The Five Phases of LCA – The Methodology Behind an EPD

The LCA (Life Cycle Assessment), compliant with European standards, is structured into five phases. These cover all upstream activities in the production process, the data collected during production, and downstream activities. The methodology includes defining the objectives and scope, compiling the inventory analysis, conducting the impact assessment, and finally, interpreting the results.

This was the method used for the Life Cycle Assessment conducted by the PNA (Pietra Naturale Autentica) Business Network, with the aim of analysing the supply chain of stone slab producers and the impacts of each production phase. The LCA study quantified the average impact of a natural stone random slab with a thickness of 2 cm. The environmental analysis covered 12 materials quarried and processed in Italy and 8 materials quarried abroad but processed in Italy. The study considered a total of 174,033 tonnes of regular blocks processed into slabs.

The impact values were found to be very similar to the average results reported in nine existing EPDs (Environmental Product Declarations) for stone random slabs.

Comparisons with other wall and floor covering materials such as ceramics are more difficult. A meaningful comparison should take into account the product’s useful life, any required maintenance, and end-of-life treatment. Stone products, in fact, have a longer lifespan and, once decommissioned, can be crushed or reduced to aggregates for reuse in other applications.

The study is also robust due to the fact that it is based almost entirely on primary data collected directly from quarries and processing plants. It is geographically representative, and its temporal representativeness is excellent, as all data refer to the year 2023.

The completed LCA serves as a foundation for a future sector-wide EPD certification for slabs produced in Italy. At an international level, the study also contributes to the future development of guidelines for harmonising LCA studies in the ornamental stone sector.

Focus intervista
Claudia Chiappino, Mining Engineer

“Today, companies can make the most of LCA results and become more competitive”.

There is a highly constructive and operational way for networked companies to make the most of the completed LCA. They can collect the results and work with the data, improving their environmental performance through direct actions on the production cycle. It’s also worth noting that the LCA of each individual company serves as an “identity card”, enabling them to engage more effectively with clients and stakeholders—both internal and external—significantly boosting their competitiveness.

They are very interested, and many were ready to respond from the outset. That’s no small feat for the quarrying sector, where data collection is not always straightforward and often requires an extra effort—which, I can confidently say, has been rewarded by the excellent results achieved.