Product Life Cycle (LCA)
LCA is a Life Cycle Assessment. It assesses the entire life cycle of a product and thus also the total environmental impact of a product from "cradle to gate", "cradle to grave", or "gate to grave", depending on the purpose.
With a life cycle assessment, you have an actual tool to document the environmental impact of your product or service.
You will be able to identify the main sources of environmental impacts and the size of emissions. It is our experience that companies benefit from this overview and, not least, decide to prioritise more wisely - environmentally and financially.
Get a life cycle assessment
Bureau Veritas carries out life cycle assessments based on the international standards in the ISO 14040 series. We can help to assess if an LCA is right for you.
Tomas Jørgensen, Business Developer Sustainability
Phone: +45 2684 4199 | Mail: tomas.jorgensen@bureauveritas.com
this is how we do it
We look at the entire life cycle of the product: "From the time you pull it out of the ground until you put it back into the ground". Everything is included: e.g. manufacturing, production, transport, use and waste management, even if the product enters a new chain through recycling.
This gives a good insight into where in the chain the product has the largest impact.
The environmental impact is not only expressed in a CO2 footprint. There are 16 categories that make up an overall assessment of a product's environmental impact. Therefore, the results can be surprising when you suddenly see the overall assessment in front of you.
4 overall steps af an lca
1. purpose and delimitation
It can be extensive to look at the entire life cycle, so we start by defining the purpose to determine the use of the LCA. In this way, we can also determine what to investigate and what not to investigate.
2. data collection
We begin by collecting data from subcontractors and reviewing our own data.
3. Calculation
To create a frame of reference, we use a functional unit (FU). In this way, different products can be compared on a basis that makes sense.
4. reporting
The report is based on an objective way of looking at the figures in the methodology of ISO standards. This ensures that we get all the way around and are consistent. It also ensures that the report meets the requirements of the standard.
what can an LCA be used for?
- You can compare products to find the least environmentally harmful products
- You can identify the places in the value chain with a potential for savings – environmentally as well as financially
- You can use the LCA in connection with the company's green marketing and avoid greenwashing
- You can use the LCA in CSRD reporting
- You can refine your products in a 'greener direction' and innovate the market
- You can strengthen your brand/image as trustworthy