Editing Waste hierarchy (section)

== Life-cycle thinking==

All products and services have [[environmental impact]]s, from the extraction of [[raw materials]] for production to manufacture, distribution, use and disposal.  Following the waste hierarchy will generally lead to the most [[resource-efficient]] and environmentally sound choice but in some cases refining decisions within the hierarchy or departing from it can lead to better environmental outcomes.<ref name=EC>{{cite web|author=European Commission|title=Life Cycle Thinking and Assessment for Waste Management|url=http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/publications/pdf/Making_Sust_Consumption.pdf |access-date=2016-05-19}}</ref>

[[Product lifecycle|Life cycle]] thinking and assessment can be used to support decision-making in the area of [[waste management]] and to identify the best environmental options. It can help policy makers understand the benefits and trade-offs they have to face when making decisions on waste management strategies. [[Life-cycle assessment]] provides an approach to ensure that the best outcome for the environment can be identified and put in place.<ref name=EC/>  It involves looking at all stages of a product's life to find where improvements can be made to reduce environmental impacts and improve the use or [[reuse]] of resources.<ref name=EC/>  A key goal is to avoid actions that shift negative impacts from one stage to another.  Life cycle thinking can be applied to the five stages of the waste management hierarchy.

For example, life-cycle analysis has shown that it is often better for the environment to replace an old washing machine, despite the waste generated, than to continue to use an older machine which is less [[Efficient energy use|energy-efficient]]. This is because a washing machine's greatest environmental impact is during its use phase. Buying an energy-efficient machine and using low-temperature detergent reduce environmental impacts.<ref name=EC/>

The European Union Waste Framework Directive has introduced the concept of life-cycle thinking into waste policies.<ref name=EC/>  This duality approach gives a broader view of all environmental aspects and ensures any action has an overall benefit compared to other options.  The actions to deal with waste along the hierarchy should be compatible with other environmental initiatives.