Polykemi Group’s material-smart life cycle analysis – now with third-party certification

“The study validates our methodology, and we are very proud of that,” says Polykemi’s Henrik Palokangas.

Polykemi’s sustainability specialists for polymers regularly give presentations about the scientific study that shows customers how they can reduce their carbon footprint. In order to further verify the objectivity of the study and the information that the specialists provide to the customers, the company chose to have the study certified and validated by a third party.

“The process of conducting a life cycle analysis (LCA) is complex and the results are based on the assumptions that were made. The third-party certification proves that our assumptions were correct,” explains Henrik Palokangas, Sustainability Specialist for polymer materials at Polykemi.

 The third-party certification was carried out by ESU-Services, the competence center for the LCA software Sima Pro in Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Lichtenstein. The excerpt below from their conclusions clearly validates Polykemi Group’s methodology.

“The goal and scope are appropriately defined. The methods used are scientifically and technically valid. The data used are appropriate and reasonable in view of the goal and scope of the study. The report is complete, clearly structured, and well-readable. Conclusions and recommendations are based on the results of the analyses and complies with the requirements of the ISO standards 14040 and 14044”.

“The result proves that the delimitations and assumptions that we made provide an accurate picture of the materials’ climate impacts,” says Henrik Palokangas.

Henrik Palokangas, Sustainability Specialist for polymer materials at Polykemi.

“Credibility is important to us. Our customers and partners need to know that when they work with Polykemi Group, they can trust in what we say.”

Scientific study completed on two continents

Polykemi Group’s scientific study provides the customers with accurate and necessary information to calculate the climate impact of their material choice. This allows for the optimal solution combining both sustainability and cost efficiency.

The LCA study was conducted at the head office in Ystad, Sweden, during 2020, and at the end of 2021, a corresponding scientific study was carried out at Polykemi Compounds Kunshan in China. When Polykemi Inc has completed its production unit in the USA, a study will be conducted there as well.

“Thanks to Polykemi Group’s solid know-how in plastic compounds, based on both virgin and recycled raw materials, we can develop optimized materials in terms of climate performance, properties and costs,” says Palokangas. “These are three parameters that go hand in hand when used correctly.”