Analysis and development of Life Cycle Assessment as a tool for life cycle management of transnational products: the case of Brazil and Spain

• Grant number: 10/18809-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: May 01, 2011
• End date: July 31, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Production Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Aldo Roberto Ometto
• Grantee: Aldo Roberto Ometto
• Host Investigator: Xavier Gabarrell Durany
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Spain

Abstract

The environmental management of modern industries needs an integrated strategy of the life cycle products activities (from raw material extraction to the product end of life) and of preventive tools for the environmental and social negatives impacts. The main tool for the life cycle impacts analysis is the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), but in order to make it scientifically correct, the regional differences should be taken in account. Therefore, the goal is the analysis and development of LCA as a tool for the life cycle management of transnational products in order to consider the regional features between Spain and Brazil. The methods are the norms ISO 14040 and 14044 and the technical procedures are the bibliographic and documental research and interview with European specialists. Each phase of the LCA is going to be analyzed according how the regional features is considered on the LCA methods and tools identified. Based on these procedures, some suggestions are going to be indicated to the methods and tools for each phase of the LCA. The discussion of the results is going to be done for each phase of LCA and for the elements of the life cycle management: strategies and concepts; systems and process; programs; tools and techniques and models and data. (AU)