--- title: "Digitalization Makes LCA More Accurate and Traceable" id: "12163" type: "post" slug: "digitalization-makes-lca-more-accurate-and-traceable" published_at: "2026-09-29T13:28:07+00:00" modified_at: "2026-09-24T17:30:45+00:00" url: "https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/09/digitalization-makes-lca-more-accurate-and-traceable-012163/" markdown_url: "https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/09/digitalization-makes-lca-more-accurate-and-traceable-012163.md" excerpt: "Digital tools bring real-time data, traceability, and automated updates to LCA, improving environmental decisions across the value chain." taxonomy_category: - "Circular Economy" - "Design" - "Education & Training" - "Flexible Packaging" - "Food Packaging" - "Industry" - "Industry 4.0" - "Medical" - "Packaging" - "People" - "Process" - "Semi-Finished Products" - "Software" - "Sustainability" - "Trending" taxonomy_post_tag: - "automated LCA" - "circular economy data" - "Digital Product Passport" - "digitalized LCA" - "LCA data transparency" - "LCA traceability" - "life cycle assessment software" - "Product Carbon Footprint" - "real-time LCA" - "sustainability data" --- [Home](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/) » [News](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/news/) » [Trending](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/c/trending/) » [Software](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/c/trending/software/) » Digitalization Makes LCA More Accurate and Traceable # Digitalization Makes LCA More Accurate and Traceable Recent efforts aim to bring real-time data into life cycle assessment. Digitized information can help identify where the largest environmental impacts occur across the value chain. ### Digital tools bring real-time data, traceability, and automated updates to LCA, improving environmental decisions across the value chain. ## From Static Data to Dynamic LCA Life cycle assessment, or LCA, has become one of the most widely used tools for evaluating environmental impacts across a product’s value chain. Now, digitalization is pushing the methodology toward more dynamic and data-rich applications. **You can also read:**[Digital Product Passports: Revolutionizing Transparency and Sustainability](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2024/05/digital-product-passports-revolutionizing-transparency-and-sustainability-004676/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) Traditional LCAs often rely on large datasets from databases that remain static or update only at set intervals. Digital tools can change that model by connecting assessments with operational data generated across production, logistics, energy use, and waste management. As a result, companies can move from largely manual studies toward more dynamic assessments that reflect changing conditions more quickly. Digitalized LCAs can also incorporate more granular measurements from production systems. This allows companies to account for variables such as changes in electricity sourcing, transportation routes, production efficiency, and specific recycling pathways. The result is not necessarily a completely real-time LCA in every application. However, more frequent and automated data updates can improve the accuracy, relevance, and usability of environmental assessments. ## Digital Product Passports Expand Traceability Digitalization can also connect LCA results with emerging digital product passport systems. Companies could use these connections to support carbon-footprint reporting, recycled-content verification, chemical transparency, and other sustainability metrics. More traceable information can strengthen decision-making for manufacturers, suppliers, customers, and policymakers. This integration also makes environmental information easier to update as production conditions change. Instead of relying only on historical averages, companies can increasingly work with data that reflect more recent material, energy, and logistics inputs. ## Covestro Advances Digital LCA Chemical and raw-material supplier [Covestro](https://www.covestro.com/press/life-cycle-assessments-digitalized-boosting-transparency/) is among the companies expanding the use of digital tools in life cycle assessment. The company has developed a platform that uses digital data to assess the climate impact of approximately 50,000 finished products through cradle-to-gate product carbon footprints. According to Covestro, TÜV Rheinland certifies the methodologies, which follow relevant ISO standards. > “Digitalization enables us to gather and process larger data sets automatically, while reflecting timely changes at our production sites,” says Dr. Torsten Heinemann, Global Head of Group Innovation and Sustainability at Covestro. Heinemann adds that digitalization reduces reliance on manual spreadsheets and calculations while making annual data updates more efficient. The platform combines information from several sources. Raw-material impact data come from suppliers or external databases, while energy consumption, waste, and other operational inputs can come directly from enterprise resource planning systems such as SAP. Covestro also evaluates environmental indicators beyond greenhouse gas emissions. These include categories such as acidification potential and photochemical ozone creation potential. ## Circularity Depends on Trusted Data Covestro also aims to improve data exchange across the value chain. Information generated through its digital tools can connect with data-exchange platforms such as Catena-X and SiGreen. These systems can support more harmonized information sharing between upstream suppliers and downstream customers. The broader objective is to improve transparency across the value chain and support more circular decision-making. When companies calculate LCAs using traceable and frequently updated data, stakeholders can identify where the largest environmental impacts occur. They can then prioritize improvements, particularly in greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, and