Shortly about Environmental Product Declaration

The Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) study means evaluating the environmental impacts of a product (or service) from cradle to grave. The study was performed following the requirements of International LCA standards (ISO 14040 and 14044), Product Category Rules (PCRs) for Explosives and Initiation systems (NPCR 024:2016 version 1.0), and Standard EN 15804:2012. The LCA and the EPDs have been verified by a third party. The LCA study was performed during 2019–2020 to provide information for the eleven Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). Global warming potential (GWP) result defines the carbon footprint of studied product per functional unit (i.e. per 1 kg of a product). All greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are included in the GWP impact category using individual characterisation factors for each substance to convert them to CO2 equivalents.

This work stated that the raw materials that have the highest mass fraction in a product, also have the highest contribution to GWP. In most cases, the transportation phase of raw materials and finished or semi-finished products to user site have lower GWP impact than what is caused in the detonation phase. We see this comprehensive study as a good way of gathering information for ourselves on life-cycle accountability. It is a tool for R&D and it is utilised by customers, as well. In the future, we need to consider how to increase the use of renewable energy and secondary fuels and materials in our processes and raw materials.

CASE EXAMPLE

In the LCA calculation, the environmental impacts are divided into five different stages (A1-A5). Below an example of one product, Kemix A.