Product Carbon Footprint (PCF)

For companies, there are two different ways of looking at a greenhouse gas balance: The Corporate Carbon Footprint (CCF) as a company-related approach and the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) as a product-related approach.

The Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) is the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere from the manufacture, processing,packaging, transportation and use of a product throughout its life cycle. It is a measure of the environmental impact of a particular product and an important component of sustainability assessment. For the PCF, all process stages are examined, from development, manufacture, transport of raw materials and precursors, through production and distribution, to use, after-use and disposal.

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There are various approaches to calculating the PCF of a product:

1. direct method: calculation of carbon emissions and absorptions resulting directly from the production and use of the product.

2. indirect method: calculation of carbon emissions resulting from the production of raw materials used to manufacture the product and from the transport, storage and sale of the product.

3. life cycle approach: taking into account all carbon emissions and absorption that occur throughout the product's life cycle, including manufacturing, transportation, use, maintenance and disposal of the product.

4. input-output approach: consideration of carbon emissions resulting from the use of products and services required for product manufacture.

5. cradle-to-grave approach: taking into account all carbon emissions and absorption that occur throughout the product's life cycle, from manufacture to sale to disposal.

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