Hi there!
I am conducting a cradle-to-grave LCA on a product. I am now considering the ‘grave’ part and disposal. It got me thinking: the impact considered from the making of raw material (i.e. the various toxicities, land use, CO2 emissions, etc.) is only from making/transforming (extracting oil and initial process, or planting, growing, harvesting the crop) the natural resource and NOT considering the eventual impact its existence will leave on the environment, correct?
Example: So, for instance, when I look at the initial impact of the production of a polyester fiber (with all upstream activities included), the impact and emissions that it will release into nature from decomposing (e.g., landfill or via microfibers) or being burned are NOT already included, correct?
I have looked at the ‘market for waste plastic, mixture’ dataset (ecoinvent), where the higher heating value and various treatments are included, but I wasn’t 100% sure that it wasn’t ALSO included in the initial processes.
Thank you in advance:)
