ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes decentralized sanitation systems’ life cycle environmental assessment (LCA). LCA is a powerful methodological tool for quantifying a product or performing service's effects on the environment. LCA has been used to identify environmental impacts and analyze strategies to improve the processes, identifying critical points to minimize the adverse environmental effects. LCA studies on decentralized treatment in developing and developed countries have increased in recent years, especially in developed countries, mainly in Europe; in this sense, the authors analyze the difference of the impacts in the communities that have wastewater plants. The technical parameters to consider in the assessment are essential for applying this methodology. In this chapter, the authors discuss the environmental benefits of using LCA in treatments and the strategies to improve the environment.
