Life Cycle
Assessment (LCA)

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is much more than a technical calculation: it is a detailed snapshot of how a product or service interacts with the environment throughout its entire life cycle.

An LCA study analyzes and considers:

• raw materials;
• transport and logistics;
• manufacturing;
• usage;
• and end-of-life (recycling or disposal).

Relevant Standards and Regulations

The international regulatory framework for conducting LCA studies is defined by the ISO 14040 series, specifically:

• UNI EN ISO 14040:2021 -  Environmental Management, Life Cycle Assessment, Principles and Framework
  Defines the principles and framework of an LCA study.
• UNI EN ISO 14044:2021 - Life Cycle Assessment, Requirements and Guidelines
  Establishes the applicable requirements for conducting LCA.

There is also a standard for assessing the life cycle of organizations:

• UNI ISO 14072:2025: Environmental Management, Life Cycle Assessment, Requirements and Guidelines for Organizational LCA

LCA is a voluntary tool and can be adopted by both large companies and SMEs. More and more organizations are choosing to conduct an LCA study to improve the sustainability of their products and effectively respond to market and B2B client demands.

Phases of an LCA Study

1. Definition of Goal and Scope
   The first step of an LCA study involves clearly defining its scope. This includes specifying the objectives and goals, the functional unit, the reference year, and the system boundaries.
2. Data Collection and Inventory Analysis
   Qualitative and quantitative data are collected for each process unit within the system boundaries. The analysis quantifies the material and energy flows entering and leaving the system throughout the life cycle of the product or service being studied.
3. Impact Assessment
   This phase evaluates the significance of the potential environmental impacts using the results from the life cycle inventory analysis. The main impact categories include:- climate change
   - resource depletion
   - human health and safety effects
   - ecological effects
4. Interpretation
   In this phase, the results of the inventory analysis and impact assessment are combined and interpreted to draw conclusions and formulate recommendations.
5. LCA Report
   The LCA report is a comprehensive document that describes all phases of the study. It includes the assumptions and hypotheses made, a description of the products and associated processes, and the results obtained for each individual product.
6. Critical Review by a Third Party
   The critical review of the LCA study, conducted by an independent third party according to ISO 14040, ensures that the methods used are consistent with ISO standards and scientifically and technically valid.

LCA studies offer several key benefits:

• Identify environmental improvement opportunities within a product's life cycle
• Support strategic planning and (re)design of products and processes
• Enable environmental declarations such as EPDs, Carbon Footprint (ISO 14067), and PEF
• Provide marketing and stakeholder communication tools based on proven environmental performance

How Is an LCA Study Certified?

There is no single universal “label” for LCA. What matters is that it is carried out and, when needed, reviewed according to ISO standards.

Main Options:

• Critical Review
  Required when publishing results or comparing with other products (e.g., "our product is more sustainable"). Conducted by an independent third party, ensures consistency with ISO standards and methodological accuracy.
• EPD - Environmental Product Declaration
  A Type III environmental declaration based on LCA. Verified by an accredited third party and published by a Program Operator. Widely recognized in public tenders and procurement.
• Product Carbon Footprint (CFP)
  Measures the climate change impact (GHG emissions – CO2e). Results can be validated/verified by an accredited body.

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