ISO 14044 provides the detailed requirements and guidelines for performing a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). It expands on ISO 14040 by specifying how each LCA phase should be carried out and how results should be reported and reviewed. 

It explains the how of LCA and works alongside ISO 14040.

Any product can have an LCA created for it. This includes consumer goods, electronics, packaging, industrial equipment, building materials, textiles, and more. Since every product has to go through each phase of life, however, LCAs are most useful for multi-material products with complex supply chains.  

Understanding the CO ₂ emissions associated with your product gives you a measurable view of its environmental impact. The information can help make informative decisions to reduce areas of the product’s life cycle with high emissions

No.

Conducting an LCA is not a mandatory government requirement. However investors or clients (especially those with sustainability commitments or low carbon emission goals) may require you to conduct one as a condition for partnership or investment. 

If the goal is to reduce the environmental impact of your product, an LCA is a valuable tool. For companies looking to become more sustainable, an LCA helps identify opportunities to lower emissions and resource use. It also supports marketing efforts by demonstrating a commitment to sustainability, which is becoming very important to consumers. In addition, an LCA can also reveal cost-saving opportunities by identifying areas of high energy consumption across the product’s life cycle.

Shareholders are increasingly prioritizing sustainability and long-term risk management in their investment decisions. By requesting an LCA, shareholders are seeking to gain insight into the company’s ability to proactively identify and manage environmental risks and impacts. An LCA also demonstrates that the company is competitive, future-focused, and aligned with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors.

The material extraction phase is the first stage of the product’s life cycle. This phase involves sourcing raw materials from the environment, which may include mining metals, harvesting timber, or extracting fossil fuels. This phase includes all steps to prepare these materials for manufacturing including processing and transportation.

The manufacturing phase refers to the stage in a product’s life cycle where the raw materials that were extracted get processed and assembled into a finished product. This phase can have multiple complex steps or be simple. The activities within this stage can range from material refinement, energy usage, and product assembly. This is generally the products highest contributor to CO ₂ emissions because of its high energy consumption.

The distribution phase refers to the stage in a product’s life cycle where the finished product is transported from the manufacturing site to the consumer. This includes packaging, warehousing, and all forms of transportation used such as rail, truck, ship, and plane. This phase’s impact is dependent on the distance between manufacturing sites and consumers.

The product use phase refers to the period during which the product is being actively used by the consumer. The environmental impact of this phase is a summary of the operation, maintenance, and performance of the product over its useful life. Depending on the energy consumption required to operate the product, this phase can also be a high contributor to CO ₂ emissions.

The end of life phase refers to the final stage of the product’s life cycle, when it is no longer in use and gets disposed of, recycled, or repurposed. This phase includes collection, transportation, and processing of the product into the different waste streams.