The Life Cycle Assessment or LCA aims at obtaining a quantitative evaluation of the environmental and energetic benefits associated with the possible options for recovering wastes produced in the group of the districts under review (paper, textile and plant-flower). The aim is to assist the agencies in charge of area management in planning and implementing programs for environmentally-sustainable development in those districts. The LCA we used in this study is internationally recognized through the ISO 14040 standards series. They make it possible to: - quantify the environmental impact of complex industrial chains using a rigorous and scientific approach; - take into account the environmental and energetic aspects relative to raw material production and the use of co-products of the industrial sites; - compare alternative industrial systems in a coherent manner. Because of its features the LCA has also been adopted by the Commission for Ecolabels (or product eco-compatibility marks/labels) of the European Community as an appropriate tool for developing the criteria for granting ecolabels. The LCA consists of posting all raw material and energy consumption and all the emissions into the air and water and solids from the chain - cradle-to-grave, that is through the entire life cycle from raw material extraction to final disposal .

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