Innovations for Greenhouse Gas
Reductions-Life Cycle Analysis of Chemical Products
in Japan and around the World-carbon-Life Cycle Analysis (cLCA)

Third Edition - Summary

March 2014
Japan Chemical Industry Association(general incorporated association)

Table of Contents
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................1
Executive summary...............................................................................................................................3
1.

Overview and conclusions.............................................................................................................3
1-1

ICCA Report (July 2009) .......................................................................................................3

1-2

Japan Chemical Industry Association (JCIA) Report (July 2011) ..........................................3

1-3

JCIA Guidelines (February 2012) ..........................................................................................4

1-4

Second edition of the JCIA Report (October 2012) ...............................................................4

1-5

JCIA Guidelines (October 2013) ............................................................................................5

1-6

Third edition of the JCIA Report (March 2014) .....................................................................7

1.7

Conclusion ............................................................................................................................72.

The chemical industry in Japan .....................................................................................................7

3.

Concept of cLCA (extracted from the ICCA Report) ....................................................................84.

Summary of the examples of assessment of products to be manufactured in Japan in 2020 ........95.

Summary of the examples of assessment in the world concerning products that are
expected to be manufactured in 2020 .......................................................................................... 14

1.

About the chemical industry........................................................................................................ 15
1.1

Features of the chemical industry .........................................................................................15

1.2

Features of the chemical industry in Japan (overview as of 2011) .......................................15

1.3

Approach taken by the chemical industry in Japan concerning the prevention of
global warming ..................................................................................................................... 16

2.

Concerning cLCA (carbon Life Cycle Analysis) .........................................................................24

2.1 Concept of cLCA (carbon Life Cycle Analysis) ..........................................................................24
2.2

cLCA Report of ICCA .......................................................................................................... 25

Introduction
The chemical industry provides products that are essential to ourlives and, at the same time, contributes to humankind by creating
new markets through the development of new materials andprocesses. In addition, the industry plays an important role as a"solution provider" (a provider of a method of settlement) thatprovides the products and technologies required for preventive
measures against global warming that are centered on a reduction
in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
In 2009, the International Council of Chemical Associations(ICCA) carried out logical and demonstrative analyses called carbon Life Cycle Analysis (cLCA) in
which the avoided CO2 emissions were calculated based on the difference between CO2 emissions of
final products that use chemical products and CO2 emissions of products for comparison, over theentire life cycle from the procurement of raw materials, through manufacture and usage, todisposal/recycling.

The analyses showed that chemical products made a great contribution to the

reduction in CO2 emissions in the world.
ICCA engages in various activities concerning preventive measures against global warming in the"Energy and Climate Leadership Group."

On this subject, Japan is the chair country and the Japan

Chemical Industry Association (JCIA) serves as the secretariat, thereby playing a leading role incarrying out preventive measures against global warming in the world.
In February 2012, JCIA published "Guidelines for Calculating the Avoided CO2 Emissions",
which clarified the rules for calculating the avoided CO2 emissions and highlighted the practicalmatters to be noted. Through this publication, JCIA sought to improve the transparency andreliability of cLCA.
In the meantime, in October 2013, ICCA and the Chemical Sector of the World Business Councilof Sustainable Development (WBCSD) issued "Addressing the Avoided GHG Emissions
Challenge," Global Guidelines on the basis of the Guidelines of JCIA, based on the ISO standards
for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and additionally consistent with the GHG Protocol as well as
advanced standards and specifications for the carbon footprint.
Furthermore, in July 2011, JCIA issued the first edition of its "Life Cycle Analysis of Chemical
Products in Japan (JCIA Report)", in which examples of cLCA were presented by providing a bird's
eye view of the entire life cycle of chemical products, from the procurement of raw materials,
through manufacture and usage, to disposal/recycling, and in December 2012, it issued the second
edition that contained ten examples of contributions in Japan and four examples of contributions
from around the world.
JCIA is now ready to issue the third edition of the JCIA Report that contains 15 examples ofcontributions in Japan and four examples from around the world.

1

These examples include newexamples in addition to the examples included in the second edition of the report that have been
re-evaluated according to the Global Guidelines.
It is our hope that this report and the range of JCIA initiatives concerning the problem of global
warming will lead to a renewed understanding that the chemical industry is a "solution provider" that
contributes to society through the reduction in CO2 emissions and that it is important to strive for areal reduction in CO2 emissions as a preventive measure against global warming by understanding
the state of CO2 emissions through a product's life cycle.
March 2014
Kyohei Takahashi, Chairperson, Japan Chemical Industry Association

2

Executive summary
1. Overview and conclusions
The Japan Chemical Industry Association has been soliciting parties engaged in discussions
related to GHG1 emissions from products and technologies to understand the importance ofevaluating GHG emissions in the life cycle of chemical products.
This report is the third edition following "Life Cycle Analysis of Chemical Products in Japan carbon Life Cycle Analysis (cLCA)" issued in 2011 and "Life Cycle Analysis of Chemical Products inJapan and around the World - carbon Life Cycle Analysis (cLCA)" issued in 2012, and addresses
reduction in GHG emissions. Sections 1-1, 1-2, 1-3 and 1-4 describe the main points of the productsof the chemical industry that were published before, while Section 1-5 outlines newly issued products,
and 1-6 outlines the revisions made. The remainder of the report summarizes the conclusions.

1-1

ICCA Report (July 2009)

The chemical industry (which includes plastic and rubber, but does
not include metal, glass or cement)2contributes to the reduction of
GHG emissions in other industries and throughout society as a wholethrough the use of products.

From this viewpoint, ICCA

(International Council of Chemical Association) prepared a cLCA
report by investigating the GHG emissions from chemical products inthe world in their life cycle, with a perspective that provides a bird's
eye view of the entire life cycle from the procurement of raw
materials, through manufacture and usage, to disposal. The report

Fig. 1. ICCA Reportmakes comparisons of the GHG emissions from chemical products inspecific applications with those produced through the second-best alternative measures that are
employed in industries other than the chemical industry.

1-2

Japan Chemical Industry Association (JCIA) Report(July 2011)

The first edition issued by JCIA in July 2011 evaluated the
avoided CO2 emissions when the products that were expected to be
manufactured during the one year under assessment would havebeen used until the end of their life.
the year under assessment.

The year 2020 was taken as

Nine examples were analyzed

1Fig. 2. JCIA Report

Greenhouse Gases: Six types of gases, i.e. carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O = dinitrogenmonoxide), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6).
2
Website of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, "Statistical Investigation of Industries, Material Related toClassification, Industrial Classification Code File"
http://www.meti.go.jp/statistics/tyo/kougyo/result-4.html#menu08 In the Subsection of Industrial Classification (2digits), 16, 18 and 19 are being considered.

3

quantitatively in the fields of renewable energy and energy saving, concerning the avoided CO2
emissions throughout society resulting from the use of specific chemical products in Japan.

Thereport compares the emissions of finished products that incorporate chemical products over their life
cycle with the emissions of finished products that incorporate the products for comparison over theirlife cycle.

As a result of these analyses, it has been made clear that the chemical products describedin the report are key materials that contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions by about 110 million
tons on a finished-product basis.
Note that, as stated in the "Guidelines for Calculating the Avoided CO2 emissions" issued by JCIA
(described later), no allocation was made for the degree of contribution to the emission abatement.
The details of the description are given below.
“If a certain product being evaluated achieved a reduction in CO2 emissions, it is rare that the effectis solely due to the individual product. In almost all cases, multiple constituent elements contributeto the effect. In such cases, if the degree of contribution according to that for each constituent
element can be obtained, then it can be expected that the effect of solicitation will be increased as the
avoided CO2 emissions by chemical products and technologies. However, no technique for theobjective and reasonable calculation of the degree of contribution has been established and it isdifficult to obtain the degree of contribution. For these reasons, no technique for calculating thedegree of contribution has been defined.”
1-3

JCIA Guidelines (February 2012)

After the issuance of the first edition, JCIA devised the"Guidelines for Calculating the Avoided CO2 Emissions" toensure transparency and reliability of cLCA.

The guidelines

were issued as a booklet in February 2012.
The guidelines were prepared with a view to [1] presenting
consistent criteria for the method of calculating the avoided CO2
emissions by the chemical industry by means of the cLCA
technique, thereby identifying and organizing the practical mattersto be noted; and [2] preventing any irregularities in the results ascaused by differences in technique or the method of calculation,

Fig. 3. JCIA Guidelines

thereby increasing the transparency and reliability of cLCA.
1-4

Second edition of the JCIA Report (October 2012)

Based on the guidelines devised in February 2012, it wasrecently decided that the second edition would be issued, inwhich more examples are presented by conducting
assessments on ten examples of contribution to the reduction
in greenhouse gases in Japan and four examples from aroundthe world by [1] revising the results of assessment using
cLCA for the examples given in the first edition and [2] byincluding new examples.

4

Fig. 4. JCIA Report Second Edition

(Details of the revisions)[1] Review of numerical values for calculation by means of continued investigation into sources
As a result of continued investigations into the sources, the numerical values for motor
efficiency and the service lives of the products have been reviewed and re-evaluated withregard to the examples of Hall effect devices and Hall effect ICs.
[2] Inclusion of new examples
Japan:

Materials for fuel-efficient tires; materials for high-durability apartments

World:

Automotive materials (carbon fiber); materials for aircraft (carbon fiber); materials
for air conditioners (Hall effect devices; Hall effect ICs)

1-5

JCIA Guidelines (October 2013)

ICCA and the Chemical Sector of the World BusinessCouncil for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) devised "Maintitle: Addressing the Avoided GHG Emissions Challenge;
Subtitle: Guidelines from the chemical industry for accounting
for and reporting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions avoided
along the value chain based on comparative studies," Global
Guidelines prepared on the basis of the "Guidelines for
Calculating the Avoided CO2 Emissions" devised by JCIA, andissued the guidelines in October 2013. The guidelines are thefirst international guidelines for calculating avoided GHG

Fig. 5. Global Guidelines

emissions enabled by chemical products.
The Global Guidelines provide guidelines for calculating avoided GHG emissions enabled bychemical products, by comparing two products with the same user benefit.

The guidelines also

give guidance on how to communicate the results.
 Relationship to existing standards and guidelines
The Global Guidelines build on internationally accepted requirements and guidelines (found in the
ISO 14040 (1) and ISO 14044 (2) related to LCA) and are inspired by the "Guideline for Calculating
the Avoided CO2 Emission (2012)" devised by JCIA.

