FprEN 18027

Bio-based products - Life cycle assessment - Additional requirements and guidelines for comparing the life cycles of bio-based products with their fossil-based equivalents

This document provides requirements and guidelines for comparing the life cycles of bio-based products with their fossil-based equivalents.
NOTE   The term "equivalents" generally refers to the "functional equivalence".
This document builds on existing LCA methodology and provides requirements and guidance on specific topics relevant for making well-balanced comparisons.

Biobasierte Produkte - Ökobilanzen - Zusätzliche Anforderungen und Leitlinien für den Vergleich der Lebenszyklen von biobasierten Produkten mit ihren fossilen Pendants

Dieses Dokument enthält Anforderungen und Richtlinien für den Vergleich der Lebenszyklen biobasierter Produkte mit ihren fossilbasierten Äquivalenten.
ANMERKUNG   Der Begriff "Äquivalente" bezieht sich grundsätzlich auf die "funktionale Äquivalenz".
Dieses Dokument baut auf einer bestehenden Ökobilanz-Methodologie auf und enthält Anforderungen und Anleitungen zu spezifischen, für die Erstellung ausgewogener Vergleiche relevanten, Themen.

Produits biosourcés - Analyse du cycle de vie - Exigences et lignes directrices supplémentaires concernant la comparaison des cycles de vie de produits biosourcés avec leurs équivalents d’origine fossile

Le présent document fournit des exigences et des lignes directrices concernant la comparaison des cycles de vie de produits biosourcés avec leurs équivalents d’origine fossile.
NOTE   Le terme « équivalents » fait généralement référence à « l’équivalence fonctionnelle ».
Le présent document s’appuie sur la méthodologie d’ACV existante et fournit des exigences et des recommandations sur des sujets particuliers pour la réalisation de comparaisons parfaitement équilibrées.

Bioizdelki - Ocenjevanje življenjskega cikla - Dodatne zahteve in smernice za primerjavo življenjskih ciklov bioloških proizvodov z enakovrednimi proizvodi na osnovi fosilnih goriv

General Information

• Status: Not Published
• Publication Date: 12-Mar-2025
• ICS: 13.020.55 - Biobased products
• ICS: 13.020.60 - Product life-cycles
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 411 - Bio-based products
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 411/WG 4 - Sustainability criteria, life cycle analysis and related issues
• Current Stage: 5020 - Submission to Vote - Formal Approval
• Start Date: 21-Nov-2024
• Due Date: 11-Mar-2025
• Completion Date: 21-Nov-2024
• Ref Project: kSIST FprEN 18027:2024 - Bio-based products - Life cycle assessment - Additional requirements and guidelines for comparing the life cycles of bio-based products with their fossil-based equivalents

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
oSIST prEN 18027:2024
01-februar-2024
Bioizdelki - Ocenjevanje življenjskega cikla - Dodatne zahteve in smernice za
primerjavo življenjskih ciklov bioloških proizvodov z enakovrednimi proizvodi na
osnovi fosilnih goriv
Bio-based products - Life cycle assessment - Additional requirements and guidelines for
comparing the life cycles of bio-based products with their fossil-based equivalents
Biobasierte Produkte - Ökobilanzen - Zusätzliche Anforderungen und Leitlinien für den
Vergleich der Lebenszyklen von biobasierten Produkten mit ihren fossilen Pendants
Produits biosourcés - Analyse du cycle de vie - Exigences et lignes directrices
supplémentaires concernant la comparaison des cycles de vie de produits biosourcés
avec leurs équivalents d’origine fossile
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 18027
ICS:
13.020.55 Biološki izdelki Biobased products
13.020.60 Življenjski ciklusi izdelkov Product life-cycles
oSIST prEN 18027:2024 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

oSIST prEN 18027:2024
oSIST prEN 18027:2024
DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
prEN 18027
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
November 2023
ICS 13.020.55
English Version
Bio-based products - Life cycle assessment - Additional
requirements and guidelines for comparing the life cycles
of bio-based products with their fossil-based equivalents
Biobasierte Produkte - Ökobilanzen - Zusätzliche
Anforderungen und Leitlinien für den Vergleich der
Lebenszyklen von biobasierten Produkten mit ihren
fossilen Pendants
This draft European Standard is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee
CEN/TC 411.
If this draft becomes a European Standard, CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations
which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.

This draft European Standard was established by CEN in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other
language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are
aware and to provide supporting documentation.

Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without
notice and shall not be referred to as a European Standard.

