At booost technologies, we offer "booost GX," a management system for calculating and reducing CO2 emissions, and "booost Supplier," which enables visualization and reduction of CO2 emissions in the supply chain and sharing of ESG data!
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Scope of evaluation in life cycle assessment
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a set of methods for evaluating the environmental impact of products and services. The scope of environmental assessment covers the entire lifecycle of a product or service. Generally, the following stages are considered:
- Raw material collectionThis includes the environmental impact of extracting resources from the natural environment and agricultural production.
- Transportation of raw materialsThis includes the environmental impact associated with the transportation of raw materials from their source to the manufacturing plant.
- manufacturing processThis includes environmental impacts such as energy consumption, waste, and emissions required for product production.
- Product deliveryThis includes the environmental impact of transporting products from the factory to consumers and retailers.
- Product UsageThis includes the environmental impact of energy consumption when the product is used by consumers.
- Product disposalThis includes the environmental impact of products after they have been used and are recycled or disposed of.
However, LCA is sometimes conducted with modified scopes depending on the purpose. The meaning of each is as follows:
- Cradle-to-GateThis method is primarily used by suppliers of raw materials in B2B businesses. It evaluates the environmental impact from raw material extraction and transportation to the manufacturing process, but does not consider the use or disposal of the finished product.
- Gate-to-GateThis is an environmental impact assessment approach that focuses solely on the product manufacturing process. It is used to identify the environmental impact of the manufacturing process and evaluate the effectiveness of improvements. This includes a series of processes that take place within the factory, such as product assembly and processing.
- Cradle-to-GraveThis is the most comprehensive method of LCA, evaluating the environmental impact of a product throughout its entire lifecycle, from raw material extraction to product disposal. For example, it can evaluate how the overall environmental impact changes when environmentally harmful raw materials are used in order to reduce the environmental impact during use.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of each evaluation range?
Each evaluation range has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Cradle-to-Gate
merit
This method is effective for understanding the environmental impact of supplied raw materials, from raw material extraction to the manufacturing process. It allows for comparison of the environmental impact of different raw materials and evaluation of changes in raw material usage. It contributes to building sustainable supply chains.
Disadvantages
The environmental impact of product use and disposal is not assessed. This can make it difficult to grasp the overall environmental burden. Data collection and evaluation can be complex and time-consuming due to the relatively broad scope of analysis and the need to request data from other companies.
Gate-to-Gate
merit
Because we specialize in the manufacturing process, we can easily identify specific environmental impacts within the process and develop improvement measures.
Efficiency improvements within the process and reductions in environmental impact through process optimization can be easily evaluated. Because the scope of analysis is narrow, data collection and evaluation can be relatively simple and time-saving.
Disadvantages
The environmental impact of raw material extraction and product use/disposal is not evaluated. Therefore, it is not possible to grasp the overall environmental burden. Because the environmental burden of the entire supply chain cannot be grasped, it is necessary to use this method in conjunction with other analytical methods to build a sustainable supply chain.
Cradle-to-Grave
merit
Because it covers the entire product lifecycle, it allows for a comprehensive assessment of environmental impact. By comparing the environmental burden at each stage, it's possible to identify the factors with the greatest impact. This helps in developing strategies to minimize environmental impact and build sustainable product development and supply chains.
Disadvantages
Due to the relatively broad scope of the analysis, the need to request data from other companies, and the requirement to define disposal scenarios, data collection and evaluation are complex and time-consuming. As a result, the analysis costs are high. Data quality and accuracy may vary, making comparisons difficult.
summary
The choice of evaluation scope depends on the purpose of the analysis and the product being analyzed. Gate-to-Gate analysis is effective for understanding the environmental impact at each stage of product production and identifying areas for improvement. On the other hand, cradle-to-Gate analysis is preferable for understanding the overall environmental impact up to the manufacturing stage and for building a sustainable supply chain. Cradle-to-Grave analysis allows for a comprehensive understanding and improvement of environmental impact. For example, it is a necessary method when a comprehensive assessment is needed, such as when using environmentally harmful raw materials to reduce the environmental impact during use.
At booost technologies, we offer a CO2 emissions management system that can streamline product lifecycle assessment.booost GXWe offer the following services. If you are considering an LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) or Cradle-to-Gate evaluation, please feel free to contact us using the information below.