In addition, the guidelines aim to beconsistent with leading standards and specifications for the product carbon footprint (including the
GHG Protocol "Product Life Cycle Accounting and Reporting Standard (2011)," "PAS2050 (2011),"and ISO/TS 14067 (2013). The guidelines provide a step-by-step procedure to estimate thedifferences in GHG emissions between products.

They focus on common challenges of LCA

practitioners (people and organizations carrying out studies) in the chemical industry. In particular,
they take into account the upstream position of chemical products in the value chain and provide away to reliably quantify the effect a chemical product can have on environmental impacts ofdownstream activities.

Accordingly, the guidelines go beyond existing standards.

Table 1 gives

an overview of the extra guidelines provided in the guidelines compared to ISO 14040/44.
The guidelines have been devised for all chemical companies worldwide and for their stakeholders.
Companies that seek to measure, manage and communicate the avoided GHG emissions of their5chemical products are encouraged to use this guidance document.

Widespread use of theseguidelines will increase consistent calculation and communication of avoided emissions and makecompanies’ findings more credible.
Table 1. Extra guidelines provided in the Global Guidelines on accounting and reporting
avoided emissions compared to ISO 14040/44
Guidelines in this document
Goal and Scope definition

Purpose of study (Section 3.1)
Selecting the level in the value chain (Section 3.1))
Solution to compare (Section 3.2)
Functional unit (Section 3.3)

Life Cycle Inventory (LCI)

Boundary setting (Section 3.4.1)
Methods/formulas used (Section 3.4.2)
Simplified calculation methodology (Section 3.4.3)

Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA)

Methods/formulas used (Section 3.4.2)

Interpretation

Key parameters (Section 3.4.4)
Integrating uncertainties and scenarios of future developments (Section 3.4.5)-

Assignment of the Avoided CO2 Emissions with Value chain partners (Chapter 4)

ReportReport Guidelines (Chapter 5)(Note) Excerpts from the Global Guidelines
 Overview of the Guidelines (Japanese edition)

Overview of "Addressing the Avoided GHG Emissions Challenge" (Japanese edition)

Issued by: The Japan Chemical Industry Association (general incorporated association)
Edited by: ICCA & WBCSD Chemical Sector
Format: A4, 44 pages
Contents
Executive summary
1
Introduction
Purpose of the guidelines/ How the guidelines were developed/
Who should use the guidelines/
Relationship to existing standards and guidelines/ Limitationsof the guidelines in this document2
Principles
3
Guidelines on accounting avoided GHG emissions
4
Attribution of avoided GHG emissions to value chain partner
5
Reporting guidelines
6
Annexes
Report template /Glossary /References
7
Attachment
Matters to be noted on the Japanese translation of the
Guidelines /Examples of guidelines

6

1-6

Third edition of the JCIA Report (March 2014)

This report is the third edition that contains 15 examples of contributions in Japan and four
examples from around the world, by revising the contents of the existing examples and adding six
new examples with a view to seeking consistency with the Global Guidelines issued in October 2013.
Table 2 shows the major matters of revision that have been revised in line with the Global
Guidelines.
Table 2. Items added in line with the Global Guidelines
Constituent Steps of LCA
1. Definition of Goal and Scope of Study(1)

2. Life Cycle Inventory Analysis
3. Life Cycle Interpretation
4. Others

(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)

Item
Description of the supervisor and practitionerof study
Selecting the level in the value chain
Life cycle flowchart
Key parameters that affect GHG emissions
Integrating uncertainties and scenarios of future
developments
Degree of contribution of a chemical productStudy Limitations and Future
Recommendations

(6)
(7)

1.7

Conclusion

 In the first edition through the third edition of the JCIA Report, we have presented specificexamples of chemical products that contribute to reduction in GHG emissions in the entire life cycle.
In order to promote the global problem of reducing CO2 emissions, it is important that measures betaken from the perspective of pursuing total optimization through a full understanding of the life
cycle of products instead of taking measures from the perspective of partial optimization such as the
reduction in CO2 emissions during manufacture.

From now, the chemical industry is determined topromote the reduction in CO2 emissions throughout society, aiming at contributing to reducing
greenhouse gases, not only by reducing emissions during manufacture, but also by utilizing chemical
technologies and products in the entire life cycle.
 With a view to increasing the transparency and reliability of the calculation of avoided GHG
emissions, the JCIA Guidelines and Global Guidelines were devised. We expect that theseguidelines will not only provide more consistent guidelines for the chemical industry, but will also
become tools for improving social sustainability in cooperation with all the stakeholders in the value
chain.

2. The chemical industry in JapanThe chemical industry is a high energy-consuming industry that uses fossil fuels, mainly
petroleum, as fuels and raw materials. Nevertheless, after the oil shocks, the chemical industry inJapan has taken active measures to conserve energy and has achieved the highest level of energy
efficiency in the world.

Consequently, CO2 emissions from energy sources during the manufactureof chemical products in Japan in Fiscal Year 2011 were about 53 million tons, accounting for about7

4% of the emissions in Japan as a whole (about 1.24 billion tons), which were the second greatest
emissions after steel in the industrial sector.
Disposal
Energy conversion

Industrial process

HouseholdPortion resulting
from electric
power

Industry

Total
Portion resulting
from electric
1.241 billion t
power

Portion resulting fromelectric power

Portion resulting
from electric
power

Commercial
andothersSectorbased

Transportation

Source: Ministry of the Environment Greenhouse gas emissions in Japan (Fiscal Year 2011)
Fig. 6. CO2 Emissions in Japan

3. Concept of cLCA (extracted from the ICCA Report)
The chemical industry is a basic industry that supports other industries by providing its products touser enterprises in sectors that include automotive, electric machinery, electronics, etc.

The methodof assessment using cLCA focuses on GHGs that are emitted when the products are used in otherindustries and by consumers.

The assessment compares the emissions of finished products thatincorporate chemical products over their life cycle with the emissions of finished products thatincorporate the products for comparison over their life cycle, and the difference between them isconsidered to be emissions that increase when there are no such chemical products, and is calculated
as the net avoided emissions.

8

Method of assessment using cLCA (method of calculation of avoided CO2 emissions)Concept of cLCA (carbon Life Cycle Analysis)
CO2

Emission
CO 2

CO2

CO2

CO 2

CO2

Consumption
In-useRecycling
Disposal
Incineration

CO2
Procurementof rawmaterials

Manufacture

Distribution

Avoided CO2 emissions
In-useIn-useExtraction Manufacture
Distribution

Focusing on CO2 emissions through the entire life cycle, from the extraction, throughmanufacture, distribution, and product use, to disposal

Chemicalproducts

Products
forFig. 7. Method of assessment using cLCA

4. Summary of the examples of assessment of products to be manufactured inJapan in 2020
[Period under assessment]
Taking 2020 as the year under assessment, the avoided CO2e emissions whenassessment would have been used until the end of their life.
[Range of products under assessment contributing to the abatement
effect]Production period

the products expected to be manufactured during the one year under

Chemical products contribute to CO2e emissions reduction in cooperation
with all the partners in the value chain such as the energy sector,
transportation sector, consumer and household sector, etc.

92020 2021

Period underassessment of
reduction Usefullife of productTable 3. Summary of Assessed Examples
Renewable energy
Materials for solar
power generation

Energy-saving
Automotive materials

Materials for aircraft

Materials forfuel-efficient tires

Concept

Functions/ advantages

Products underassessment(finished products thatincorporate chemical
products)

Solar energy isconverted directly into
electricity by using theprinciple ofsemiconductors.
Electric power
produced by solar
power generation

Carbon fiber composite
materials are used toreduce weight while
Same as description
maintaining the sameon the left
levels of performanceand safety.
Automobiles that use
Aircraft that use
plastics reinforced with plastics reinforcedcarbon fiberwith carbon fiber

Products for comparison

Utility power

Abatement effectWeight reduction
No CO2 is emitted
because fossil fuels are improves fuelconsumption andnot used.
reduces fuelconsumption.

Life of finished products

Production volume

Finished products:
Emissions from raw
materials, manufacture,and disposal (tons)
Chemical products:
Emissions from raw
materials, manufacture,and disposal (tons)
Avoided CO2 emissions(tons)

Conventional
automobiles

Fitted to an automobile
to reduce rolling
resistance on the roadsurface during driving.

Automobile fitted with
fuel-efficient tires
・For passenger
vehicles (PCR)・For trucks/buses(TBR)
Conventional aircraft Automobile fitted with
non-fuel-efficient tires

Same as description
on the left

Improved automotive
fuel consumption by
reducing rolling
resistance

20 years

10 years

10 years

PCR 30,000 km
TBR 120,000 km

1,760,000 kW

15,000 units

45 units

PCR 73 million units.
TBR 5 million units.

Automobiles 93,000

Aircraft 176,000--

Synthetic rubber, etc.
(1.74 million)-75 thousand-1.22 million-6.36 million-

Si, etc. (1.29 million)-8.98 million

Avoided CO2 emissions when products that are expected to be manufactured in 2020 would have been useduntil the end of their life (calculated by specifying a certain set of conditions): Total for the examples in Japan-120 million tons

10

Avoided CO2 Emissions
The results of assessing the fifteen examples here clearly show that chemical products are key
materials that contribute to about 120 million tons in reduced emissions1) until the end of their life.
Any of these examples leads us to understand that chemical products or finished products thatincorporate chemical products contribute to reducing CO2e emissions that exceed the CO2eemissions of such chemical products or finished products themselves during manufacture.

Energy-saving

LED-related materials

Thermal insulationmaterials for housing

Aluminum-resin
composite window/
Thermal insulationmaterials

Hall effect device, Hall
effect ICs

Piping materials

A semiconductor thatemits light when acurrent passes through it;it has high light-emitting
efficiency and longservice life.

Increases the
air-tightness and thermal
insulation performanceof housing.

Increases airtightness andthermal insulation
performance by usingaluminum-resin
composite windows

An inverter fitted with acommutator-less DC
motor increases the
motor efficiency.

LED light bulbs

Housing that meets the
Fiscal Year 1999
energy-saving standard(using thermal insulationmaterials)

Detached housing thatmeets the Fiscal Year 1999
energy-saving standard(using aluminum-resin
composite windows andthermal insulationmaterials)

PVC resin pipes
Inverter air conditioner(using Hall effectdevices/Hall effect ICs as
their parts)

Incandescent light bulbs

Housing before theenergy-saving standardof 1980 (not using
thermal insulationmaterials)

Detached housing before Non-inverter air
the 1980 energy-saving
conditioners
standard was enforced(not using thermal
insulation materials)

Ductile cast iron piping

Long service life and low Reduces power
power consumption.
consumption for coolingand heating byimproving thermal
insulation performance.