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2023 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. prEN 18027:2023 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

oSIST prEN 18027:2024
prEN 18027:2023 (E)
Contents Page
European foreword . 4
Introduction . 5
1 Scope . 7
2 Normative references . 7
3 Terms and definitions . 7
4 General principles for LCA studies which compare bio-based with fossil-based
products . 8
4.1 General. 8
4.2 Life cycle perspective . 8
4.3 Environmental focus . 8
4.4 Relative approach (and functional unit) . 8
4.5 Iterative approach . 8
4.6 Transparency . 8
4.7 Comprehensiveness . 9
4.8 Priority of scientific approach . 9
5 General requirements for LCA studies which compare bio-based with fossil-based
products . 9
5.1 General. 9
6 Aspects to consider . 11
6.1 General. 11
6.2 Guidance and requirements on biogenic and fossil carbon flows . 11
6.2.1 Modelling considerations for carbon flows . 11
6.2.2 Quantification of removal/emissions of biogenic carbon . 12
6.2.3 Delayed emissions . 13
6.3 Guidance and requirements for establishing systems for a comparison based on
functional relevance . 14
6.3.1 Data requirements and sources / Data asymmetry . 14
6.3.2 Reference product . 17
6.3.3 Emerging technologies . 17
6.4 Guidance and requirements on specific aspects of bio-based and fossil-based systems
................................................................................................................................................................... 18
6.4.1 Resource-related aspects . 18
6.4.2 End-of-life aspects . 21
6.4.3 Emerging impact categories. 23
7 Guidance and requirements for interpretation and reporting . 25
7.1 General. 25
7.2 Normalization and weighting . 25
7.2.1 General. 25
7.2.2 Goal and scope . 26
7.2.3 Life cycle inventory . 26
7.3 Interpretation . 26
7.3.1 General. 26
7.3.2 Modelling and considerations for carbon flows . 27
7.3.3 Delayed emissions . 27
7.3.4 Emerging technologies . 27
7.3.5 Land use . 28
7.3.6 Feedstock sourcing . 28
oSIST prEN 18027:2024
prEN 18027:2023 (E)
7.3.7 Biodiversity impacts . 28
7.3.8 Normalization and weighting . 29
7.4 Reporting . 29
7.4.1 General . 29
7.4.2 Additional requirements and guidance for third-party reports . 29
7.4.3 Quantification of removal/emissions of biogenic carbon . 29
7.4.4 Delayed emissions . 30
7.4.5 Data requirements and sources . 30
7.4.6 Biodiversity impacts . 30
7.5 Critical review . 30
7.5.1 Modelling considerations for carbon flows. 30
Annex A (informative) Overview of key aspects of approaches for biogenic carbon
accounting adopted in relevant standards and guidelines . 31
Annex B (informative) Examples related to different aspects . 38
Annex C (informative) Models for land use . 52
Bibliography . 53
oSIST prEN 18027:2024
prEN 18027:2023 (E)
European foreword
This document (prEN 18027:2023) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 411 “Bio-based
products”, the secretariat of which is held by NEN.
This document is currently submitted to the CEN Enquiry.
This document is complementary to EN 16760:2015 Bio-based products – Life cycle assessment.
oSIST prEN 18027:2024
prEN 18027:2023 (E)
Introduction
Bio-based products from forestry and agriculture have a long history of application, such as paper, board
and various chemicals and materials. The last decades have seen the emergence of new bio-based
products in the market. Some of the reasons for the increased interest lie in the benefits of bio-based
products in relation to the depletion of fossil resources and climate change. Bio-based products can also
provide additional product functionalities. These developments have triggered a wave of innovation with
the development of knowledge and technologies allowing new transformation processes and product
development.
Acknowledging the need for common standards for bio-based products, the European Commission issued
mandate M/492 , resulting in a series of standards developed by CEN/TC 411 during 2012-2017, with a
focus on bio-based products other than food, feed and biomass for energy applications. This document
was developed after the expiration of the mandate, upon the initiative of CEN/TC 411/WG 4.
The standards of CEN/TC 411 “Bio-based products” provide a common basis on the following aspects:
— common terminology;
— bio-based content determination;
— life cycle assessment (LCA);
— sustainability aspects; and
— declaration tools.
It is important to understand what the term bio-based product covers and how it is being used. The term
‘bio-based’ means 'derived from biomass'. Bio-based products (bottles, insulation materials, wood and
wood products, paper, solvents, chemical intermediates, composite materials, etc.) are products which
are wholly or partly derived from biomass. It is essential to characterize the amount of
...