Pickler calculates the environmental burden of a packaging product’s full lifecycle. It is an addition of all activities at all the stages in the chain: production of raw materials, production of the end-product, transport, and the end-of-life processes.

See the figure below.

Pickler excludes the use-phase, since legal packaging solutions usually cause no significant (additional) pollution during the use-phase

A product in the Pickler system is characterized by (1) the Bill of Materials (BoM) (including additional packaging), i.e. a list of materials that are required in the production chain, (2) the electricity and heat (3) the transport (4) the end-of-life treatment. The percentage that goes to landfill, municipal waste incineration, composting, and/or recycling.

This includes all GS1 packaging layers (pack, case, pallet), which are allocated per product based on the number of units per layer.

The system applies the so called “cut-off” at the waste stockpile. This means that there is no carry-over of eco-burden from the old product to the new, recycled, product (according to EN 15804).

The activities to produce a recycled material (upcycled as well as downcycled) are dealt with as a specific raw material that enters the manufacturing step (part of the BoM). For a detailed description of ‘linear’ and ‘circular’ systems, see FAQ 2.6 of ecocostsvalue.com.

In the Pickler system, packaging products often consist of more than one layer. To ensure complete and fair calculations, Pickler includes all packaging levels defined in the GS1 hierarchy: the pack (primary packaging), the case (secondary packaging), and the pallet (tertiary packaging).

For each level, users provide the number of products per pack, per case, and per pallet. Pickler uses this information to allocate the environmental burden of each packaging layer to a single product. This prevents under- or overestimation of impacts and ensures that results remain comparable across different packaging formats.

All activities of each packaging layer are included in the calculation: the material list (BoM), the processing steps, and end-of-life treatment. Each layer is treated as part of the product system, and its footprint is divided by the number of products it contains.

This ratio-based approach ensures that efficient packaging systems are reflected fairly, heavy outer packaging is not overlooked, and footprint results remain accurate and realistic in supply-chain contexts.

When exact data isn’t available, Pickler allows users to opt-in to fill data gaps with carefully chosen default values.

These defaults ensure that assessments remain accurate, fair, and reliable, even with limited data. By using trusted averages, Pickler avoids underestimating impact, enabling you to make informed, transparent sustainability decisions without guesswork.

This approach ensures consistency across product comparisons, giving you confidence in the results.

View all data fields that can be filled with default values

In the raw materials stage, Pickler calculates the environmental footprint of all materials used to manufacture the packaging product. This includes virgin materials, recycled materials, additives, coatings, inks, fillers, and all components defined in the product’s Bill of Materials (BoM).

The environmental footprint of the raw materials stage is calculated by multiplying the mass of each material (kg) by the corresponding IDEMAT footprint value (eco-costs and carbon footprint). All material contributions are summed to obtain the total BoM impact.

Pickler follows the methodology and system boundaries defined in the IDEMAT Calculation Rules, including:

A full explanation of these rules can be found in the IDEMAT Calculation Rules:
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For materials with recycled content, Pickler applies a proportional rule:

Material classifications and production steps follow the categories defined in the IDEMAT database (A-lines for materials, D-lines for relevant converting/processing steps).
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Users may request to apply lower-impact material values when supported by a verified EPD from approved programme operators (IBU, Environdec, EPD Norge, INIES, EPD Italy, AENOR, RTS EPD (data of other LCA sources are not accepted, since they are not verified by an EPD institute).
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Pickler does not verify input of data. This is the sole responsibility of the user. By using Pickler, users agree to the following:

In the processing stage, Pickler accounts for all activities involved in converting raw materials into their final packaging form.

This includes forming, molding, cutting, printing, laminating, sealing, and any other processes required to transform materials from input format to finished packaging components.

The production footprint is calculated by multiplying the energy used during manufacturing (electricity and heat) by the country-specific energy mix where the process takes place.

Because electricity footprints differ significantly between countries, Pickler always requires the location of the manufacturing site.

Pickler applies the IDEMAT methodology and energy data (B-lines), which include:

Pickler uses only IDEMAT data to maintain methodological consistency and avoid mixing incompatible calculation rules.

Pickler applies a 0% processing waste assumption.
This reflects what is shown in industry research:

This assumption prevents double-counting and provides a more realistic representation of common packaging production processes.

Users may enter processing waste when supported by primary data; if provided, Pickler includes this waste as additional material input.

When printing is applied to the packaging, Pickler uses the corresponding IDEMAT printing process, which defines the environmental footprint per square meter (m²) of printed surface.

Because IDEMAT uses m² of printed area as the functional unit for all printing processes, Pickler requires users to enter the printing area in m².

Users provide:

Pickler then applies the IDEMAT footprint for the selected printing method to the reported printing area.

Ink usage is already embedded in the IDEMAT printing processes and therefore not requested separately.
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Pickler allows users to enter a location-based electricity or heat mix when the manufacturing plant uses on-site or region-specific energy sources (e.g., rooftop solar, biomass heat, waste heat).
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The claimed on-site energy mix must be supported by local audit & assurance documentation.

Pickler allows users to enter primary energy data from their actual manufacturing process:

When this information is provided, Pickler will—when possible—apply these values directly to the chosen IDEMAT processing method.
If the underlying IDEMAT dataset reports electricity and/or heat use for that process, Pickler replaces those IDEMAT energy values with the user’s primary data.

All other process elements (such as fuel types, upstream energy production, or supporting activities) remain based on IDEMAT.
This ensures that:

This feature gives users a precise way to incorporate real operational data while maintaining full alignment with the IDEMAT calculation rules.

