Table 1
Similarities and differences between LCA and MFA.
| LCA | MFA | |
|---|---|---|
| Time, temporality | Life-cycle time but no significant dynamic LCA | Static and dynamic MFA |
| Scale, space | Micro-vision (the functional unit) | Macro-vision |
| Reference system | Life cycle, value chain, thus a focus on products | Large economic/geographic systems, thus a focus on materials, substances or elements |
| Complexity | High! Need for commissioning a highly-specialized practitioner to carry out the job, time consuming (except for streamlined LCA) | Less than LCA, but difficulty of accessing data |
| Scope | Covers both environmental and public health spheres, informed by a wealth of indicators. Need for “summarizing” indicators (midpoint, endpoint). The physical meaning of what LCA tracks often remains hidden behind indicators. | MFA mostly tracks mass an energy, sometimes monetary values. MFAc: outputs are often aggregated. MFA also tracks environmental issues: raw material issues upstream of the value chain and waste, downstream. |
| Different level of information | LCA describes the value chain and its circular economy part, which increases material efficiency and cuts GHG emissions. LCA is therefore a powerful tool for assessing material and energy savings. | MFA focuses on raw materials (primary and secondary) and thus on their availability. However, some information is missing, like recycling rates (steel, metals, most materials), or contamination of scrap (e.g. aluminum, all metals). |
| Standardization | Yes | No |
| Economics | LCA deals with externalities, except LCC which tries to take economic on board | MFA deals with externalities, except IOA as related MFA |
| Social dimension | Social (SLCA) is not “social” in a general way, but labor-rules related | Usually, there is no Social Sciences in MFA, beyond economic and geographic analyses |
| Related fields | Environmental footprint, business management, physics, accounting, policymaking (product management), public health | Geography, foresight, strategy, policymaking |
| Communities | LCA community | Industrial Ecology community |
| Size | Large | Medium sized |
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