Life cycle assessment: shopping bags | 14–16 years

Use this resource to introduce learners to life cycle assessments using a real-world example. As well as collecting and evaluating information about the life cycles of three different types of shopping bag, learners will see how science directly influences government policy. 

Learners are asked to complete a life cycle assessment (LCA) for three different types of supermarket carrier bag:

• single-use plastic bag
• reusable plastic bag
• cotton bag

They then have to make a recommendation to the Department for Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) based on their assessment.

Suitable for learners following GCSE courses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, for T-level in England, for the Junior Cycle in the Republic of Ireland and National 5 in Scotland.