Details on PrintReleaf's Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) per the American Forestry & Paper Association (AF&PA) guidelines
A lifecycle assessment, as it relates to carbon accounting, is a framework used for quantifying and publicly reporting the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals associated with a specific product such as paper or fiber-based packaging products.
LCA standards focus on emissions and removals generated during a product’s life cycle, encompassing all scopes from production to disposal.
3 Categories a.k.a 'Scopes'
Scope 1 - Direct emissions from sources controlled or owned by an organization (e.g., fuel combustion in boilers, furnaces, vehicles).
Scope 2 - Indirect emissions resulting from an organization's energy use (e,g,, purchase of heat or cooling systems).
Scope 3 - Emissions relating to a company’s activities or operations (e.g., printing paper or fiber/based products)
There are several standards companies can leverage to emphasize transparency and help manage product-related GHG risks for long-term competitive success in business and readiness for future product-related programs and policies.
PrintReleaf is aligned with multiple LCA standards to provide measurement options which best align with each customer’s interest. Our default LCA is set by the American Forestry & Paper Association (AF&PA) calculating a carbon offset for every 117,647 sheets of standard paper or 1,173.42 lbs of fiber-based print or packaging material. This means that for every metric ton of CO2 measured, we issue a carbon offset to compensate for the environmental impact caused by the production process and use of paper.
By investing in carbon offset projects, companies can significantly lower their carbon footprint, aligning with global sustainability goals and improving their environmental impact reporting under corporate carbon accounting frameworks.