life cycle (LCA)

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a standardised methodology for systematically quantifying the environmental impacts of a product, service, or process across its entire life cycle — from raw material extraction (cradle), through manufacturing, distribution, use, and end-of-life disposal (grave). Impacts are calculated per functional unit (e.g., 1 tonne of CBG, 1 kWh of electricity, 1 km of vehicle travel) and reported across multiple impact categories such as global warming potential, acidification, eutrophication, ozone depletion, and resource depletion. LCA is the analytical backbone of credible environmental claims and increasingly the price of entry for B2B sales into ESG-conscious supply chains.

LCA follows the four-stage framework set by ISO 14040:2006 and ISO 14044:2006:

• Goal and scope definition: state the purpose, functional unit, system boundaries (cradle-to-grave, cradle-to-gate, gate-to-gate), and impact categories.
• Life Cycle Inventory (LCI): compile all material and energy inputs and outputs at every stage.
• Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA): convert inventory data into impact category indicators using characterisation factors (e.g., GWP for greenhouse gases).
• Interpretation: identify hotspots, sensitivity analysis, and uncertainty.

For Indian waste-processing sectors, LCA studies typically show strongly favourable results:

• CBG vs CNG (vehicle fuel): 70-90% reduction in life-cycle CO2e per km travelled.
• Recycled PET vs virgin PET: 60-80% reduction in CO2e per tonne resin.
• Tyre pyrolysis oil vs furnace oil: 35-55% reduction in CO2e per MJ delivered.
• E-waste recycling vs virgin metal production: 80-95% CO2e reduction for copper, aluminium, gold recovery.

Indian LCA practice draws on databases such as ecoinvent and GaBi adapted to local conditions, with the CEA (Central Electricity Authority) grid emission factor of 0.71 kg CO2e per kWh being the most-used Indian-specific value. The trade-off in LCA rigour is cost versus credibility: a full ISO 14044-compliant LCA with third-party critical review costs 8-25 lakh INR for a mid-size company, while a screening-level internal LCA can be done for under 2 lakh INR. The former is required for product environmental declarations (EPDs), B2B sustainability certifications, and regulatory submissions; the latter is sufficient for internal decision-making. Indian companies pursuing BRSR Core, CDP submissions, Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) commitments, and EU CBAM compliance are increasingly investing in formal LCA capability, often via dedicated sustainability consultancies or internal teams supported by software such as SimaPro, GaBi, or OpenLCA.