Which activities are difficult to quantify during life cycle assessment?

During a life cycle assessment, allocating numerical values to the effects of pollutants is particularly challenging due to the complex nature of environmental impacts and their varying degrees of significance. Pollutants can have different effects in different ecosystems, and their impact can depend on a multitude of factors, such as concentration, exposure time, and the specific biological systems affected. Additionally, the long-term effects of some pollutants may not be fully understood, making it difficult to assign a definitive numerical value to their impacts on health, ecosystems, and biodiversity.

In contrast, measuring the durability of products, calculating production costs, and assessing the visual appeal of products tend to have more concrete metrics or standards for evaluation. Durability can often be quantified through testing methods, production costs can be calculated based on financial data, and visual appeal can be assessed through surveys or ratings, although these assessments can be subjective. However, the complexities and variabilities of pollutant effects create significant hurdles in quantifying their impact accurately in a life cycle context.