Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a method to evaluate the environmental impacts of a product or service throughout its entire life cycle, from raw material extraction to waste disposal. It is more precise than alternative terms like "Ökobilanz" or "écobilan". The concept of LCA was developed in the 1970s, with early work in the US and Europe. The "Report to the Club of Rome" and the first oil crisis highlighted the need for sustainable resource management. In the late 1980s, LCA gained renewed attention as a tool to assess environmental impacts of various products, including packaging. In 1990-1993, SETAC and SETAC-Europe organized workshops that led to the "Code of Practice" for LCA. These workshops established a framework for LCA, including goal definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and improvement assessment. The SETAC-triangle illustrates these four stages. The ISO standard 14040 later modified this structure, replacing "Improvement Assessment" with "Interpretation". According to ISO 14040, LCA consists of four main components: goal and scope definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation. Goal and scope definition is crucial as it determines the study's purpose, boundaries, functional unit, and impact assessment approach. Inventory analysis involves analyzing all activities related to a product's life cycle, including raw material extraction, production, use, and waste disposal. It includes energy, transportation, and auxiliary products as inputs, and co-products, emissions, and waste as outputs. Data for LCA can be specific or generic, covering production, distribution, waste removal, and energy. The result of inventory analysis is an Inventory Table, which lists all inputs and outputs per functional unit. Energy values are often converted to cumulative energy demand (CED). LCA is the only environmental assessment tool that avoids positive ratings for measurements that merely shift environmental burdens. Recent developments by ISO, SPOLD, and other organizations have further refined LCA practices.Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a method to evaluate the environmental impacts of a product or service throughout its entire life cycle, from raw material extraction to waste disposal. It is more precise than alternative terms like "Ökobilanz" or "écobilan". The concept of LCA was developed in the 1970s, with early work in the US and Europe. The "Report to the Club of Rome" and the first oil crisis highlighted the need for sustainable resource management. In the late 1980s, LCA gained renewed attention as a tool to assess environmental impacts of various products, including packaging. In 1990-1993, SETAC and SETAC-Europe organized workshops that led to the "Code of Practice" for LCA. These workshops established a framework for LCA, including goal definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and improvement assessment. The SETAC-triangle illustrates these four stages. The ISO standard 14040 later modified this structure, replacing "Improvement Assessment" with "Interpretation". According to ISO 14040, LCA consists of four main components: goal and scope definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation. Goal and scope definition is crucial as it determines the study's purpose, boundaries, functional unit, and impact assessment approach. Inventory analysis involves analyzing all activities related to a product's life cycle, including raw material extraction, production, use, and waste disposal. It includes energy, transportation, and auxiliary products as inputs, and co-products, emissions, and waste as outputs. Data for LCA can be specific or generic, covering production, distribution, waste removal, and energy. The result of inventory analysis is an Inventory Table, which lists all inputs and outputs per functional unit. Energy values are often converted to cumulative energy demand (CED). LCA is the only environmental assessment tool that avoids positive ratings for measurements that merely shift environmental burdens. Recent developments by ISO, SPOLD, and other organizations have further refined LCA practices.