Application of LCA in German industry

Abstract

This article summarises the findings of a survey on the application of LCA in German industry. It elaborates on the objectives and the considered products of LCAs in different industrial branches. Positively answered questionnaires have primarily been received from the automobile industry, followed by the chemical and paper and print industries. In general, German industry has become more experienced with LCA and will continue to apply this instrument in the near future. The evaluation reveals that the prevailing objective is product and process optimisation, while the utilisation for procurement, for example, is not yet wide spread. Furthermore, LCA is used for information purposes, while the major target groups are customers and consumers. Companies, however, especially those in the automobile industry, do not always make these studies available to the public. It appears that food companies use LCAs in a more offensive fashion, while chemical industry applies these instruments for more defensive reasons. Few LCAs have been conducted by industrial associations. For them, they more often serve external purposes, i.e. information of interest groups is more important than product optimisation.