Reduces power
consumption for coolingand heating byimproving thermal
insulation performance.

Low energy consumption
because hightemperatures are not usedduring manufacture.

Detached houses: 30 years
Apartments: 60 years

Detached houses: 30
years

14.8 years

50 years

Detached houses: 25,000
units

7,460 units(Number of air
conditioners)

493,092 tons

-

-

-

-

Thermal insulationmaterials (2.35 million)

Aluminum-resin
composite
window/Thermal
insulation materials (107thousand)-

PVC pipe (740,000)-16.4 million-3.3 million

10 years

28 million units

LED light bulb: 92,000-

Detached houses:
367,000 units
Apartments: 633,000
units

Number of examples
included in those on theleft(-46 thousand)1) Reference: CO2 emissions in Japan in Fiscal Year 2009 1.15 billion tons (Fig. 6)-7.45 million-75.8 million

11

Reduction of power
consumption byincreasing motor
efficiency.

Has the same
performance as that ofpipes made of cast iron,and is widely used inwaterworks and sewage.

2) Preconditions for calculation are clearly stated in the explanatory sentences for each of the examples.

Energy-saving
Concentrated liquid
detergent for cleaning
clothesResource-saving

Low-temperaturesteel plate detergent

Materials forhigh-durability
apartments

High durability paintConcept

Makes containers
more compact andreduces the number
Functions/advant of times of rinsing by
ages
concentration

Products underassessment(finished productsthat incorporatechemical products)

Products forcomparison(Products forcomparison)

Low-temperature
Concentrated liquid
detergent for cleaning steel plate detergent
clothes

High-durability
apartments

Paint composition:
Silicone resin paint,
fluororesin paint

Conventional liquid Conventional steel
detergent for cleaning plate detergent
clothes

Ordinary apartment
house

Paint composition:
Acrylic resin paint,
urethane resin paintCO2 emissions
reduction by making
containers more
Abatement effect compact and electric
power reduction by
reducing the numberof times of rinsing
Life of finishedproducts

24 times of cleaning

Production
volume148 thousand tons

Finishedproducts:
Emissions fromraw materials,
manufacture, anddisposal (tons)
Chemicalproducts:
Emissions fromraw materials,
manufacture, anddisposal (tons)
Avoided CO2
emissions (tons)

Reduces the cleaning Increases the strength Reduction of the numberof coatings by using hightemperature for steel and durability ofplates from 70ºC toreinforced concrete. durability paint50ºC.

1.09 million
Detergent forcleaning clothes (32thousand)-290 thousand

Reduction of theamount of steam as
required for heating

8.75 million tons ofsteel plates

3 thousand
Steel plate
detergent(3 thousand)-44 thousand

12

Improves durability
by suppressing
cracking when theconcrete is drying.

Reduction of the amountof paint used by reducing
the number of coatings

100 years

50 years

61,000 units

61,000 units

Apartments: 16.55

millionDrying and shrinkage
agent, etc.
(240 thousand)-2.24 million

Paint(12 thousand)-11 thousandRecyclable resource
Shampoo container

Suppression of N2Oemission
Feed additives

Concept

Functions/advantages

Adjustment of essential
Manufacturing ofpolyethylene by using amino acids balance byadding methionine
sugar cane that is arenewable bio resource
as a raw material

Products underassessment

Biopolyethylene
container

Assorted feed
containing
DL-methionine as anadditive

Fossil resource
polyethylene container

Additive-free assorted
feed

Biomass iscarbon-neutral

Reduction of theamount of nitrogen in
broiler chicken feces(finished products thatincorporate chemical
products)

Products forcomparison(Products forcomparison)

Abatement effectLife of finishedproducts
Production volume

Number of uses
100 times

Breeding period
48 days

1 million containers

3.96 million tons

Finished products:
emissions from raw
300
materials,
manufacture, and(0.03)
disposal (tons)

1.09 million(850 thousand)"( )" shows emissions
from chemical
products*

Avoided CO2
emissions (tons)-100-160 thousand

13

5. Summary of the examples of assessment in the world concerning products thatare expected to be manufactured in 2020
The global CO2e emissions avoided (potential) was calculated resulting from the use ofchemical products that are expected to be manufactured by Japanese businesses in Japan oroverseas in 2020.
Effect of emissions reduction
It can be seen that, based on the result of the assessments of the four examples conducted
here, chemical products are key materials that contribute to about 390 million tons in reduced
emissions until the end of their life.
Energy-saving
Desalination plants

Air conditioners

Using semipermeable
membranes,
desalinates seawater
based on the principleof reverse osmosis.

An inverter fittedwith acommutator-less DC
motor increases the
motor efficiency.

Desalination plant bymeans of the RO
membrane process

Inverter air
conditioner

Evaporation process

For non-inverter air
conditioners

In the stage of
automobile usage

AircraftConcept

Function

Products underassessment(finished products thatincorporate chemical
products)
Products forcomparison(products forcomparison)

Abatement effectLife of finishedproducts
Production volume
Finished products:
Emissions from raw
materials,
manufacture, anddisposal (tons)"( )" shows emissions
from chemical
products*
Avoided CO2
emissions (tons)
Total

Low energy
Reduction of power
consumption because consumption by
no heating is required. increasing motor
efficiency

Carbon fiber composite
materials are used toreduce weight while
maintaining the samelevels of performanceand safety.
Automobiles that use
plastics reinforced withcarbon fiber

Conventional
automobiles

Weight reduction
improves fuelconsumption andreduces fuelconsumption.

Same as description on
the left

Aircraft that use
plastics reinforced withcarbon fiber

Conventional aircraft

Same as description on
the left

5 years

14.8 years

10 years

10 years

RO membrane
610,000 units

47,311,000 units(Number of air
conditioners)

300,000 units

900 units

Seawater desalination
plant: 1.5 million-

Automobiles: 1.86
millionAircraft: 3.51 million---172.57 million-189.94 million--1.5 million--24.3 million

Avoided CO2 emissions when products that are expected to be manufactured in 2020 would
have been used until the end of their life (calculated by specifying a certain set of conditionsNote)): -390 million tons globally

Note: Preconditions for calculation are clearly stated in the explanatory notes for each of the examples.

141. About the chemical industry
1.1

Features of the chemical industry

The chemical industry plays an important role in people's lives by providing many industries, suchas the automotive, electric machinery/electronics, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, with raw
materials and materials for processing.

Chemical industry that supports people's lives and other industries
Chemical products and related products
The chemical industry plays an important role in people's lives by providing other industries
Raw materials
Water/airSalt
Petroleum(naphtha)Natural gas

Coal

Ore
Animals &plantsIntermediate materials

Primary products

Hydrogen
Nitrogen
OxygenChlorine
Carbon dioxide

Surface active agent

Pigment
Dye
Industrial gases
Fertilizer

Carbon monoxide

Agricultural chemicals

Inert gas
Caustic soda
Soda ashHydrochlori
Sulfuric
Nitric acid
Phosphoric acid
Methanol
Ethanol
Ethylene
Propylene
Butylene
Butadiene
BenzeneTolueneXyleneStyrenePrinting ink
Paint

Printing ink
Synthetic fibers(Clothing)Petrochemical products

Synthetic fibers
Synthetic rubber
Plastics
Cosmetics
Toothpaste
Pharmaceuticals
Solvents
Fuels
Disinfectant
Bleaching agents
Adhesives

Cosmetics
Electronic parts, etc.
(highly functional components)

Electronic parts, etc.
(High-performance parts)

Silicon wafer
Pharmaceuticals

Synthetic detergents

Oil & fat products

Optical discs(DVD)

Parts forIC chips

Industrial gas

Electronic parts & materials

Parts for electronic
appliancesFig. 8. Chemical industry that supports everyday life and industries
1.2

Features of the chemical industry in Japan (overview as of 2011)[1] The first industry in added value ranking, of all manufacturing industries in Japan[2] Employs 860,000 people[3] It is a basic industry that supports the competitiveness of industries in Japan by providing
products to user enterprises in sectors such as the automotive and electricmachinery/electronics sectors through the supply of high-grade parts.
[4] A high energy-consuming industry that uses fossil fuels as raw materials and fuel[5] An industry that faces international competition from Europe, America, Asia and elsewhere
Table 4. Amount shipped, added value and number of employees for each industry

Total for manufacturing industries
Entire chemical industry (ratio to total for manufacturing industries)
Entire electric/information/electronics
Transportation machinery & equipment manufacturing industry
General machinery& equipment manufacturing industry

Amount shipped

Amount of addedvalue

Number of
employees

Amount of added
value per capita

Trillion yen

Trillion yen

10,000 persons

10,000 yen

285.0

91.6

747.2

1,226

40.4
(14%)
40.4
50.6
32.2

15.6
(17%)
13.4
14.0
12.2

85.8
(11%)
111.3
94.7
106.5

1,204
1,478
1,146

1,818

Sources: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry "Industrial Statistics Table," Ministry of Internal
Affairs and Communications "Science and Technology Research Survey" and Ministry of
Finance "Statistical Survey on Corporations"

15

1.3

Approach taken by the chemical industry in Japan concerning the prevention of global
warming(1) Current situation of CO2 emissions
Proportion of CO2 emissions in each sector
CO2 emissions in the industrial field account for 34% of the total emissions in Japan, with theremaining 66% being emitted by the commercial, transportation, household sectors, etc.

Theemissions resulting from chemical products were the second greatest after steel in the industrial
sector, accounting for 4% of the emissions in Japan as a whole.
(2) Approach taken by the chemical industry in Japan concerning energy saving activities
Change in the amount of energy used in each sector
The energy consumption of the industrial sector to which the chemical industry belongs has
decreased compared with that in 1990. In recent years, however, the amount of energy used in thecommercial and household sectors has been increasing, and it has become a problem to be addressedin the reduction in CO2 emissions in Japan as a whole.
18
Rate of increasein energy:
1990=> 200916
14

Transportation
6%

12
Commercial
sector10

23%
Household sector

8

38%

6
4
Industry sector-12%2Industry
産業部門
sectorHousehold
家庭部門
sectorCommercial
業務部門
sector

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1998

1997

1996

1995

1994

1993

1992

1991

1990

0

Transportation
運輸部門

Source: Energy Economic White Paper 2011

Fig. 9. Changes in the amount of energy used in each sector
Overall change in energy-saving activities
The chemical industry uses many fossil fuels, and it uses them as raw materials for various typesof products as well. To ensure security both in terms of fuel and raw materials after the oil shocks of16

the 1970s, a proactive approach to energy saving was adopted and substantial energy saving was
pursued until the latter half of the 1980s.
Concerning changes in the consumption of ethylene etc., as a raw material for petrochemical
products, the consumption as converted into energy shows an increasing trend as a result of anincrease in the amount of production. However, the amount used as energy (fuel, etc.) remains flat,and it can be seen that continuing efforts are being made to reduce energy usage.

