Lessons learnt from an LCA based re-design for manufacture of soap dispensers

Abstract

Sustainable Product Development (SPD) involves designing a product with the potential environmental, social and economic impacts of the product’s life cycle in mind. In order to mitigate these impacts a number of systematic methods and tools are available for use within the product design phase of a product’s life cycle. One method used in SPD is Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). An LCA is used to quantify the impacts associated with the different life stages of a product. In the research reported in this paper, a comparative LCA was carried out on a number of liquid hand wash dispensers. The hand wash products analysed comprised of glass, stainless steel and plastic soap containers. The results of the LCA exercise together with a number of Design for Environment (DfE) guidelines were then used to design a more sustainable product. Through this exercise, this paper contributes a number of lessons learnt concerning the use of LCA for re-Design for Manufacture.