Product life cycle management and improving technical product systems by consedering environmental impacts

Life cycle assessment is the calculation and evaluation of the environmentally relevant inputs and outputs and the potential environmental impacts of the life cycle of a product, material or service. The life cycle consists of the technical system of processes and transport routes used at, or needed for, raw materials extraction, production, use and after use (waste management or recycling). Life cycle assessment is sometimes called a "cradle-to-grave" assessment. The users of Life cycle assessments include: ? İndustry and other commercial enterprises; ? National governments and local, national and intergovernmental regulatory bodies; ? Consumer organisations and environmental groups, and ? Consumers (which includes governments as consumers). Life cycle assessment approaches are generally guided by standards but a professional code of practice has also been developed. Life cycle assessment generally has four components: (i) goal and scope; (ii) inventory; (iii) impact assessment; and (iv) improvement assessment. There are three different types of LCA. They are: i) Conceptual Life cycle assessment ? Life Cycle Thinking, ii) Simplified Life cycle assessment; and iii) Detailed Life cycle assessment. The different types can be used in different ways and have strengths and weaknesses, depending upon the context in which they are used. Life cycle assessments are currently used by many companies, to provide them with the information they need to respond to market demands, legislative pressures and to explore improved product development and design. Sustainable development and an increased focus upon high standards in corporate governance and transparency are placing new demands on companies to include the social and ethical dimensions into Life cycle assessment. It would seem that the further maturing of Life cycle assessment will require a wider involvement of stakeholders to try and ?fill the gaps? in the social and ethical dimensions. Keywords: Environmental managment, life cycle assessment.