Change in Final Energy Consumption of the Chemical Industry
(PJ)
3,000

2,500

2,000

Energy use
1,500

1,000

500

Raw materials show 35% increasing trend
compared with that in FY1990.

Raw materials

01990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
FY
Source: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and Agency for Natural Resources and Energy: "Records ofEnergy Supply and Demand for Fiscal Year 2010"

Fig. 10. Change in final energy consumption in Japan3
Change in energy-saving activities for each product
When each product is analyzed, the energy efficiency in the production of ethylene was reduced toabout half by 1990. The intensity for electricity for caustic soda showed an improvement of about
30%.

3Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and Agency for Natural Resources and Energy: "Records of Energy Supply and
Demand for Fiscal Year 2010"

http://www.enecho.meti.go.jp/info/statistics/jukyu/result-1.htm

17

Record of achievement by energy-saving activities [1]Change in the production amount of ethylene and energy efficiency in Japan
Amount of ethylene produced: KT

Index of energy intensity: %Index of energy intensity
Amount of ethylene
produced

By 1990, improvements were made so that energy intensity was reduced roughly by half
Source: NEDO’s Investigational Material for 2003

Record of achievement by energy-saving activities [2]Change in the amount of caustic soda produced according to each manufacturing method and electric power intensity in Japan
Amount of production (thousand tons)

Ion exchange
membrane method

Basic unit for electric power

Diaphragm method
Mercury method
Ammonia method
Basic unit for electricpower

By 1990, the electric power intensity was improved by about 30%, and at
the same time in 1999, almost 100% was switched to the ion exchange
membrane method, which was the state-of-the-art technology

Fig. 11. Changes in energy intensity in the manufacturing processes of ethylene and caustic
soda in Japan

18

(3) International comparison of energy efficiency of the chemical industry
International comparison of overall energy efficiency
The chemical industry has proactively promoted energy-saving activities since the oil shocks of
the1970s. These initiatives include: [1] Switching the manufacturing method, process development,[2] improving facility/equipment efficiency, [3] improving the method of operation, [4] collecting
discharged energy, and [5] streamlining the processes, etc. As a result of these energy-saving efforts,
the chemical/petrochemical industries overall have achieved the highest level of energy efficiency inthe world.
International comparison of energy efficiency (Entire chemical and petrochemical industries)

Japan

South Europe France The Germany
Korea (Benelux)
UnitedStates

Italy

Canada India

China

Fig. 12. International comparison of energy efficiency in the chemical industry
International comparison of the energy efficiency of each productBased on its business model, energy consumption in the chemical industry is classified into
petrochemical products, chemical fibers, soda products, ammonia products, and others. Of these,
ethylene plants and soda products employ manufacturing processes that have achieved the highest
level of energy efficiency in the world.

19

Petrochemical products
Chemical fiber
Soda productAmmonia product
Others

Source: Energy Balance Table, source: Agency for Natural Resources
and Energy

Energy Statistics of the Chemical Industry (FY2010)index of electric power
intensity (Japan=100)

Fig. 13. Details of energy consumption in the chemical industry in each sector (FY2010)

Japan South Taiwan Middle China Canada India
The Brazil
Korea
East
UnitedStatesEast
EuropeWest
EuropeMexico(Source: Estimated from iSRI Chemical Economic Handbook, August 2005 and Soda Handbook)

Fig. 14. Comparison of energy efficiency for caustic soda among various countries(electric power intensity for electrolysis, FY2004)

20
Japan

South Korea
TaiwanChina
Middle East

CanadaIndia(Source: Estimation based on the SRI Chemical Economic Handbook, August 2005 and the Soda Handbook)

The United
BrazilStates East Europe
West Europe
MexicoJapanEuropeNorth America

Source: Chemical and Petrochemical Sector 2009 (International Energy Agency (aninternational agency within OECD))
Fig. 15. Comparison of energy efficiency for ethylene plants among various countries(energy intensity)
The chemical industry will continue with its energy-saving activities while supporting energy
saving and reduction in CO2 emissions by promoting measures such as: [1] Propagatingstate-of-the-art facilities when upgrading production facilities and BPT (Best Practice Technologies)that are at the highest level in the world (more specifically, building energy-saving process
technologies for ethylene crackers, and the like), [2] achieving the best fuel mix, [3] making
effective use of waste, [4] using renewable energy, such as biomass.

EuropeJapan(4)

North America

Chemical industry - efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through voluntary action[1] Improvement in the index of energy efficiency
Since the establishment of its Global Environment Charter in 1991, the Japan Business
Federation has been taking an autonomous and responsible approach toward solving the
problem of global warming. In particular, in 1997, prior to the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol, it
devised the Voluntary Action Plan on the Environment (FY1997 - FY2012), and has been
making efforts to reduce CO2 emissions in Japan, focusing on the industry and energy sectors.
The chemical industry also participated in the "Keidanren Voluntary Action Plan on theEnvironment" from the beginning of FY1997, engaging in work to improve the index of basic
units for energy, and achieved an improvement of 15% in the index of basic units, with theresults from FY2008 through FY2012 being 85% on average.

21

140
3,000
130
2,500
120
2,000
110
1,500

Index

Amount of energy used (crude oil equivalent; in
10,000 kl)

Changes in the amount of energy used, index of energy intensity, and production index

100

1,000

90

500

80
70

0
1990 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
FY
Amount of energy used
エネルギー使用量

Production
生産指数index

Index
of energy intensity
エネルギー原単位指数

Fig. 16. Change in the indexes of energy efficiency in the chemical industry[2] Reduction in GHG emissions
As a result of implementing measures to reduce GHG emissions, a reduction of 29% wasachieved in 2011 compared with that in the reference year (FY1990 for CO2 and the calendar
year of 1995 for three alternatives to freon, etc.4). In particular, regarding the three alternatives
to freon, etc., efforts have been made to reduce emissions. These efforts include reviewing thework processes, strengthening daily inspections, and systematically upgrading facilities. In
addition, facilities to remove toxins through the combustion of diluted exhaust gases have been
installed by utilizing subsidies from the national government. These initiatives have resulted ina substantial reduction in emissions.

4

HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons), PFCs (perfluorocarbons) and SF6 (sulfur hexafluoride).

22

CO2e emissions originating from energy
CO2e emissions from 3 types of gases such as alternative
freons(Reference year=100%)

CO2 emissions originating from energy & emissions of three types of gasses including
alternatives to freon
120%

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%

Estimated emissions related to manufacture of HFCs, etc.
(ten thousand GWPs)

CO2emissions inin tenten thousand
thousand tons
tons ofof CO
CO2
CO2 emissions
2

Reference year: Three types of gasses including alternatives to freon 1995, CO2 FY1990

Fig. 17. Change in GHG emissions in the chemical industry

23

2. Concerning cLCA (carbon Life Cycle Analysis)
2.1 Concept of cLCA (carbon Life Cycle Analysis)
The method of assessment using cLCA is a technique that focuses on CO2 emitted during use inother industries or by consumers.

The assessment compares the emissions of finished products thatincorporate chemical products over their life cycle with the emissions of finished products thatincorporate the products for comparison over their life cycle, and the difference between them isconsidered to be emissions that increase when there are no such chemical products, and is calculated
as the net avoided emissions.
CO2 emissions in a life cycle become the total of emissions from the procurement of raw materials,
through manufacture, distribution and usage, to recycling/disposal.

Concept of cLCA (carbon Life Cycle Analysis)
CO2

Emissio
CO2

CO2

Procurement of rawmaterials

Manufactur
e

CO2

CO2

Distribution

Consumption
In-useCO2

CO2
Recycling
Disposal
IncinerationFocusing on CO2 emissions through the entire life cycle, from the extraction, throughmanufacture, distribution, and product use, to disposal

Fig. 18. Concept of cLCA

24

Method of assessment using cLCA (method of calculation of avoided CO2 emissions)

Amount generated throughout entire life cycle

Avoided CO2 emissions
In-useIn-useExtraction Manufacture Distribution - Disposal

Products forcomparison

Chemical products

Fig. 19. Method of assessment using cLCA
2.2

cLCA Report of ICCA

(1) Purpose and overview
When striving to reduce GHG emissions globally, it is no longer sufficient to save energy andreduce GHG emissions during manufacture, which have been the focus up to this point. It has
become important to strive to avoid GHG emissions in society as a whole through the development
and propagation of products that lead to a reduction in GHG emissions in the consumer sector,
commercial sector and other sectors.
In a context such as this, ICCA published a cLCA report entitled "Innovations for Greenhouse Gas
Reductions" in July 2009 as a means of highlighting the situation and calling for action to help
reduce GHG emissions from a new perspective that provides a bird's eye view of the entire life cycle,
from the procurement of raw materials, through manufacture, distribution and consumption, torecycling/disposal.
The cLCA herein means a comparison of the GHG emissions, namely the CO2e emissions (wheree stands for equivalent; carbon dioxide equivalent to greenhouse gases) of chemical products inspecific applications throughout the world. The scope encompasses the stages of procurement of raw
materials, manufacture, distribution, usage, and disposal with the CO2e emissions of alternative
products that are the second-best products other than those produced by the chemical industry. As
part of the scope, "CO2e life cycle analysis" is carried out on more than 100 examples of use ofchemical products in order to evaluate the influence of chemical products on the carbon balance insociety as a whole.
Note that, to ensure objectivity and transparency, the cLCA of ICCA adopted the method proposedby McKinsey & Company, and all the quantified data for each field through numerical analysis wereverified by the Öko-Institut, a German third-party organization.

25

cLCA Report"Innovations for Greenhouse Gas Reductions"(2) Result of assessment for 2005
Global CO2e emissions in the chemical industry
As a result of cLCA, global GHG emissions related to the chemical

Fig. 20. ICCA Reportindustry in 2005 were 3.3 billion tons. Of this volume, 2.1 billion tons,
more than half of the figure, were produced as a result of purchasing raw materials andmanufacturing chemical products by the chemical industry. Also, the figure includes 400 million
tons of three alternatives to freon, which has a strong greenhouse effect.

