What is The Difference between Eco claims and LCA results?

Sustainability is used so broadly that it often means something different depending on who is speaking. In packaging, this usually appears as eco-labels or sustainability claims. Some are official certifications (e.g., FSC, OK Compost), while others are general claims such as “biodegradable,” “plastic-free,” or “carbon-neutral.”

Eco-labels and claims focus on one part of a product’s lifecycle. They may highlight a benefit — such as recyclable material or compostability — but ignore other factors like energy use, transport, or how the product is actually handled in real conditions.

This means a claim may sound “sustainable,” while the complete environmental picture tells a different story.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) looks at all stages of the lifecycle and multiple types of impact. It considers materials, production, weight, energy use, transport, and end-of-life. Most eco-claims do not.

It is therefore common that an LCA reveals impacts that an eco-label does not cover.

Below is a list of common eco-claims and what part of the story they actually cover.

FSC: Certifies sustainable sourcing of wood and paper

Limitation: It does not address emissions from production, energy use, weight, or transport.

OK compost: Certifies that product is industrially compostable

Limitation: Certification only means it can compost under specific conditions; it does not guarantee that it will be composted.

Recyclable materials: claims product can be recycled.

Limitation: Technical recyclability does not reflect actual recycling rates in the real world.

Recycled materials: made from recycled content.

Limitation: Does not reflect the energy and resource use of the recycling process.

Eco-friendly: General claim of being environmentally friendly

Limitation: Vague, unregulated claims that do not indicate which impact categories were considered.r proof.

Carbon neutral: Claims the product offsets its carbon emissions.

Limitation: Focuses on carbon offsets; does not capture impacts like land use, water use, toxicity or resource depletion.

ALU: The item is made of recyclable aluminium.

Limitation: Aluminium is highly recyclable, but only if collected and sorted correctly; the claim does not guarantee real-world recycling.

Re-usable: Claims the product can be used multiple times

Limitation: Reusable items are only better when reused enough times to offset their higher production impact.