A life cycle assessment (LCA) is a comprehensive analysis of the environmental impacts associated with the various stages of a product's life cycle from raw material extraction, production, use, and disposal or recycling. It considers the resource and energy consumption, emissions to air, water, and land, and ecological impacts associated with the product throughout its entire life cycle. LCA is a powerful tool for identifying potential environmental benefits and drawbacks of different products, processes, or technologies and is used to support sustainable decision-making, product development, and policy planning.
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