26

CO2 emission coefficient originating in the chemical industry (2005)

Total amount of CO2e generated that is related to the gathering of raw materials - manufacture - distribution - disposal: 3.3 billion tons

0.4 billion tons
0.5 billion tons

3.3 billion tons
2.1 billion tons

0.3 billion tons

Procurement of

Manufacture/ distribution(emissions from energy
and process emissions)

Disposal (emissions
associated with recycling,
landfill and incineration)

Total
Emissions in life cycle ofproducts of chemical
substancesFig. 21. CO2 emissions originating from the chemical industry in 2005 (global)"Net emission abatement"
Based on the result of assessment using cLCA, net emission abatement in the chemical industry in 2005 came to
3.6 billion tons, which surpassed the 3.3 billion tons emitted in the life cycle, excluding usage. Of these, the top two
examples where the amount of reduction was greatest were thermal insulation materials and lighting.
Figures for the field of agriculture were excluded from the total as there were great variations in agricultural
technology according to the country or region, and it could be considered that it was difficult to obtain a common
understanding of the effect of reduced CO2 emissions in agricultural materials (agricultural chemicals, fertilizers,etc.).

23

Result of assessment using cLCA in 2005
Net amount of reduction
Unit: Million tons of CO2

Net reduction in GHG
emissions
Unit: Million tons

(excluding agriculture)

Thermal insulation
Lighting
PackagingAnti-fouling of ships
Synthetic fibers
Automobile weight reduction
Solar power
Low-temperature synthetic detergent
Improvement in engine efficiency
PipingWind turbine
Regional heating
Green tires
OthersSubtotal
Fertilizer and plant protection
Total

Products for which calculation
cannot be made accurately
Products that have no substituteproducts
When there is neither fertilizer nor crop protection

Net amount of reduction: 5160 - 1 600 = 35 6 0 million tons-> 3.6 billion tons

Fig. 22. Net emission abatement in 2005
(3) Result of assessment for 2030
Expected global CO2e emissions in the chemical industry
Emissions in the BAU case (business-as-usual: a case in which the present regulations andlifestyle remain unchanged and efforts to reduce energy consumption remain at the current level) for
2030 originating from the chemical industry and emissions on a best-effort basis incorporating theuse of innovative technologies that are expected to emerge and possible regulations in 2030 are
shown below. In the BAU case for 2030, with the year 2005 being used as the starting point, theportion of improvements in production efficiency was excluded from the portion of increased
production based on BAU, and the portion of increase in emissions associated with moving
production bases was added. As a result, it is expected that emissions will nearly double to 6.5
billion tons.
In the case of the best-effort basis, calculation was made by taking account of the effect of
reducing CO2 emissions through measures such as the proactive adoption of functional products ascompared to the BAU case and emissions that will increase as a result of producing such functional
materials themselves. As a result, it is expected that a nearly twofold increase in emissions (from 3.3
to 6.5 billion tons) will be able to be controlled to 1.5 times (from 3.3 to 5 billion tons).

24

CO2 emission coefficient originating in the chemical industry 2005⇒2030 BAU⇒2030 best effort
2030 best effort
Globalproduction
enlargement(assumption)

Unit: 100 million tons

2005
The CO2emissions

Increment Portion of Portion of BAU 2030
from BAU contribution geographical emissionsoftransfer of
production
production production
efficiency
base

Effect of Increment from CO2 emission
CO2
performancecoefficient
reduction
after taking
products
measuresmeasuresFig. 23. CO2e emissions originating from the chemical industry in 2030
Net emission abatement
Net emission abatement in 2030 on a best-effort basis is estimated to be 16 billion tons in total,
excluding CO2 emissions from agricultural materials. Among them, the greatest emissions are fromthermal insulation materials (6.8 billion tons), followed by lighting apparatus (4.1 billion tons) andsolar power generation (2 billion tons).
Global anthropogenic GHG emissions in 2005 are estimated to have been around 46 billion tons
(WEF 20076), and a net reduction of 16 billion tons translates into about 1/3 of such emissions.

Portion of reduction due to BAU
Reduction due to best effort portion

Net reduction in GHG
emissions
Unit: Million tons

Products for which calculation cannot be made accurately
Products that have no substitute products

Thermal insulation
Lighting
Solar power
LC ethanolWind turbine
CCS
Anti-fouling of ships
Synthetic fibers
Packaging
Automobile weight reduction
Green tires
Low-temperature synthetic detergent
Engine efficiency
PipingRegional heating
OthersSubtotal
Fertilizer and plant protection
Total

When there is neither fertilizer nor crop protection
Net reduction including agriculture: 18.45 billion tons
Net reduction excluding agriculture: 18.45 - 2.5 = 15.95 billion tons ⇒ 16 billion tons

Fig. 24. Net emission abatement in 2030 (on a best-effort basis)

25

"Summary"

Possibility of GHG reduction to which chemical products
contribute (quantitative estimation on a global level)2030 best effort
Unit: 100 million
tons (converted
to CO2)

Total amountEmissions

Net emission
abatement

Excluding fertilizer & crop protection

Source:Fig. 25. Summary of emissions and net emission abatement originating from the chemicalindustry in 2030

3. On assessment using cLCA in Japan and around the world
3.1

Background and objectives

In the timetable in the New Growth Strategy that the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
published in August 2010 as a mid-term target for preventive measures against global warming, theyear 2020 is set as the target year. Under these circumstances, the chemical industry is striving tohelp reduce CO2 emissions at the usage stage of final products that use chemical products and tocontribute to the reduction in CO2 emissions in society as a whole through cooperation between
different types of businesses. These objectives are in addition to efforts to reduce energy
consumption and to reduce CO2 emissions at the stage of manufacture, as described above.
The ICCA report calculated global emission abatement in 2005 and 2030 in the chemical industry
throughout the world. Whereas, this booklet is intended to evaluate specific examples of chemical
products in Japan and to show the situation of CO2 emissions by taking account of the timetable ofthe "New Growth Strategy" of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

26

1.

Paying attention to the timetable of the New Growth Strategy of the Ministry of Economy,
Trade and Industry, the year 2020, which is the period considered in the timetable, has been
adopted as the target fiscal year.
Net avoided CO2 emissions by the use of specific chemical products in Japan and around2.

the world in 2020 have been quantified.
The first edition dealt with eight examples in Japan and one example from around the world, forwhich LCI7 data were published and of which data sources were clear.

In the third edition, thenumber of examples has been increased to include 15 examples in Japan and four examples fromaround the world.

We are determined to continue to contribute to industry as a whole hereafter as

well, in order to realize a low-carbon society through the provision of chemical products andtechnologies, thereby providing information proactively for the policies on emissions reduction.

3.2 Selecting the level in the value chain
The objectives of studies on avoided emissions in the chemical industry can be grouped into thefollowing two categories, according to the level in the value chain (see Fig. 26).
1.

Chemical product level: Make a comparison between the emissions of a certain product withthose of a (chemical) product for comparison or the industry average value concerning how
small the former is as compared to the latter.

Commonly reported reasons for making such a

calculation include in-house purposes (for instance, product benchmarking) and productdifferentiation, and the like.
2.

End-use level: Assess the contribution of a chemical product to emissions avoided by the use ofa specific low-carbon technology that makes use of the chemical product in place of thecurrently implemented product (product composition). Commonly reported reasons formaking such a calculation include in-house purposes (for instance, portfolio planning),
exchanges with partners in the value chain, and communications with stakeholders (investors,
policy planners, general citizens, etc.) on the roles of the chemical industry, and the like.
Each of the levels is exemplified below.

● Chemical product level:
If the study is carried out at the chemical product level, the definition of the functional unit takes
into account the performance of the chemical product and the alternative product.

In this case theavoided emissions calculation is equal to the comparative assertion according to ISO 14040/44,
except that the avoided emissions calculation focuses on greenhouse gas emissions only.
Examples of functional units specified in studies that place emphasis on chemical product level
Production and disposal of 1,000 intake manifolds having thermal resistance of yxz

Production, use and disposal of a resin hardening agent for hardening resin XYZ that is used
when manufacturing 10 wind turbine rotating blades in 30 - 60 seconds

7Life Cycle Inventory：Environmental load from manufacture to disposal

27

● End-use level:
Chemical products are often intermediate products integrated in technologies that are
manufactured downstream in the value chain. Chemical products may influence the performanceof technologies in such a way that emissions are avoided compared to a specific reference case. To
assess how a chemical product influences an end-user technology, the functional unit of the study ischosen based on the end-use technology and taking into account the function of the chemical productin the technology.
Examples for definition of functional unit in studies that focus on the end-use level:
 Running a medium-sized gasoline automobile for 200,000 kilometers with fuel-efficient tires
using special chemicals vs. regular tires.
Living in an existing single-family detached house in Germany (building year: 1964) with anaverage temperature of 19°C for 50 years, with polystyrene insulation and without.

End-use level

A different level may bechosen according to the
purpose of the study.

Chemical product level

Wind turbine

Other power generation

Turbine for wind power generation

Other turbines for wind power generation

Blade for wind power generation

Other blades for wind power generation

Resin for blades

Other resins for blades

Resin hardening agent for resins

Other resin hardening agents for resins

Chemical product X for resins

Other materials for resins

Fig. 26 Examples of wind power generation: Various levels in the value chain and analternative product that can meet the purpose of the same customer at each of the levels
In the case of the examples of wind power generation in Fig. 26, each of the levels is described asfollows.
・ Chemical product level: Resin hardening agent for wind power turbine blades
・ End-use level: Electric power
3.3

Object of assessment

The products to be assessed shall be based on the products/technologies that are being put into themarkets at the point in time that is described in each of the examples, and not based on products thatare expected to be in widespread use in 2020 as a result of the progress of technologicaldevelopment.
In addition, the products to be compared shall be the products that deliver the same function to theuser, and avoided emissions are calculated, based on this, by being multiplied by the quantity
expected to be manufactured in 2020.
Note that avoided emissions include not only those of chemical products but those in the entire

28

value chain as well, but at the present point in time no technique is available that quantitatively sorts
out avoided emissions resulting from chemical products and those from non-chemical products, andtherefore no attribution of avoided emissions has been performed.
Fig. 27 and Table 5 show chemical products for which the avoided CO2 emissions have been
calculated on a trial basis this time and the finished products and products for comparison that havebecome the object of assessment using cLCA.

Examples of Assessment in Japan

Wind turbine power generation

Solar power generation

AircraftSolar panels
Highly insulated
housing

LED lighting

High-efficiency lightingHigh efficiency household
appliance

Energy-saving navigation
High-efficiency hot water servers

Automobiles
Hall effect devices
Piping for water supply and sewerageFig. 27.

