This paper proposes a risk-based environmental assessment approach (E-Green) for evaluating different process options at an early design or a retrofit stage. The approach splits the cradle-to-gate life cycle into two domains: the raw materials production and supply domain and the process domain or gate-to-gate domain. It allows an analyst to investigate adverse impacts of the process activity on each domain separately and results in a more manageable assessment of process design alternatives. It is a risk-based approach contrary to the existing hazard-based approaches. E-Green replaces the conventional normalization step of the impact assessment phase of a life cycle assessment (LCA) with a ranking step, which compares the effect scores of all the impact categories for different options and gives a relative score to each option. This eliminates the complexity and bias of the conventional normalization step in the evaluation phase and enables the analyst to perform the effective evaluation easily. The applicability of the E-Green has been illustrated in the assessment of two solvent options in an acrylic acid manufacturing plant. E-Green methodology is implemented by combining an Aspen-HYSYS process simulator and a quantitative exposure assessment tool (E-Fast).