LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT
The science of measuring the true environmental footprint of plastic products — from raw material extraction to end of life. ISO 14040/14044 framework, carbon footprint calculation, and how LCA drives sustainable design decisions in Indian industry.
“LCA provides the rigorous scientific data needed to evaluate carbon footprints and EPR compliance.”
— Life Cycle Assessment · PolymerHub
8 Lessons
Environmental Product Declarations (EPD): PCR Rules, ISO 14025 & Verification Protocols
EPD generation per ISO 14025 / EN 15804, Product Category Rules (PCR), LCA background databases, third-party verification, and Eco-leaf environmental labels.
Corporate GHG Accounting, Product Carbon Boundaries & CBAM Overview
GHG Protocol Scope 1/2/3 accounting, Product Carbon Footprint (PCF), EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), and carbon tariffs on imported polymers.
Introduction to LCA: Measuring the True Cost of Plastic
What is LCA, why it matters for plastic products, ISO 14040 framework overview, goal and scope definition, and Indian regulatory drivers pushing LCA adoption.
Life Cycle Inventory (LCI): Data Collection, Mass Balance & Allocation Rules
Data collection for LCI, mass and energy balances, primary vs. secondary data, ecoinvent database, Indian-specific emission factors, and system boundary decisions for plastic products.
Impact Assessment: Carbon Footprint, Water & Eutrophication Metrics
Global Warming Potential (GWP100), water scarcity footprint, fossil resource depletion, eutrophication, characterization factors, and how to read an LCA report for plastic products.
LCA of Packaging: Plastic vs. Glass, Aluminium & Paperboard — Comparative Analysis
Comparative LCA of PET bottle vs. glass vs. aluminium can, plastic bag vs. cotton bag (the 7,100 uses myth), HDPE milk pouch vs. glass bottle — real data showing where plastic wins and loses environmentally.
Carbon Footprint of Polymer Production: Naphtha Cracking to Pellets
Scope 1/2/3 emissions in polymer manufacturing, GHG intensity of PP vs. PET vs. PC vs. bio-PLA, how recycling reduces carbon footprint, and Reliance and Indian petrochemical carbon data.
LCA in Practice — How Indian Companies Use It for EPR and ESG Reporting
How Tata, ITC, HUL use LCA for ESG reports, EPR footprint calculation under PWM Rules 2022, Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) for EU exports, and building LCA capability in India.
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