POTENCIAL USE OF LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT (LCA) METHODOLOGY FOR CHARACTERIZATION OF AGRICULTURE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Abstract

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a tool for analysis of the relations among productive systems and the environment. The life cycle is the fundamental concept of this technique, which arises with the conscience that any product, process or activity produce impacts in the environment as from the moment where the indispensable raw materials to its produce are extracted til, after its useful life and its return to nature. LCA's Application in the agriculture is relatively new and complex. However, several studies accomplished in the scope of the analysis of the process of agricultural production. This papper, of theoretical character, has as objective supply a general vision of this methodology, its main concepts and necessary phases to your utilization, as well as its use to assess the environmental impacts in the agriculture, aiming to argue the potentiality of your application.