WHAT IS LIFE CYCLE ENGINEERING

Every year 2,800,000,000 tonnes of all categories of waste are produced in Western Europe. Assuming an average density of 2 kg/I, this waste would cover a surface area equivalent to that of Switzerland to a depth of three centimetres. 

One of the preconditions for further sustainable economic growth is that the implementation of new technology should improve the efficiency of resource consumption and reduce waste output. To be most effective, improvements should occur at all the stages of the life cycle of a product, from raw material production, part manufacture and use to recycling or disposal. 

Life cycle engineering practices (after APME [21]). 

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