Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) – How is it different from LCA?
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) are distinct tools used for different purposes. EIA focuses on evaluating the potential environmental effects of a specific project, policy, or development, typically at a local level. In contrast, LCA is a broader methodology that analyzes the environmental impacts of a product, process, or service throughout its entire life cycle, from raw material extraction to disposal. While EIA assesses specific projects, LCA provides a holistic view of environmental impacts across various stages of a product or system.
One thing to compare is that LCA concentrates on a larger scale like an entire ecosystem within common environmental conditions and thus the impacts from certain projects or products on the environment throughout their lifecycle, meanwhile, EIA focuses more on indicative projects and their potential impacts on a community or a particular area.
EIA is majorly focused on environmental assessment whereas LCA covers Techno-economic and social along with environmental analysis.
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