Life cycle assessment and eco-innovations: What kind of convergence is possible?

Abstract

Generation of goods and services are highly dependent on the use of natural resources. Until very recently, there was an implicit belief that the physical expansion of the economic system could be unlimited, as if the planet would have conditions and time enough to recover and continue to supply resources. This belief implies a confidence in an economic system that would provide whatever is necessary for a continuous growing production and consumption. Even believing that technology alone is not enough to solve the current environmental problems, it is certain that it can collaborate to mitigate climate change and to adaptation to changes in the environment. By bringing environmental aspects into discussions, eco-innovations can affect and transform the innovation system in order to create sustainable processes. However, the main challenge towards the transition to a more sustainable, cleaner and more equitable society is to set innovation in a new context, as until very recently it only considered the economic variables. This change means to value the social and environmental dimension of the innovation. In addition to eco-innovation, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is spreading in the industrial environment, offering promising perspectives. LCA is considered a valuable methodology in the environmental sustainability of industry. In this context, the present study addresses LCA and its relationship with the generation of ecoinnovations. Drawing on contributions from literature on eco-innovation and LCA, the paper analyses available evidence on this relationship in a context of the transition towards sustainable development. To structure the debate, the paper offers a conceptual approach and an illustrative case on international researchers' and practitioners' perceptions on the potentially positive relationship between eco-innovation and LCA. The study gathers data in the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection and in Scopus, in order to provide a picture of the distribution of documents retrieved from these databases, dealing with both eco-innovation and LCA topics. The paper concludes that the convergence of the eco-innovation and LCA studies is quite plausible, but at least in its initial phase, the literature that unites both themes is scarcely found in publications in the area of innovation, being more frequent in the area of engineering and management that usually addresses LCA studies.

Environmental Performance of the Technology of Production of Bimodal Polyethylene (HDPE) with the Application of LCA Techniques

“…LCA methodology is organised in four stages or phases: 1. defining scope and objectives of the study; 2. analysis of inventory; 3. environmental impact assessment; 4. interpretation of results. (Motta et. al., 2018) According to Mills, Pearce, Farrow, Thorpe and Kirkby "LCA provides tools for determining the best overall options for particular situations and allows innovation and investment resources to be focused accordingly" (Mills et al, 2014).…”

Anticipating Environmental Burdens in Research and Innovation Projects—Application to the Case of Active and Healthy Ageing

“…Finally, the methodologies of environmental impact assessment (EIA), life cycle assessment (LCA) and strategic environmental assessment (SEA) were also reviewed as potential tools for the goals of the paper. With their differences, all those methodologies were found alien to R&I because of three main reasons [9,29,30]…”

Characterization of Inhalable Aerosols from Cosmetic Powders and Sustainability in Cosmetic Products

“…1223/2009 states that "cosmetics are any substance or mixture intended to come into contact with the external parts of the human body (epidermis, hair system, nails)." In particular, the EC regulations, which took effect 11 July 2013, stipulate that cosmetics found assessment of the environmental impacts and risks [69], which can be a tool to support assessment within the environmental dimension of cosmetic sustainability [70] (Figure 1). assessment of the environmental impacts and risks [69], which can be a tool to support assessment within the environmental dimension of cosmetic sustainability [70] (Figure 1).…”

“…In particular, the EC regulations, which took effect 11 July 2013, stipulate that cosmetics found assessment of the environmental impacts and risks [69], which can be a tool to support assessment within the environmental dimension of cosmetic sustainability [70] (Figure 1). assessment of the environmental impacts and risks [69], which can be a tool to support assessment within the environmental dimension of cosmetic sustainability [70] (Figure 1). Cosmetic applications, exposure to inhalable particles released from cosmetics and sustainability challenges of future strategies [8,51,70].…”