Diagrams of the products to be assessed

Table 1. List of products to be assessed JapanClassification

Chemical productProducts to be assessed

Products for comparison

RenewableenergyMaterials for solar
power generation

Electric power produced by solar power
generation

Utility power

Automotive materials

Automobiles that use carbon fiber reinforced
plastic composite materials (CFRPs)

Conventional automobiles

Materials for aircraft

Aircraft that uses carbon fiber reinforced
plastic composite materials (CFRPs)

Conventional aircraft

Materials forfuel-efficient tires

Automobile fitted with fuel-efficient tires

Automobile fitted with
non-fuel-efficient tires

LED-related materials

LED light bulbs

Incandescent light bulbs

Thermal insulationmaterials for housing

Housing that meets the Fiscal Year 1999
energy-saving standard(using thermal insulationmaterials)

Housing before the energy-saving
standard of 1980 (not using thermal
insulation materials)

Energy-saving

29

Resource-saving

Recyclable
resource

Aluminum-resin
composite windows andthermal insulationmaterials

Detached housing that meets the Fiscal Year
1999 energy-saving standard (usingaluminum-resin composite windows andthermal insulation materials)

Housing before the energy-saving
standard of 1980 (not using thermal
insulation materials)

Hall effect device, Hall
effect ICs

Inverter air conditioner

Non-inverter air conditioners

Piping materials

PVC resin pipes

Ductile cast iron pipes

Concentrated liquid
detergent for cleaning
clothes

Concentrated liquid detergent for cleaning
clothesConventional liquid detergent forcleaning clothes

Low-temperature steel
plate detergent

Low-temperature steel plate detergent

Conventional steel plate detergent

Materials forhigh-durability
apartments

High-durability apartments

Ordinary apartment house

High durability paint

Silicone resin based paint and fluororesin
based paint

Acrylic resin based paint andurethane resin based paint

Shampoo container

Biopolyethylene container

Fossil resource polyethylene
container

Suppression ofFeed additives
N2O emission

Assorted feed containing DL-methionine as an
Additive-free assorted feed
additive

GlobalClassification

Energy-saving

Chemical productProducts to be assessed

Products for comparison

Materials for desalination
plantsDesalination technology by means of RO
membranes

Desalination technology by meansof the evaporation process

Hall effect device, Hall
effect ICs

Inverter air conditioner

Non-inverter air conditioners

Automotive materials

Automobiles that use carbon fiber reinforced
plastic composite materials (CFRPs)

Conventional automobiles

Materials for aircraft

Aircraft that uses carbon fiber reinforced plastic
composite materials (CFRPs)

Conventional aircraft

30

3.4

Ways of thinking about the period under assessment

1.

Evaluate avoided CO2 emissions when the products expected to be manufactured in theyear under assessment would have been used until the end of their life.

2.

Evaluate the avoided CO2 emissions as a result of operation, for the year under assessment, of
the total number of product units that will be in widespread use and put into operation until
the year under assessment.

Intellectual approach [1]Intellectual approach [2]Production period(Manufactured
products will be
accumulated as stock
in society.)

Present

In-useperiodProduction
periodUseful life of
product

In-use period tobe assessed for
reduction
In-use period
to beassessed
for reduction

2020 2021

Fig. 28. Two ways of thinking about the period under assessment
Since the assessment using cLCA is intended to identify the potential of chemical products for
reducing emissions, in the assessment here, it has been determined that the thinking [1] should be
adopted and the products to be manufactured during the year 2020, which is the reference year,
should be considered.
3.5

Calculation of emission abatement(1) CO2 emission factor
Since it is difficult to predict the level of technological sophistication for conventional products in
2020, previous data that are known at present for the CO2 emissions of alternative productsthat become the object of comparison have been used (except the CO2 emission factor for utility
power).
(2) Geographical conditions
Regarding emission abatement for CO2 emissions resulting from the use of products underassessment, evaluation has been made based on the degree of use in Japan and throughout theworld.
(3) Method of calculation
Using cases where conventional products are manufactured as the baseline, the avoided CO2
emissions have been calculated by multiplying the difference when the conventional product(product for comparison) has been replaced with the product under assessment by the quantity
manufactured during the year under assessment.

31

Step 1: Calculate the avoided CO2 emissions per unit quantity (e.g. kg, piece) of the product underassessment.
CO2 emissions over the life cycle per unit quantity of the product for comparison- CO2 emissions over the life cycle per unit quantity of the product being assessed = A
Step 2: Calculate the avoided CO2 emissions by multiplying A by the quantity of the products
under assessment that are expected to be manufactured in 2020.
Emission abatement of A × Quantity of the products under assessment that are
expected to be manufactured in 2020 (one year)
3.6

Qualitative assessment of the degree of contribution of chemical products to the avoided
emissions in the value chain

Life cycle avoided emissions almost always result from efforts of multiple partners along thevalue chain. This is particularly the case for a study at the end-use level.

Since the avoided

emissions are the sum of changes made by all the partners in the value chain (raw material suppliers,
materials manufacturers (chemical product companies, materials processing services suppliers,
components assembly services suppliers), technology users, etc.), the avoided emissions cannot be
attributed to one partner. For this reason, the avoided emissions calculated at the end-use levelmust always be attributed to the entire value chain.
It often occurs that partners in the value chain desire communications of the avoided emissions in
the entire value chain.

In order to increase the credibility of such an assertion, the reporting

company needs to clarify the role in the value chain, and at the same time if value chain avoided
emissions are too small to communicate, the company needs to refrain from reporting the avoided
emissions.

The reporting company must describe the degree of contribution as shown in Table 6 inorder to clarify the degree of contribution of its products to the value chain avoided emissions.

In

this scheme, the degree of contribution is classified based on the relations between chemical
products and final products.
Table 1: The significance of the contribution of chemical products to value chain avoided
emissions
Significance ofcontribution

Relationship between chemical products and final products

Fundamental

The chemical product is the key component that enables the GHG emission
avoiding effect by using the final product.

Extensive

The chemical product is part of key component and its properties and functions are
essential for enabling the GHG emission avoiding effect by using the final
product.

Substantial

The chemical product does not contribute directly to the avoided GHG emissions,but it cannot be substituted easily without affecting the avoided emissions by using
the final product.

32

MinorThe chemical product does not contribute directly to the avoided GHG emissions,but it is used in the manufacturing process of a fundamentally or essentiallycontributing product.

Too small tocommunicate

The chemical product can be substituted without changing the avoided GHG
emissions by using the final product.

3.7

Name and description of the organization(s) commissioning the study and that
performing it ("the practitioner")・ Organization commissioning the study for 19 assessed examples: Japan Chemical Industry
Association (general incorporated association)
・ Practitioner: Japan Chemical Industry Association (general incorporated association)

4. Conclusions and proposals
4.1

Summary of assessed examples
Table 7. Summary of Assessed Examples

Finishedproducts:
CO2 emissions
from rawmaterials-manufacture◆Examples in Japan- disposal(10,000 tons)
Products under assessment( ) shows CO2
emissions at
the stage ofmanufactureof chemical
products

Electric power
produced by solar
power generation

Production
volume(FY 2020)

The
avoidedCO2eemissions(thousandtons)

Useful life
(years)(129)

1,760,000 kW

-898

20

Utility power

9.3

15,000 units

-7.5

10

Conventional
automobiles

-122

10

Conventional
aircraft

17.6

45 units

33

Products forcomparison

Automobile fitted
with
non-fuel-efficienttires (Note 1)

Housing that meetsthe Fiscal Year 1999
energy-saving
standard: Thermal
insulation materials(Detached house)(Apartment)
Housing that meetsthe Fiscal Year 1999
energy-saving
standard:
Aluminum-resin
composite windows/
Thermal insulationmaterials(Detached house)(174)

PCR73,000,000
units
TBR5,000,000
units

-636

9.2

28 million units

-745

(129)
(106)

367,000 houses
633,000
apartments-953-6,628PCR 30,000 Automobilekm
fitted with
TBR120,000 non-fuel-efficient
km
tires
10

30
60

Incandescentlight bulbs
Housing beforetheenergy-saving
standard of 1980
(not using
thermalinsulationmaterials)

30

Housing beforetheenergy-saving
standard of 1980
(not using
thermalinsulationmaterials)(10.7)

25,000

Number ofthermalinsulationmaterials
for housing
included

Inverter air
conditioner—

7,460 thousand
units-1,64014.8

Non-inverter air
conditioners

PVC resin pipes(74)

493,092 tons

-330

50

Ductile cast ironpipingConcentrated liquid
detergent forcleaning clothes

109
(32)

148 thousand
tons

-29

24 times ofcleaning

Conventionalliquid detergent
for cleaning
clothes

Low-temperaturesteel plate detergent

0.3
(0.3)

Steel plates of
8.75 million
tons

-4.4

—

Conventional
steel plate
detergentHigh-durability
apartments

1,655
(24)

61,000 units

-224

100

Ordinary
apartment house50

Acrylic resin
based andurethane resin
based paint

Silicone resin paintand fluororesin
basedhigh-durability
paint

(1.2)

61,000 units

34

-1.1

Biopolyethylene
container

0.03(0.03)

1,000,000
piecesAssorted feed
containing
DL-methionine asadditive

109(85)

3.96 million
tons

Total

Fossil resource
polyethylene
container

-0.01

-16

Breeding
period48 days

Additive-freeassorted feed

-12,200

Note 1: Those for passenger vehicles are indicated as PCR, and those for trucks/buses as TBR.
Note 1: Difference between emissions during the procurement of raw materials through to manufacture anddisposal, instead of the difference in use Global examples

Products underassessment

Finished products:
CO2 emissions fromraw materials-manufacture disposal (10,000 tons)

Production
volume(FY 2020)

The
avoidedCO2eemissions(thousandtons)

Usefullife(years)

Products forcomparison

Desalination
Desalination
technology bymeans of RO
membranes

technology by
150

610,000 units-17,257

5means of theevaporation
process

CFRP automobile

186

300,000 units

-150

10

CFRP aircraft351

900 units-2,43010Inverterair conditioner—-18,99414.8

47,311
thousand units-38,831

Total

35

Conventional
automobiles
Conventional
aircraft
Non-inverter air
conditioners

4.2

Conclusions and proposals

It can be seen from the total for the examples, chemical products are a key material in reducing
CO2e emissions by about 120 million tons in Japan and by about 390 million tons globally. Note thatthe avoided CO2e emissions include not only those from chemical products but those from otherproducts related to raw materials and parts as well.

Life cycle avoided emissions almost always

result from efforts of multiple partners along the value chain, and therefore no attribution of avoided
emissions to each constituent product has been performed.
Also, it can be inferred from the examples that chemical products contribute to the reduction in
GHG emissions for finished products in various fields, such as the energy sector (solar power
generation), consumer and home sector (LED light bulbs, housing, air conditioners, piping,
automobiles, detergents, shampoos), transportation sector (automobiles, aircraft), etc., in cooperation
with products that are related to other materials for processing and parts.

