R&D Product and/or Packaging Design
Scenario Tools
What
Company and product specific tools developed to conduct streamlined cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment (LCA) comparison between two packaging designs. A Packaging Footprint Assessment Tool was developed to do side-by-side comparisons and enable the ability to adjust assumed recycling rates, as well as other drivers within the estimates of the designs.
Why
The results generated from a simulation using a product or packaging tool can reveal the potential environmental benefits or disadvantages to incorporating new or different design elements.
How
Understanding product details like the raw materials that comprise a product, the product's lifetime, and what happens to it at the end of its useful life are critical in making a reliable modeling tool.
Tools are built in Microsoft Excel to enable the user to see behind the curtain. This ensures published methodologies can be audited and verified with confidence and it also allows users to make changes as needed.
Impact
Company and product specific tool development provides data and comparisons to make credible and defensible claims. Data, comparisons, and claims are the foundation of showcasing a company's sustainable products.