Abstract: Life cycle assessment (LCA),as a product environmental profile analysis and decision support tool,has been developed to maturity technically step by step and widely used in the international society.It is also an effective cleaner production tool and thus can play appropriate roles in cleaner production audit,product eco-design,waste management and ecological industry,etc.in China.Currently efforts should be put to first introduce and adapt the LCA methods from abroad,establish China's own methodolgical system and data support system,and then launch researches and demonstrations on LCA applications in various forms and fields.