5. Plans to be pursued by the chemical industry hereafter
In the "Keidanren’s Commitment to a Low Carbon Society," "Contribution to reduction
through the spreading of low-carbon products," "Promotion of international contributions"and "Development of innovative technologies" were regarded as principal areas of activities, inaddition to the efforts for the reduction in CO2 emissions produced during the manufacture ofchemical products, and the activities were started in Fiscal Year 2013.
5.1

Contribution to reduction through the spreading of low-carbon products: Increasing thenumber of examples of assessment using cLCA in Japan and around the world

In order to promote CO2 emissions reduction, it is important that measures be taken from theperspective of pursuing total optimization that provides a bird's eye view of the entire life cycle,
from the procurement of raw materials, through manufacture, distribution and consumption, torecycling/disposal, rather than from the perspective of partial optimization such as the reduction in
CO2 emissions in the manufacturing sector.
The role of the chemical industry is to contribute to CO2 emissions reduction in society as a wholethrough the supply chain by the development and spreading of chemical products and technologies.
It can be said that the implementation of cLCA here, as shown in the fifteen examples in Japanand four international examples, is very significant in view of the magnitude of the avoided CO2
emissions that has been shown will be achieved by the contribution of the chemical industry in Japan.
However, final products that are low in carbon, with which chemical products help to reduce CO2
emissions, are not limited to those in the 19 examples here. There are plans to expand that examples
of cLCA to include those of materials for the next generation of automobiles (materials for weight
reduction, materials for secondary batteries, materials for fuel cells, etc.), thermal insulation
members for high-efficiency architecture, materials for wind turbine power generation, etc.

36

Examples of contribution to reduction in
CO2 emissions by chemical products
Solar cell materials
Semiconductor materials
Displays (liquid crystal, organic
EL)
Cooling media/heataccumulating agents
Electrolytic membranes
Catalyst technology
Hydrogen storage technology
Biorefinery technology
Water separation membranes
Exhaust heat recovery
technology
Lithium secondary battery
materials
Capacitors
Superconducting materials CO2
separation membranes
Heat-resistant materials

Thermal insulationmaterials

Fluorescent lamps, LED
lamps
Contribution equivalent
to reduction of about 80
times the CO2 emissions
during production anduntil disposal* Achieving powersaving and long useful life

Contribution equivalent to
reduction of about 100 times theCO2 emissions during production
and until disposal* Improvement in cooling andheating efficiency, andothersMaterials of solar cells

Contribution equivalent to reduction of about 8times the CO2 emissions during production anduntil disposal*Renewable energy
22

Fig 29. Examples of the avoided CO2 emissions by chemical products
5.2

Promotion of international contributions by means of energy-saving technologies
andThermal insulation materials
low-carbon products

The chemical industry is determined to proactively contribute to the reduction in GHGs on a
global scale, based on the principle of "responsible care" in which the environment, safety and healthare secured voluntarily, and improvements in reliability represented by society and communications
are promoted in all processes, from the development of products through to manufacture, use, anddisposal/recycling, by continually engaging hereafter in the propagation and deployment overseas ofchemical processes, energy-saving technologies and low-carbon products of the world’s highest
standard.
Table 8 exemplifies the fact that the use of Japanese products/technologies will have a great
avoided GHG emissions potential of about 400 million tons in the world in 2020, although just six
examples are given herein.
Thus it is thought that chemical products will be able to make a great contribution to the reduction
in GHG emissions in the world by spreading technologies.

37

Table 4 Contribution to the reduction in GHG emissions in the world

Contribution (potential) to the reduction in GHG emissions in
the world by means of Japanese products/technologies
ExampleManufacturing
technologies

Caustic soda manufacturing technology
Improvement in powerusing the ion exchange membrane process consumption intensity

Materials forprocessing/products

Desalination technology using reverse
osmosis membranes*

Energy saving using substitution
for the evaporation process

17,000Automotive materials (carbon fiber)*

Improvement in fuel efficiency
by weight reduction

150

Materials for aircraft (carbon fiber)*

Improvement in fuel efficiency
by weight reduction

2,430

DC motor control device for use in air
conditioners*

Increase in motor efficiency

19,000

Reduction of emissions of threealternatives to Freon, etc. by means of
exhaust gas combustion technology

Reduction of GHG emissions

2,000

Makingalternatives toFreon, etc.
harmless

Abatement effectAbatement potential
ten thousand
tons-CO2/year

Field

650

About 40,000*Source: Calculated based on JCIA's "Life Cycle Analysis of Chemical Products in Japan" and "Guidelines for Calculating
the Avoided CO2 Emissions"
As for the examples of technology, those for which the share of Japanese businesses is 70% or more are described.

Shown below are specific examples of avoided emissions overseas including the examples
described in Table 8 and technologies for which deployment overseas are expected hereafter.
Examples of contribution by the transfer of energy-saving and low-carbon technologies
overseas
Manufacturing technologies: Provision of chemical processes and energy-saving technologies at theworld’s highest standard
・ Manufacturing technology for polycarbonate using CO2 as a raw material in countries in
the Middle East and Asia
・ State-of-the-art manufacturing equipment for phthalic acid in India and China
・ Manufacturing technology for acrylamide that uses biotechnology in South Korea
・ Caustic soda manufacturing equipment that reduces power consumption during electrolysis
by using the ion exchange membrane process in the Middle East, Asia, Europe andAmerica・ Ethylene plant in Singapore having the highest level of energy efficiency in the world
Unprocessed materials/products: During the usage stage, CO2 can be substantially reduced ascompared with conventional unprocessed materials and methods.
・ Desalination technology using reverse osmosis membranes
・ Drainage treatment system by means of multistage aeration tanks
・ Control devices for DC motors for inverter air conditioners

38

Treatment for making three alternatives to Freon harmless:・ Reduction in the emissions of three alternatives to Freon by the installation of exhaust gas
combustion equipment
For the results in 2012, achieved substantial reduction in PFCs to 92% and in SF6 to 95%,
using the basic unit for emissions relative to that in the reference year.

From now on,

reduction in greenhouse gas emissions through transfer of technologies overseas will bepromoted in cooperation with the national government as well, through the use of
production technologies for reducing the emissions of alternatives to Freon and through theuse of exhaust gas combustion equipment that is possessed by businesses.
5.3

Development of innovative technologies

The chemical industry uses fossil fuel both as fuel and as raw materials, and the development ofinnovative technologies both in terms of raw materials and fuel is an important problem to beaddressed on a mid to long-term basis.
For this reason, considering the situation in 2020 and thereafter, we will promote development by
sharing the roadmap and cooperating with the national government regarding the technical problems
and barriers to be overcome in development. It is also important that information concerning thecontribution to such environmental aspects be transmitted by implementing quantitative assessments,
such as that carried out by using cLCA with regard to such technical development.
Major mid and long-term technical development in the chemical industry is shown below.
[1] Innovative process development
・ Development of innovative processes that reduce waste and byproducts
・ Development of innovative processes for naphtha decomposition
・ Development of distillation and separation technology by means of precision separation
membranes
・ Development of high-efficiency separation and refining processes for byproduct gases bymeans of high-performance porous materials[2] Development of chemical product manufacturing processes that do not use fossil fuels
・ Development of chemical product manufacturing processes that use CO2 as raw materials
・ Development of processes for manufacturing propylene from cellulose-based biomass
ethanol[3] Development of the next generation of high-performance materials that contribute to
reduction in GHG emissions in terms of LCA
・ Thermal insulation materials for high efficiency construction
・ Solar cell materials (high efficiency compound semiconductors, organic based solar cells,etc.)
・ Next-generation automobiles
・ Materials for weight reduction (engineering plastics, etc.)
・ Parts for secondary batteries (positive electrode materials, negative electrode materials,
electrolytic fluids, separators, etc.)39

・ Parts for fuel cells (catalysts, solid electrolytes)
・ Next-generation high-efficiency lighting (high efficiency LEDs, organic EL, etc.)
・ Materials for flat panel displays (organic EL, etc.)
・ Materials for high-efficiency heat pumps (cooling medium, heat accumulating agent)・ CO2 separation membranes, hydrogen manufacturing, and storage technologies, etc.
[4] Development of chemical technologies and creation of new parts, materials and products inline with the "Cool Earth Innovative Energy Technology Plan"40

6. Review for cLCA Report (Third Edition)
6.1

Overview of the review

During the period from December 2013 through January 2014, the "cLCA Report - Third Edition"
was presented to a panel of experts and their opinions were solicited. Four people expressed theiropinions: Masahiko Hirao (committee chairperson, Professor, Department of Chemical System
Engineering, School of Engineering, the University of Tokyo), Atsushi Inaba (Professor, Departmentof Environmental and Energy Chemistry, Kogakuin University), Yasunari Matsuno (Associate
Professor, Department of Materials Engineering, School of Engineering, the University of Tokyo),and Yuki Hondo (Professor, Graduate School of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama
National University).
Note that the four people in charge of the review were not concerned with obtaining the data usedin the investigation, and did not directly verify the completeness, representativeness, accuracy, etc.
of the data given in the report. Hence, the data used for calculation and the values themselvesobtained as the result of calculation are outside the scope of the review.
The matters pointed out are described below by itemizing them as the "Overview of the result ofreview."
6.2

Opinions and response of the panel of experts on the cLCA Report (third edition)(1) Opinions of the experts
1) Levels in the value chain
・ It is felt that regarding the selection of levels in the value chain, all the examples given arethose at the end-use level. Assuming that the stage of chemical products being used (thestage after cleaning in the case of a steel plate detergent; the stage after coating in the caseof a paint) is the end-use level, it can also be said that both the steel plate detergent and thepaint are not at the chemical product level, but are at the end-use level.

Also, if a

consumer is given the status of being at the end-use level, such examples can also be
regarded as being at the chemical product level, and in this respect it is difficult to make a
judgment on the status of the value chain level.

Concerning the terms to be used,classification of the terms such as the unprocessed material level, final product level, andprocess level might also be necessary.
・ Explanations based on the chemical product level and end-use level only are not easy tounderstand. The grouping of levels into unprocessed material level, part level, andprocess level could also be required.
・ ・All the examples given appear to be those at the end-use level.

The explanations given

in page 15 of the Global Guidelines ("Addressing the Avoided GHG Emissions Challenge")
based on the chemical product level and the end-use level are not easy to understand.

In

addition, in the case of the chemical product level, it is thought that the comparison may
also be equal to comparative assertion if the provisions of ISO 14040/44 are to be followed,
and so measures for addressing such a comparison will be required.
・ In the example of a shampoo container, it appears to be at the end-use level if the study is
focused on the shampoo container.

