Application review of LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) in circular economy: From the perspective of PSS (Product Service System)

Abstract

At present, the enormous environmental pressure caused by the manufacturing industry has promoted the development of the recycling industry. The recycling industry is pivotal for sustainable utilization of regional resources, pollution reduction and environmental protection. LCA (Life Cycle Assessment), as a comprehensive analytical tool, plays an important role in the analysis of the cyclical industry from different levels, including regional level, industry level, enterprise level and product/service levels. The product service system, a new production system with high integration and overall optimization of products and services, is conducive to obtaining complete product/service information and management. The LCA based product service systems in the field of circular economy is not only crucial in the life cycle management of the product/service for the enterprise, but also contributes to the comprehensive assessment of the environmental benefits of the recycling enterprise. This paper summarizes and systematic reviews the applications of the LCA and PSS (Product Service System) integration in circular economy from a micro perspective. Based on that, the study identifies the challenges for current researches and propose future research directions to promote the development of LCA in circular economy from the perspective of enterprises.