Pollution control policy has relied on the use of command and control (e.g. emission standards) and market based (e.g. emission taxes or permits) instruments, to promote the attainment of established environmental quality objectives. In the design of such instruments a process-oriented approach, directed to the control of emissions in production processes has traditionally been followed. More recently, the adoption of a product- oriented approach, where the environmental performance of products is controlled, namely through a lifecycle analysis, has been viewed as an alternative and a complement to traditional environmental policy instrument.