To understand the environmental performance of a product, its entire life cycle needs to be taken into consideration. A life cycle assessment (LCA) of a steel product looks at resources, energy and emissions, from the steel production stage to its end-of-life stage, including recycling.
The life cycle of steel
Life cycle thinking: key to every aspect of sustainability
Life cycle thinking is key to every aspect of sustainability. While LCA is typically applied to environmental sustainability, an ‘integrated life cycle approach’ can also be used to measure the social and economic impact (life cycle costing, LCC) of products. Keeping all three in balance is key if we are to make sustainable products.
It is important to note that social and economic factors are as critical as environmental factors if we are to create industries and societies which are truly sustainable.