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98 Z. Kłos

1.60E-03

Disposal

-2.00E-04 Production Distribution Operating

period

EPCGbOI B PCGf02 nPCGiClJ

Fig. 4. Environmental indexes connected with stages of packaging machines’ life cycle Rys. 4. Wskaźniki środowiskowe dla etapów życia badanych maszyn pakujących

3. Hints for designers of technical objects

Described above is the first research on LCA in Poznań University of Technology, and it allows one to draw the following conclusions:

1)    Designers have to be able to assess the following:

-    priorities, (They have to know where the biggest gains can be madę.) and

-    which design solution is better from the environmental point of view.

2)    Very often it is possible to reduce the amount of materials by critically looking at dimensions, reąuired strength and production techniąues.

3)    Product design should aim at

-    reducing total materiał content,

-    minimising the total number of different materials,

-    preferring materials which can be recycled, and/or use biodegradable,

-    find materials to replace non-biodegradable materials,

-    minimising the use of energy-intensive materials,

-    minimising energy consumed in use, and

-    going for the form of energy with the lowest contribution to greenhouse gases production where there is a choice of energy supply.

4)    Actually, designers must understand the relationship between a product and the environment before a product can be developed in a truły environmentally sound way.