Domb, et al., 2011).
These are unfavourable effects adding to the fact the production process of
plastic cup is relatively expensive (Domb, et al., 2011). Therefore, it is
recommended that in order to maintain an environmentally friendly environment
by producing an eco- friendly product, it is important to settle in the production
of a ceramic cup rather than a plastic cup.
Introduction
The objective of this study is investigate the sustainability of two different cups
made from different raw materials. The alternatives under investigation in this
report are the plastic cups and the ceramic cups. The investigation is based on
social impacts, economic impacts and environmental effects of the life- cycle of
the two cups. Thus the assessment is done right from the manufacturing stage to
the retirement stage (Mallampati, et al., 2011).
Service required is a suitable cup that is economically friendly, socially
sustainable as well environmentally eco- friendly (H, et al., 2011). Sustainability
of the cups is sassed in terms of the its suitability towards being environmentally
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