Users can submit a verified facility-level EPD for its converting or production processes (e.g., printing, molding, laminating, thermoforming).
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To ensure consistency, Pickler only accepts EPDs from recognised programme operators: IBU Environdec EPD Norge INIES EPD Italy AENOR RTS EPD.

Pickler doesn’t calculate the environmental burden of packaging in the use phase, since: (a) the packaging firm does not know the details of the usage of all their specific end-users (b) the environmental burden of packaging - that is approved within the EU and the USA - in the use phase can be neglected (i.e. is by far less than 1% of the total environmental burden)

Re-use is not calculated in Pickler, since the “reference unit” is kg, m, or m2. In such an approach re-use is not accounted (since the reference unit is not “per usage”).

This choice is intentionally: the packaging firm does not know the value of re-use of a specific end-user, since the packaging firm does not know the “economic lifespan” of its product for all the specific clients (Note that the economic lifetime is in most cases much less than the technical lifetime)

Reuse systems vary strongly in reality: cleaning intensity, water and energy use, detergents, return distance, number of actual reuse cycles, and consumer behaviour all introduce large uncertainty. Without verified operational data, including reuse would reduce accuracy and comparability. Therefore Pickler excludes reuse by default

The user is free to mention the lifetime under compliance data (“…..this product can me used more than x times”). Such statements are only descriptive and do not affect the calculation. Users are responsible for the accuracy of any claims.

In the transport stage, Pickler calculates the environmental footprint of transporting the packaging product from the manufacturing location to the warehouse or final destination.

This footprint is calculated as:
​distance × transport method (plus the correct IDEMAT weight- or volume-based record).

When locations are provided, Pickler can automatically calculate distance, transport mode, and weight/volume classification to produce an accurate transport footprint.

Users can select transport modes directly from the IDEMAT transport dataset (e.g. truck, ship, train, barge).
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Each mode maps to a specific IDEMAT process with its own footprint, fuel types, and load factors.

In the calculation of the environmental footprint of transport, we consider the average 'load factors', which are on average the number of times that there is a returning freight available. The load factors (or occupancy rate) depend on the transport method.

When both manufacturing and warehouse locations are known, Pickler automatically:

Users can override any automatically assigned distance or method via the product form or import.

The transport distance over sea is calculated by using Sea routes and distances. The transport distance over land is calculated by using Google Maps.

More information on automatic distance calculation in Pickler

Pickler applies a default 1000 km of upstream transport for raw materials moving to the manufacturing site.

This reflects a conservative global-average supply chain distance for upstream materials. Users may override this value with verified supplier data

Pickler determines whether a shipment should use the weight-based or volume-based IDEMAT transport record by calculating the transport density of the product.

To calculate this density, Pickler asks users for:

From these inputs, Pickler calculates the kg/m³ for the transported load.

IDEMAT logic is then applied:

This ensures accurate modelling for both compact and bulky/lightweight packaging.

Even when users manually select a transport mode (e.g., truck, sea freight, rail),

Pickler always assigns the correct IDEMAT record (weight-based or volume-based) based on the transport density.

In the end-of-life stage, Pickler calculates the footprint of the packaging’s disposal by applying material-specific EOL scenarios based on regional waste treatment data. This ensures that recycling, incineration, and landfill reflect the actual conditions of each country or region.

For each material i, Pickler applies:

EOL impact =
(% landfillᵢ × footprint_landfillᵢ)

Where the percentages come from the regional waste treatment mix, and the footprint values come from IDEMAT EOL processes.

This gives the total end-of-life impact:

Total EOL = Σ (materialᵢ_mass × EOL impactᵢ)

The end of life regions source can be downloaded from ecocostvalue.com

Pickler applies the EN 15804 cut-off rule at the waste stockpile:

Pickler applies the rule that biogenic carbon = 0 (in the short carbon cycle), according to the choice in IPCC and in the vast majority of the scientific LCA community. This is because the life span of packaging is less than 100 years, except from non-degradable bio-plastics in landfill. The consequences of this rule is described in FAQ 2.3 of ecocostsvalue.com on “how to handle carbon sequestration in bio-based products.

The consequences of carbon sequestration in landfill for non-degradable bio-plastics are described in FAQ 2.20 of ecocostsvalue.com .
Note. FAQ 2.20 describes one of the reasons why carbon footprint calculations don’t give satisfactory results in cradle-to-cradle calculations for packaging. The eco-costs system does not have this problem.

This follows IPCC guidelines and IDEMAT’s rules for short-cycle biogenic carbon. It also prevents double-counting of carbon benefits in circular systems.

Pickler applies the official IDEMAT end-of-life (EOL) processes for each material type. These processes include all emissions, system boundaries, and allocation rules defined in IDEMAT.

Pickler uses the following IDEMAT process groups:

These datasets incorporate all relevant emissions and avoided burdens. Transport, collection, and sorting of post-consumer waste are excluded, consistent with IDEMAT, because these impacts are typically <1% and vary strongly per local system.

For plastics and other recyclable materials, Pickler applies IDEMAT’s recycling approach, including:

This ensures consistent cradle-to-cradle modelling.

Users may enter verified primary end of life data for their products, including the percentages of:

When enabled, these values replace IDEMAT defaults, allowing the footprint to reflect real disposal outcomes.

Only verified, evidence-based data should be used. Unverified claims (e.g., “100% recyclable”) may lead to greenwashing risks and regulatory non-compliance.

More information on adding primary end of life data

End-of-life outcomes differ significantly by region and material type.
To ensure realistic modelling, Pickler uses an underlying regional EOL data file (based on IDEMAT and supporting literature) that provides, for each region, the typical shares of:

These values reflect the actual waste treatment infrastructure in major regions such as:

Each region contains material-specific distributions. For more information, see FAQ 2.21 on ecocostsvalue.com

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