What does life cycle assessment (LCA) evaluate?

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a comprehensive analytical method used to evaluate the environmental impacts associated with all stages of a product's life cycle—from raw material extraction through production, use, and disposal. LCA examines various environmental factors, such as carbon emissions, water usage, ecological toxicity, and resource depletion, enabling organizations to identify areas for improvement and to make more sustainable decisions.

By focusing on the entire lifecycle of a product, LCA helps in understanding the cumulative environmental burdens it creates and supports efforts to minimize those impacts through better design, materials selection, and operational adjustments. This holistic view makes it a crucial tool in environmental management and sustainability practices.

While evaluating profitability, marketing strategies, or manufacturing efficiencies are important business aspects, they do not encompass the broader environmental focus that LCA uniquely addresses. Therefore, option C accurately captures the core purpose of life cycle assessment.