Solution: Life cycle assessment (LCA)

The three key elements of an LCA

• identify and measure the relevant environmental impacts
• Assessing the potential environmental impacts
• Identifying options for reducing these environmental impacts

Why is a life cycle analysis (LCA) important?

LCA is widely recognized as the best approach for measuring the environmental impact of a product throughout its life cycle. LCA is a modeling tool for evaluating the environmental impact of a product throughout its life cycle (from raw material extraction through processing, production, distribution, use, disposal and recycling). The LCA enables decision-makers to compare two products and select the one with the lowest environmental impact. Life cycle assessment reports form the basis for environmental product declarations (EPDs). EPDs form the basis for ecodesign approaches to energy and resource efficiency.

The LCA cycle

LCA refers to the extraction of raw materials, the processing, manufacture and production of products; transportation or distribution of the product to the consumer; use of the product by the consumer; and disposal or recycling of the product after its useful life.

Approaches to life cycle assessment

• cradle-to-gate: “From the cradle to the gate”. The object of assessment is the partial
  Product life cycle from raw material extraction to the company’s exit gate
• cradle-to-grave: “From the cradle to the grave”; the entire product life cycle is assessed.
• cradle-to-cradle: “Cradle to cradle”; stronger reference to the circular economy
• gate-to-gate “From gate to gate”; the object of assessment is limited to the
  Process boundary “service provision”, i.e. to the company
• gate-to-grave: “From gate to grave”; only impacts are taken into account here,
  that occur after the production of the product

Life Cycle Assessment provides important information for your management

• Improvement of processes in order to be able to produce sustainably
• Evaluation of a product’s energy and material consumption
• Identification of potential as a sustainable company
• optimized product development that takes sustainable production into account
• Comparability of products based on sustainability criteria