End-of-life carbon footprint

The end-of-life carbon footprint quantifies the greenhouse gas emissions generated during the final stage of a product or service: dismantling, post-consumer transport, treatment, recycling, energy recovery or final disposal in landfill. It completes the life-cycle perspective by adding to embodied carbon and the use-phase carbon footprint.

In construction life-cycle accounting it corresponds to modules C1 to C4 of the European standard EN 15978, while module D captures the benefits and loads beyond the system boundary, such as credits for recovered materials and energy.

Stages considered

• Collection and transport: fuel emissions from waste logistics.
• Processing: shredding, sorting and cleaning.
• Recycling and recovery: energy used, and credits for secondary material that replaces virgin material.
• Disposal: methane emissions from landfill, and incineration with or without energy recovery.

Calculation models

• EN 15804 and EN 15978 for construction products and buildings (modules C1 to C4 and D).
• ISO 14044 with clearly defined end-of-life scenarios.
• Recognised emission-factor databases such as Ecoinvent and the US EPA WARM model.

Recycling credits (module D)

The avoided impacts from substituting primary materials are subtracted from the footprint, but the result depends on the allocation rules chosen (for example closed-loop or a defined split between producer and recycler), so the methodology must be stated transparently.

Reduction strategies

• Design for disassembly: making it easy to separate materials.
• Mono-materials: single-polymer packaging that is easier to recycle.
• Take-back programmes: optimised reverse logistics.
• Renewable energy in recycling and treatment facilities.

Indicators

• kg CO2e per tonne of waste treated.
• kg CO2e per functional unit offset through recycling.

Relation to other concepts

• It completes the total carbon footprint alongside embodied carbon and use-phase carbon.
• It feeds into carbon-neutrality claims, which today are framed by ISO 14068-1:2023 (the standard that replaced the now-withdrawn PAS 2060).

Considering the end-of-life carbon footprint makes it possible to identify circular-economy opportunities and to comply with waste and climate regulations. At Manglai we help companies measure their carbon footprint and prepare their sustainability reporting. Discover how Manglai can help you.