Lifecycle analysis

Lifecycle analysis options for the chemical industry

Lifecycle analysis (LCA) provides an answer to the question of the environmental impact caused by the manufacture of a product. The CO2 footprint, which reflects greenhouse gas emissions throughout a product lifecycle, is an important aspect of the LCA (see box). ALTANA uses lifecycle analyses according to ISO 14040 and 14044 to evaluate the ecological aspects of its products across the entire product lifecycle, ranging from the extraction and processing of raw materials to necessary transport during the manufacture of the product, the utilization phase, and the subsequent disposal. This is an internationally standardized method that allows for a precise analysis of environmental aspects and potential impacts of product systems.

Aspects such as resource efficiency and the effects on climate change are as important in this regard as VOC emissions, smog, or excessive fertilization. Based on this eco-balance, we can make precise statements about the potential environmental impacts and the resulting ecological product requirements in the early stages of product development. This also assists with the effort to position ourselves in the market with environmentally friendly systems and to pursue our own environmental policy goals within the company. At BYK, the number of customer inquiries for LCA-based product data rose from ten to over 60 between 2004 and 2009.

Consequently, BYK performed an eco-balance of the foam inhibitors BYK-1740 and BYK-012 to demonstrate the changes in environmental parameters with different carrier materials. The total energy consumption for the “bio” foam inhibitor (BYK-1740) compared to the “petro” foam inhibitor (BYK-012) was reduced from approx. 116,000 Mega joule (MJ) per metric ton of product to approx. 13,000 MJ. While the conventional product caused some 8,000 kg of CO2 equivalents, the “bio” version only accounted for 1,400 kg per metric ton of product.