Proposal for the integration of life cycle engineering and management practices with the phases of cleaner production

• Grant number: 13/26587-8
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): April 01, 2014
• Effective date (End): September 30, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Production Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Aldo Roberto Ometto
• Grantee: Mariana Guardia
• Home Institution: Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Manufacturing industries are among the biggest contributors for men's environmental impacts. With the increase in economic activities, environmental issues are receiving increasing attention and environmental initiatives are evolving from 'end of pipe' approaches to more preventive ones, such as the Cleaner Production (CP). More recently, the adoption of a more holistic approach by governments and companies, in which are considered all impacts caused throughout the life cycle or value chain of the products, has been observed. Thus, the concept of Life Cycle Thinking begins to develop. Life Cycle Engineering and Management (LCEM) makes Life Cycle Thinking operational for companies and aims to minimize the environmental and socioeconomic burden associated with a product or portfolio of products throughout their life cycle and value chain. The LCEM involves a variety of practices such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Ecodesign and the Process Integration. Although CP is often classified as a LCEM strategy, it can be noticed that, in practice, Life Cycle Thinking is not systematically inserted in the stages of CP. CP works by investigating opportunities for environmental improvements, which are then analyzed for their technical, economic and environmental viability - however, a preliminary analysis of the main CP guides shows that the feasibility of the opportunities is not systematically assessed regarding its life cycle. In this context, this paper aims to systematically insert Life Cycle Thinking in the CP stages through integration with LCEM practices.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

GUARDIA, Mariana. Proposal for the integration of life cycle engineering and management practices with the phases of cleaner production. 2016. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos São Carlos.