material sourcing. However, digitalization alone cannot solve every data-quality challenge. Companies still need consistent methodologies, comparable datasets, and clear rules for how they collect and share environmental information. ## Industry Partnerships Remain Important Initiatives such as Together for Sustainability, or TfS, aim to establish standardized approaches for environmental data within the chemical industry. These efforts can help companies generate more comparable information across suppliers and organizations. As LCA becomes more closely connected with digital production systems, product passports, and supply-chain platforms, its role may continue to evolve. The next step is not simply calculating environmental impacts faster. It is building a transparent data infrastructure that helps companies understand impacts, compare alternatives, and act on the results. By **[Laura Florez](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/author/lauraf/)** | September 29, 2026 ##### [Laura Florez](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/author/lauraf/) [+ postsBio ⮌](#) Laura Florez is a mechanical engineer and holds a PhD in plastics processing. She has worked as an editor in the plastics industry for over 25 years and has experience in research, training, and consulting. Her main fields of expertise are injection molding and plastics recycling. - Laura Florez [Circular Automotive Foams: Recyclable TPE for Soft-Touch Parts](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/09/circular-automotive-foams-recyclable-tpe-for-soft-touch-parts-012126/) - Laura Florez [New German Project Uses AI and Batch Data to Improve PCR Quality](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/09/new-german-project-uses-ai-and-batch-data-to-improve-pcr-quality-012150/) - Laura Florez [Flexloop Targets High-Purity Recycling for Flexible Packaging](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/09/flexloop-targets-high-purity-recycling-for-flexible-packaging-012132/) - Laura Florez [Digital Process Control Supports Stable Molding of PCR and PIR](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/08/digital-process-control-supports-stable-molding-of-pcr-and-pir-011843/) ### Other posts you could read [September 2, 2026Petrochemical Feedstock Strategy Shifts Beyond Cost](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/09/petrochemical-feedstock-strategy-shifts-beyond-cost-011929/) [September 23, 2026New German Project Uses AI and Batch Data to Improve PCR Quality](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/09/new-german-project-uses-ai-and-batch-data-to-improve-pcr-quality-012150/) [September 21, 2026Similar Settings, Different Flow Marks: The Role of Melt Behavior](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/09/similar-settings-different-flow-marks-the-role-of-melt-behavior-012232/) [September 3, 2026Apricot Shell Flour Enhances Zein Bioplastics for Packaging](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/09/apricot-shell-flour-enhances-zein-bioplastics-for-packaging-011954/) [September 11, 2026Sustainability Snapshot: The LEGO Group](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/09/sustainability-snapshot-the-lego-group-012106/) [September 17, 2026Why Plastic Additives Matter for Performance and Circularity](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/09/why-plastic-additives-matter-for-performance-and-circularity-012138/) [September 22, 2026Chemical Safety in Plastics 2026 Tackles PFAS Reformulation](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/09/chemical-safety-in-plastics-2026-tackles-pfas-reformulation-012145/) [September 8, 2026AI Uses Thermal Imaging to Predict Molded Part Quality](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/09/ai-uses-thermal-imaging-to-predict-molded-part-quality-012035/) ## Share Your Thoughts [Cancel reply](/2026/09/digitalization-makes-lca-more-accurate-and-traceable-012163/#respond) - [https://twitter.com/share?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=12163&text=Digitalization+Makes+LCA+More+Accurate+and+Traceable&via=Plastics_Mag](https://twitter.com/share?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=12163&text=Digitalization+Makes+LCA+More+Accurate+and+Traceable&via=Plastics_Mag) - [https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=12163&t=Digitalization+Makes+LCA+More+Accurate+and+Traceable](https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=12163&t=Digitalization+Makes+LCA+More+Accurate+and+Traceable) - [https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=12163&title=Digitalization%20Makes%20LCA%20More%20Accurate%20and%20Traceable&summary=Digital+tools+bring+real-time+data%2C+traceability%2C+and+automated+updates+to+LCA%2C+improving+environmental+decisions+across+the+value+chain.&source=Plastics+Engineering](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=12163&title=Digitalization%20Makes%20LCA%20More%20Accurate%20and%20Traceable&summary=Digital+tools+bring+real-time+data%2C+traceability%2C+and+automated+updates+to+LCA%2C+improving+environmental+decisions+across+the+value+chain.&source=Plastics+Engineering) - [https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=12163&title=Digitalization+Makes+LCA+More+Accurate+and+Traceable](https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=12163&title=Digitalization+Makes+LCA+More+Accurate+and+Traceable) - [/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#122d616770787771662f427e7361667b716132577c757b7c7777607b7c75323f32567b757b66737e7b6873667b7d7c325f73797761325e5153325f7d607732537171676073667732737c7632466073717773707e7734707d766b2f7a66666261283d3d6565653c627e7361667b7161777c757b7c7777607b7c753c7d60753d2d622f2320232421](/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#122d616770787771662f427e7361667b716132577c757b7c7777607b7c75323f32567b757b66737e7b6873667b7d7c325f73797761325e5153325f7d607732537171676073667732737c7632466073717773707e7734707d766b2f7a66666261283d3d6565653c627e7361667b7161777c757b7c7777607b7c753c7d60753d2d622f2320232421) - [#comments](#comments)