Climate change is a pressing issue, and businesses have a responsibility to minimize their environmental impact. One crucial step is understanding the carbon footprint of your products. In this article, you will learn what a product carbon footprint (PCF) is, why it matters, and how to calculate it.
Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) measures the greenhouse gas emissions of a product from production to disposal. This includes emissions from extracting raw materials, manufacturing, transportation, use, and disposal.
This includes emissions from extracting raw materials, manufacturing, transportation, use, and disposal. We measure PCF in kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent (kg CO2e). This makes it easy to compare the climate impact of different products.
In today’s world, minimizing your environmental footprint is no longer just an option – it’s a business imperative. Here’s why it is essential to reduce your carbon footprint:
Regulations: Many countries are implementing stricter regulations on carbon emissions. A lower PCF can make your product compliant and avoid potential penalties. For example, the Dutch construction industry now requires adherence to specific MKI (Environmental Cost Indicator) standards, which heavily consider a product’s environmental impact.
Cost savings: Lowering emissions means using less energy and resources, which saves money for your business.
Competitive Advantage: A lower PCF can be a significant competitive advantage. Demonstrating your commitment to sustainability by reducing your carbon footprint can attract environmentally conscious investors and partners. It can also open opportunities to enter new markets that have more stringent environmental regulations.
Customer demand: Consumers are increasingly environmentally conscious and may choose products with a lower carbon footprint. Demonstrating your commitment to sustainability through a lower PCF can be a significant competitive advantage. Eco-friendly customers are happy to pay more for sustainable products and look for companies with good environmental practices.
All PCF calculations rely on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method, outlined in ISO 14040/14044. Two main approaches exist:
Partial LCA (PCF-focused): This method focuses solely on calculating the product’s carbon footprint. A PCF-focused approach helps businesses understand their climate impact and make initial reductions. However, it is not as thorough as a full LCA. Businesses can use this approach as a starting point. It allows them to take steps towards reducing their environmental footprint.
Full LCA: This comprehensive approach analyzes all environmental impacts of your product, with PCF being one category. A complete LCA shows the overall environmental impact of your product. It helps you find ways to improve, not just by focusing on carbon emissions.
Ecochain Mobius empowers you to go beyond a simple carbon footprint (PCF) calculation. Mobius analyzes a wider range of environmental impact categories, providing a holistic view of your product’s sustainability profile. It lets you create alternative scenarios, simulating the impact of changes in material sourcing, production processes, and more.
Mobius is good for businesses to measure one product’s footprint. Mobius helps businesses measure the environmental impact of one product. Ecochain Helix is designed for businesses with multiple products. It helps them analyze and improve the environmental impact of their entire product range.
Different standards provide detailed methodologies for PCF calculation, ensuring comparability across products. The best choice depends on your industry and regional regulations, here are the three most common:
ISO 14067 is a popular standard that provides flexibility in life cycle models. It can also be easily expanded to create a full LCA.
The GHG Protocol Product Standard assesses emissions from production to disposal. It also includes different scenarios, like changes in land use.
PAS 2050 is a UK standard for most products, but it does not include land use changes.
Pathfinder Framework: PACT offers a global standard for calculating and sharing product PCF data across value chains. This can help businesses measure the carbon footprint of their products. Ecochain is PACT compliant, more information about this can be read here.
Calculate your PCF
While understanding your product’s carbon footprint (PCF) is a crucial first step, a full Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) offers an even more comprehensive view.
The good news? You don’t have to jump straight to a full LCA. Ecochain Mobius is powerful software that empowers you to start with what matters most to you today, like PCF. But, the beauty of Mobius lies in its scalability. As your sustainability journey progresses, Mobius can seamlessly incorporate a wider range of environmental concerns. Here are some benefits of a comprehensive LCA:
Go beyond carbon: While PCF is crucial, a full LCA unveils impact information across over 20 environmental impact categories, like water usage, air pollution, and resource depletion. This holistic view empowers you to identify hidden environmental hotspots and prioritize sustainability efforts across the board.
Data-driven decisions: Gain valuable insights to make informed choices throughout your product’s lifecycle. For example, a full LCA may reveal that switching to a recycled material can significantly reduce your water footprint.
Future-proof your business: As environmental regulations evolve, a full LCA positions you ahead of the curve. You’ll be able to identify potential environmental risks early on and develop strategies for a sustainable future.
Meeting industry standards: Several standards ensure comparability across full LCAs. Common options include:
