Letbek has, in collaboration with the research platform MADE developed a carbon footprint calculator that will create a basis for more fact-based knowledge about the climate impact of a product. The aim of this work is to calculate and make it visible how much a product actually burdens the CO2 account.
How CO2 Impact is Calculated
The calculation is based on several parameters in the product journey – from the impact of the raw material in connection with extraction, transport from the supplier, waste materials, packaging to energy consumption on the production line itself. It functions as a screening of the CO2 footprint of the product, where all Letbek’s sub-processes are included to provide factual data, which generates a figure of kg CO2 eq that the product has burdened the climate with.
– The calculated figure is an expression of how much the product has burdened the climate with in terms of CO2 up until the day it leaves the ramp here at Letbek. In addition to the data and detailed information from our own measurements, it also contains other parameters, which are based on the information we receive from our raw material suppliers and generic data from, among others, PlasticsEurope and Force Technology.
CO2 SCREENING OF ACCESS PLATES
One of the many products that Letbek produces is driving protection plates, which are a standard product produced for the construction industry – in 98% recycled plastic.
The CO2 calculation of the production of these plates in 98% recycled plastic shows that approx. 17 kg CO2 eq. per plate is emitted. Whereas the emission when using virgin plastic would be approx. 67 kg CO2 eq.
The calculation thus shows that a reduction in emissions of 74% is achieved when using recycled plastic.
Call for Transparency and Initiative
To help our customers with their climate reporting, and as part of the company’s overall focus on climate impact, Letbek has implemented the CO2 calculator in the company’s ERP system, so that it is possible to get CO2 data at product level on the invoice. The calculator is also used as a guide when developing new products, in this way CO2 emissions become a design parameter.
The carbon footprint screening method has been developed in collaboration with Force Technology, where primary data is based on measurements of Letbek’s own production. Secondary process data is based on international LCA databases (Ecoinvent, Sphera and Plastics Europe).
The screening follows the ISO standard 14067 with the exception of critical review and third party verification, which can be purchased if desired. In addition, there is EPD’s on selected products.
