Abstract
The status of LCA research in Korea is reviewed with an emphasis on the use of LCA for a new and improved, and in many instances, cleaner materials processing technology development. After reviewing the general status of LCA research in Korea, three case studies are presented where LCA has been used to assess the environmental impact of an alternative processing technology. The first case deals with electroplating process; the second, plasitic deformation process; and the third, production of aluminum foam from recycled aluminum scrap. In each case it is shown how LCA is used to assess quantitatively the environmental impact of an alternative process.
