About
A Unique LCA Calculator for the Flexible Polyurethane Foam Industry
Easily simulate, measure, and improve the carbon footprint of your foam products with a secure, third-party-verified tool tailored to your sector’s needs.
Background information
In Europe, environmental reporting requirements are becoming increasingly important, driven both by regulatory framework and customer expectations. At the same time, an apparent need emerges for standardisation of environmental reporting methodogy.
The polyurethane foam industry is rapidly evolving, with an increasing number of sustainable raw materials – including bio-based, bio-circular, and recycled content – becoming available to manufacturers. These novel raw materials can be used/combined to help address environmental challenges and reduce the foam’s carbon footprint – and other impacts – while maintaining high-performance standards.
The industry-wide eco-profiles – such as those maintained by EUROPUR – are no longer deemed satisfactory; customers seek precise environmental data specific to the foam they receive from their suppliers. Therefore, a tailored approach for each foam grade is deemed necessary.
Why PUReLCA?
To address these challenges, EUROPUR commissioned the development of a specialised ‘LCA calculator’ for flexible polyurethane foams – now known under the brand name PUReLCA® – covering both the slabstock and moulded production processes for all main applications PU foam is used in, including the automotive supply chain with its specific reporting formats.
PUReLCA® was developed with the support of LCA experts from EUROPUR member companies to ensure the entire PU foam supply chain can speak the same language, use the same agreed assumptions when making LCA calculations and have the same quality scoring for data accuracy/completeness as used in the wider chemical industry. Comparison of products or the environmental footprint of different foam formulations can therefore take place by simply looking at the results rather than by comparing various methodologies or assumptions a company may have used when performing their calculation.
Beyond this, PUReLCA® also brings a significant economic advantage to users and allows the flexible PU foam industry to mutualise the cost of environment reporting. The annual subscription is much lower than the cost of performing just one LCA calculation with most third-party service providers – certainly for small companies – and the number of calculations that can be made is unlimited.
This new software provides manufacturers with an easy-to-use, fast, accurate, and third-party-verified way to assess the environmental footprint of their products. The service partner and lead developer of the tool is Metsims, a sustainability consultancy based in the UK with operations in Türkiye.
Description of the system
PUReLCA® is a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) software designed and developed specifically for polyurethane foam producers. It enables generation of third-party-verified LCA data for specific formulations, ensuring compliance with LCA standards and ready to be communicated in the supply chain.
Key Features
Access to Uniform Database of Raw Materials
PUReLCA® provides a standardised, specific and quality-rated pool of verified ingredients data used in the flexible PU foam production.
Raw Material Simulation
Foam producers can simulate the impact of novel raw materials to assess their sustainability potential before full-scale production.
Environmental Impact Evaluation
The software enables user-friendly assessment of the environmental impact of foam formulations across 13 impact categories, including global warming potential, resource use, and emissions.
Detecting Environmental Deficiencies
PUReLCA® generates comprehensive results of the foam production’s environmental impact, thus helping to identify environmental hotspots within the supply chain and so target improvements.
Comparison with Industry Averages
Users can benchmark their formulations against the sector-wide eco-profiles maintained by EUROPUR or against their own foam formulations also entered in the software.
Regulatory Compliance
PUReLCA® helps the industry to prepare for upcoming European regulations, such as the Eco-design for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), in a cost-effective manner.
Industry-wide Cost Saving
PUReLCA® offers unlimited calculations at a fraction of the cost of traditional LCA services. Even small companies can now afford precise environmental assessments without excessive expenses.
Secure Environment, Verified Process
PUReLCA® simplifies the entire LCA workflow—from data input and verification to result sharing and analysis—while ensuring the highest data integrity and privacy.
Secure Data Management
Users can safely store, manage, and analyse their formulation data in their own private and confidential account.
Third-Party Verification
The software is in itself third-party verified. In addition, calculations deemed to be circulated in the supply chain can also be third-party verified as required by LCA standards at a cost much lower and much faster than normally required for such third-party verifications.
Flexible Data Sharing Options
Producers can choose how and with whom to share their verified LCA results directly with the supply chain within the PUReLCA® environment.
With PUReLCA®, polyurethane foam producers gain a powerful, science-backed tool to improve transparency, enhance customer engagement, and drive sustainable innovation.
Why Individual Calculations?
Each foamer operates with unique raw materials, production processes, and formulations – requiring tailored calculations to reflect their specific conditions. An individual LCA calculation enables companies to input their precise data, ensuring that the results are relevant and accurate. This level of specificity not only helps in identifying areas where environmental performance can be improved but also in making informed decisions about sourcing and production that align with company’s sustainability objectives or customer requirements.
Software Owner
About EUROPUR
EUROPUR is the European association of flexible polyurethane block foam manufacturers. Its members operate the vast majority of flexible PU foam plants in the European Economic Area and produce nearly 90% of the foam made in the region. Over 70 organisations from the flexible PU foam supply chain are associated members in the association; from raw materials suppliers to various service providers.
EUROPUR’s mission is to represent the interests of the European flexible polyurethane foam manufacturers and to promote polyurethane as a sustainable added-value solution for established and new applications. EUROPUR strives to continuously improve technologies and processes while enhancing and advocating the benefits, safety, and sustainability of flexible polyurethane foam solutions.
Software Developer
About Metsims Sustainability Consulting
Metsims Sustainability Consulting is a leading provider of sustainability assessment and life cycle analysis (LCA) solutions, specializing in environmental impact evaluation, carbon footprint analysis, and circular economy strategies. With a strong focus on data-driven decision-making, the company supports industries in achieving sustainability goals through advanced tools, regulatory compliance, and third-party verification services.
Metsims collaborates with businesses across various sectors, including chemicals, materials, and manufacturing, to develop tailored solutions that enhance environmental performance and corporate responsibility. Their expertise spans Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) calculations, Environmental Product Declarations (EPD), and supply chain sustainability assessments.
Through innovative methodologies and industry-leading software, Metsims empowers companies to reduce their environmental footprint, comply with sustainability regulations, and drive informed decision-making for a more sustainable future.