Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) & Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) for Industrial & Consumer Products
Our LCA services provide you with an independent analysis of your products, along with comprehensive consultancy on sustainability
With increasing customer and regulatory requests for product sustainability data, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) enable informed design choices, assured regulatory compliance, and credible sustainability reporting.
What is a Life Cycle Assessment?
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a systematic method for evaluating the environmental impacts of a product, process, or service throughout its life cycle, providing a comprehensive environmental profile. LCA consists of four stages: Goal and scope definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation.
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) extracts verified essential information from an LCA to communicate the footprint for comparison, enabling informed decisions to reduce environmental harm and improve sustainability.
Our LCA services include:
SGS provides training and assessment services to assist clients in compiling EPDs for their products, for either industrial or consumer use. The process takes 3-6 months, depending on the availability of data, the complexity of the product, or the speed at which the review can take place.
Our LCA services provide you with an independent analysis of your products, along with comprehensive consultancy on sustainability, enabling you to:
- Achieve national and international environmental quality standards to communicate the environmental quality of your product
- Assess all stages in the life cycle and measure their impact on the environmental quality of your product
- Provide your clients and end users with an independent assessment of the environmental impact of your products
- Use the results of the assessment for product innovation, production process optimization, and to maximize re-use and recycling
Q: What are the four stages of an LCA?
A: The four stages, as defined by ISO 14040 and 14044 standards, are:
- Goal and Scope Definition: Clearly defining the purpose of the study and the boundaries of the system being assessed.
- Life Cycle Inventory (LCI): Collecting and quantifying all relevant inputs (materials, energy, water) and outputs (emissions, waste) for each life cycle stage.
- Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA): Translating the LCI data into potential environmental impacts, such as global warming potential, acidification, or resource depletion.
- Interpretation: Analyzing the results to conclude, identify "hotspots" (stages with the highest impact), and make recommendations consistent with the defined goal and scope.
Q: Why is an LCA important for a business?
A: LCAs help businesses to:
- Identify opportunities for efficiency improvements and cost savings.
- Reduce their environmental footprint and meet sustainability goals.
- Support marketing claims and build customer confidence in their products' sustainability.
- Ensure compliance with environmental regulations and prepare for upcoming legislation.
- Gain a competitive advantage.
Q: What environmental impacts are typically considered in an LCA?
A: Common impact categories include global warming potential (carbon footprint), acidification, eutrophication, ozone depletion potential, water consumption, and resource depletion.
Q: What kind of data is needed for an LCA?
A: An LCA requires detailed data on material quantities, energy consumption (electricity, fuel), water usage, emissions to air, soil, and water, and waste generation at every stage of the life cycle.
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