(558g) A 1-2-3 of Performing Industrial Life Cycle Assessments

The purpose of this talk is to increase awareness of Dow’s sustainability strategies for Path to Zero. The author will give an overview of how Life Cycle Assessment is currently performed within the company, what gaps exist and a call to action for what needs to be done to bridge that gap. Industry-Academia or collaborations between companies would be necessary to innovate in the technology space to help Dow achieve the steep sustainability targets.

Industrial Life Cycle Assessments are performed to understand the cradle to gate or cradle to grave impacts of processes, products sold, or application of products. The assessments are performed using primary (process) data from the company and secondary data from publicly available databases for emission factors. The initial assessments are accompanied by sensitivity analysis, impact reduction opportunities and data quality assessments. These in accordance with ISO standards are then validated with external entities and publicly disclosed afterwards.

These analytical quantifications typically happen internally within corporations with limited external visibility to the workflows and external validation process. This presentation aims to bridge this gap in visibility and knowledge. The authors aim to provide case studies on life cycle assessments developed internally and externally validated. These span broad businesses and use cases to provide a flavor for the types of life cycle assessments performed in industry.

Industry-academia collaboration is vital for achieving zero emission goals, as it combines academia's innovative research capabilities with industry's practical applications and resources. This partnership accelerates the development and implementation of sustainable technologies, ensuring that academic breakthroughs transition efficiently into market-ready solutions. By working together, both sectors can leverage their strengths to address climate change challenges more effectively and rapidly.