A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a valuable tool to determine the environmental impact of specific products. With an increasingly standardized methodology as well as a solid scientific basis, LCAs play an equally important role in product marketing, process optimization, and the legislative context. To ensure the credibility of Life Cycle Assessments, third-party validation is essential. GC-Mark, a registered trademark of DQS, is a standardized third-party validation methodology.

Life Cycle Assessments: An Unstoppable Trend

Whereas studies of environmental impacts have been focusing on GHG emissions for a couple of years now, there is an increasing awareness that an exclusive focus on GHG does not cover the whole story. If we want to understand the full impact of a product, it is vital to take into account all environmental impacts across its entire life cycle.

On top of that, the European Commission is developing its Product Environmental Footprint program, which is nothing less than a life cycle assessment scheme for all kinds of consumer products on the market. This will further contribute to the recognition of LCAs.

ISO 14040 and ISO 14044

The leading standards for LCA are ISO 14040 and ISO 14044. Whereas ISO 14040 describes the general principles of life cycle assessments, ISO 14044 covers the specific requirements and characteristics of life cycle assessments. According to the standards, an LCA typically consists of four phases: the definition of the goals and scope, the compilation of an inventory of flows and elements, the impact assessment, and finally the interpretation.

Critical Review: A Third-Party Validation of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

For LCA studies that are intended for the public, the ISO standards require a review by experts. The review statement and comments must be included in the final LCA report. DQS has the know-how to guide you through the review process, to validate the findings, and to chair a review commission in accordance with ISO 14040 and ISO 14044.