41

・ If it is said that the study focuses on the chemical product level, perhaps the name should
be changed to a resin for shampoo containers.
・ Regarding the value chain level and system boundary, methods of representation vary
between those at the end-use level and those at the chemical product level for the topic of
the entire value chain and for the system boundary part. In particular, differences in
representation at the chemical product level between those for the topic of the entire value
chain and those for the system boundary part might be perplexing.
・ It is better to clearly indicate the selected level in the diagram of the value chain.
2) Degree of contribution[1] About Table 2 in the Global Guidelines
・ In the case of the chemical product level, if "Fundamental" is selected as the degree ofcontribution, a mismatch may occur with the specific contents of description of the degreeof contribution ("The chemical product is the key component that enables the GHG
emission avoiding effect by using the final product."), which might cause
misunderstanding.
・ Also, the translation into Japanese "Kansetsu Koken" (which means "indirect contribution"
in Japanese) of the term "minor" may be regarded as indirect contribution that is used for
an effect obtained by recycling, and the like.

Also, in the English language as well, a term

corresponding to indirect contribution exists ("Indirect") aside from "minor," and theJapanese translation may also be regarded as the term corresponding to it, which might
result in misunderstanding that "indirect contribution" is small.
・ The Japanese translation should elaborate on expressions.

For example, the term

"Hitsuyo Fukaketsu" (which means indispensable in Japanese) may also be construed ashaving the meaning of fundamental or essential.

Another possible way of thinking might

be that the portions indicating the degree of contribution shall not be translated, but shall be
represented by numbers or the alphabet, thereby giving an indication that shows the orderof priority to some extent.
・ The term "Contribution" has two different meanings: (1) Contribution to reduction in CO2emissions; (2) Contribution for realizing the product to be assessed that enables reduction
in CO2 emissions (essential product/technology), and therefore it is thought that ways ofusing expressions that prevent confusion between them are important.
[2] About the judgment criteria for the degree of contribution
・ The degree of contribution involves factors such that the portion to be marked with "○"may vary with the perspective.

It becomes a problem if a different judgment is reachedby each perspective.
・ How about representing the evaluation of the degree of contribution of products by using
two axes?

Specifically, how about depicting the intermediate product through final

product on the horizontal axis and describing the degree of contribution to emissions
reduction on the vertical axis?
Also, how about depicting contribution enabled by processes separately?

423) Others[1] The Global Guidelines state in 3.3.4 that the typical duration of a reference period is one year.
Perhaps the calculation of avoided emissions for each of the examples should be made on a
per-year basis.
[2] About assessed examples overseas
Not only in the chemical industry, Japanese technologies and products play a very large roleoverseas, and therefore it is desirable that assessment should not be limited to that in Japan
only, and more examples of chemical products that are in widespread use overseas/in theworld as well as of Japanese chemical technologies should be described.
4) Individual matters[1] Materials for solar power generation
・ There is no diagram for the system boundary for utility power which is the product forcomparison, and it is not clear whether an evaluation of equipment required for power
generation has been made.

In addition, in all the other examples the system boundary for

products for comparison is stated clearly, and it needs to be stated clearly for solar power
generation as well.
・ In solar power generation, it is appropriate to assess the equipment required for the
manufacture of electric power as well.

This is also true of power generation such as

thermal power generation, hydropower generation, nuclear power generation, etc. Whileon the other hand, in general, manufacturing equipment (plant and equipment for producing
products) is not included in the object of assessment in LCA, although it may depend on
the product to be assessed, or its assessment is often omitted.

Actually in the otherexamples included in this report, manufacturing equipment is not included in the object ofassessment. Hence, it is desirable that power generation should be regarded as a special
case and this point should be clearly stated.
・ In the sentence in 3. Product comparison, the following description is necessary, but it isappropriate that the description should not be included in 3., but should be included insome other place.

"If the rate of electric power production by solar power generation

increases, which is a mode of power generation that is likely to be affected by weather
conditions, there may be a possibility that preparatory equipment and facilities will
additionally be required in order to realize stable electric power supply.

At the present

stage, there are no examples of assessment of CO2 emissions which was carried out bearing
in mind such a mode of electric power supply in the future, and therefore in this example
the comparison has been restricted to that of CO2 emissions in the life cycles of solar power
generation and utility power."[2] Aluminum-resin composite window and thermal insulation materials
In the preceding chapter 1.6 for thermal insulation materials for housing, cLCA of housingthat uses thermal insulation materials was carried out. Perhaps relations with this report
should be described.

43

Regarding the examples of thermal insulation materials only and the examples of composite
window & thermal insulation materials, partly because their chapters are provided
successively, confusion may occur as to whether the effect of the window has been added tothe effect of thermal insulation materials or whether evaluations were made independently
from each other, and therefore it is better to avoid any possibility of misunderstanding.
For example, differences such as those given below, need to be described.
•

Difference in boundary between the two (Tokyo and the entire Japan)•

Whether the effect of thermal insulation materials is incorporated into the calculation in
the cLCA for the window frame (explanations should be made in an easy-to-understandway).

[3] Concentrated liquid detergent for cleaning clothes
・ In order to realize contribution to reduction, cooperation from consumers is necessary, suchas ensuring that the setting of "rinsing with water once" will be put into practice.

Perhapsthis point should also be described as a factor of uncertainty.
・ Regarding the matters related to the stage of disposal of containers, calculation is made byreferring to the PCR of the CFP system.

Although it may depend on the unprocessedmaterials of containers, the ratio of incineration has increased in the PCR, and this is also amethod of calculation in which the effect given by the recycling of container packages is
not sufficiently reflected. Fundamentally, when carrying out life cycle assessment, theeffect given by recycling should also be reflected.
However, in this example, there is no problem because the result gives conservative values
and transparency of the data is also ensured.
[4] Low-temperature steel plate detergent"Fundamental" is selected as 6. Degree of contribution.

On the other hand, in the column

for the "Relations between chemical products and final products" in the table, the words "thatenables the GHG emission avoiding effect by using the final product" are stated, but what is
the final product?
[5] Shampoo container
Perhaps the calculation boundary for the amount of consumption of water resources in 11.
should be different from the calculation boundary for GHG emissions.
How about describing the amount of water consumption at the container level by also
creating a new item, if possible?
For example, it is better to include the item in Appendix, thereby stating clearly that such an
item is evaluated separately from the evaluation of the calculation of GMG emissions.
(2) Response to the opinions
1) Level in the value chain
The level in the value chain was described in the 16 examples and presented to the experts.
On the basis of the opinions given by reviewers, it has been decided to examine the following
points as the problems to be addressed hereafter, and not to clearly state the level this time.

44

・ Examination will be implemented so that reasonable explanations can be made on a wide
range of examples, not only using the concept of the chemical product level and end-use
level, but also giving explanations, etc. in the classification into unprocessed materials,
parts, and processes.
・ When the selection criteria for the level in the value chain have been clarified, the selectedlevel will be clearly indicated in the value chain diagram.
2) Degree of contribution
The degree of contribution was described by using 16 examples and presented to the experts.
On the basis of the opinions given by reviewers, it has been decided to examine the following
points as the problems to be addressed hereafter, and not to clearly state the degree ofcontribution this time.
[1] Portion of the Japanese translation in Table 2 of the Global Guidelines
Expressions that match the contents of the "Degree of contribution of chemical products tovalue chain avoided emissions" will be reexamined.
[2] Judgment criteria for the degree of contribution
Judgment criteria will be clarified including the examination of the methods of indication of
the degree of contribution in products and processes, and explanations will also be elaborated
on so that the judgment criteria are easy to understand.
3) Others[1] In the examples, avoided CO2 emissions when the products expected to be manufactured in
the year (2020) under assessment would have been used until the end of their life are
evaluated.

A description is given to that effect in 4.4 "Temporal and geographicalstandards" in each of the examples.
[2] From now on, efforts will be made to expand the examples that have already been published.
The chemical industry has participated in the "Keidanren’s Commitment to a Low-Carbon
Society" that started in Fiscal Year 2013, and is engaging in work for the "Promotion ofinternational contributions" as one of the four principal areas of activities.

It is planned thatexamples of reduction in GHG emissions in the world by using Japanese products andtechnologies will also be reported in the " Commitment to a Low-Carbon Society."4) Individual matters[1] Materials for solar power generation
・ Whether or not evaluation has been carried out concerning the equipment required for
power generation has been stated clearly.
・ The following has been described in the item of "10. Problems to be addressed.""If the rate of electric power production by solar power generation increases, which is amode of power generation that is likely to be affected by weather conditions, there may be
a possibility that preparatory equipment and facilities will additionally be required in orderto realize stable electric power supply.

At the present stage, there are no examples of45

assessment of CO2 emissions which was carried out bearing in mind such a mode ofelectric power supply in the future, and therefore in this example the comparison has been
restricted to that of CO2 emissions in the life cycles of solar power generation and utility
power."[2] Aluminum-resin composite window and thermal insulation materials
1.7 Added sentences that describe the relations with 1.6 "thermal insulation materials forhousing" as 10. in 1.7 "Aluminum-resin composite window and thermal insulation materials."[3] Concentrated liquid detergent for cleaning clothes
In "9. Study Limitations and Future Recommendations," sentences concerning cooperation to
be given by consumers have been added.
[4] Low-temperature steel plate detergent
Steel plate is assumed to be the final product. Note that with regard to the term "final
product," "solution" is used in the original English text, and the "final product" has been used
when translating the text into Japanese.
[5] Shampoo container
The calculation of the amount of consumption of water resources in the life cycle ofshampoos has been described in Appendix.
6-3.

Pending problems since the issuance of the first and second editions(Opinions of the experts)
Concerning the avoided CO2 emissions in 2020
The calculation of the avoided CO2 emissions in 2020 was made on condition that the products
under assessment were excluded. This method may be good for product comparison, but with regard
to emission abatement as of 2020, it is thought that the present scenario is insufficient. How about
examining a new scenario as a problem to be addressed hereafter?
(Response to the opinions)
Considering this issue as the problem to be addressed hereafter in JCIA's LCA WG, work will be
performed while soliciting guidance from the experts as well.

7. Acknowledgements
We would like to express our gratitude to Mizuho Information & Research Institute, Inc., K.K．
Industrial Information Research Center, K.K. Etisa, and the experts of the Review Committee(Committee chairperson Mr. Hirao, Committee member Mr. Inaba, Committee member Mr. Matsuno,and Committee member Mr. Hondo) for the guidance and support provided by them in the issuanceof this report.

46