Full LCA vs. Screening LCA: What’s Right for Your Business?

Editor: Agnes Sulistya, David Adiwijaya, Sharah Saputra (LCI Team)

Why Choosing the Right LCA Type is Really Important

In today’s world, where sustainability claims are increasingly scrutinized by consumers, regulators, and investors, businesses need reliable tools to measure their environmental impacts. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is one of the most trusted methods for this purpose. LCA helps identify where the biggest environmental impacts occur and where improvements can be made.

But not every business needs the same level of detail or investment. Choosing the right type of LCA — whether Full LCA or Screening LCA — can save time, reduce costs, and ensure the results are fit for purpose. Tailoring assessment methods to decision-making needs is essential for effective sustainability strategies.

Full LCA vs. Screening LCA

To understand the difference between a Full LCA and a Screening LCA, it is helpful to think of it like a health check:

• Full LCA is like a complete medical examination — detailed, thorough, and covering all aspects. It can use either detailed or aggregated data depending on need.

• Screening LCA is like a quick health screening — faster, focusing on key indicators to provide an initial assessment.

  
  

In practice, however, it’s about choosing the right fit-for-purpose approach. 

Even within Full LCA, there are options. A Full LCA may use detailed process data or aggregated data, depending on what makes sense. For example, in an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), a Full LCA might aggregate certain supply chain stages to protect supplier confidentiality or because detailed mapping isn’t practical. This doesn’t make it a screening study — it’s still a Full LCA, just with aggregation applied where appropriate.

Here’s a simple comparison:

Aspect	Full LCA	Screening LCA
Detail level	Comprehensive (all stages and impacts covered)	Simplified (focus on main stages or impacts)
Data	Primary, specific data preferred (can include aggregated data for practicality)	Mix of generic/secondary data
Process detail	Can be fully detailed or aggregated	Mostly aggregated, simplified for faster assessment
Time & cost	Higher (weeks/months, higher cost)	Lower (days/weeks, lower cost)
Output	Suitable for certifications, EPDs, eco-labels	Suitable for internal decisions, early design choices
Uncertainty	Lower (more robust results)	Higher (indicative results)

When to Use Which?

✅ Full LCA is the right choice when:

• Your product is at a mature or commercial stage and need thorough environmental analysis.

• You are pursuing third-party certification, such as an EPD or eco-label.

• You need robust, transparent data to communicate with customers or regulators.

• You want to support strategic, long-term sustainability decisions.

• You need flexibility — detailed or aggregated data where appropriate.

  
  

✅ Screening LCA is the right choice when:

• You are in the early design phase and need quick insights.

• You want to compare material or design alternatives before committing resources.

• Your budget or timeline does not allow for full analysis initially.

• You are at the beginning of your sustainability journey and want to develop a strategy and set clear priorities.

  
  

Early-stage assessments like screening LCAs are valuable for guiding design decisions without excessive investment upfront.

Real-Life Examples

➡ Packaging company (Screening LCA): A consumer goods manufacturer used screening LCA to compare bio-based versus recycled plastic for packaging. The quick assessment helped them select a lower-carbon option during early design, saving both time and costs.

➡ Building materials company (Full LCA): A firm producing construction materials conducted a Full LCA to generate an EPD, supporting their product’s inclusion in a green building certification scheme.

➡ Electronics company (Full LCA with aggregation): An electronics firm developed an EPD using a Full LCA where supply chain data for certain components was aggregated to protect supplier confidentiality while still meeting reporting standards.

Final Thoughts + Call to Action

There is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to LCA. Both Full LCA and Screening LCA have clear roles depending on your product stage, goals, and resources. The key is choosing the approach that best fits your business need — whether that’s a comprehensive study for certification or a fast, indicative study to guide early decisions.

Working with experienced LCA practitioners can help ensure you get the right level of detail and value from your assessment. If your business is exploring environmental assessment options, now is the time to consult experts and make informed choices that support both sustainability and competitiveness. Life Cycle Indonesia has conducted LCA since 2015, we contribute nationally in various sustainability aspects (based on LCA) and globally by sponsoring LCM 2025 (https://www.lcm2025.org/#)

Interested to know more? Contact us!

References

• European Commission. (2010). International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD) Handbook: General guide for Life Cycle Assessment - Detailed guidance. Publications Office of the European Union.

• GBCI. (2022). Green building certification: Environmental Product Declarations. Retrieved from https://www.gbci.org

• International Energy Agency. (2021). Net zero by 2050: A roadmap for the global energy sector. IEA Publications.

• ISO. (2006). ISO 14040: Environmental management — Life cycle assessment — Principles and framework. International Organization for Standardization.

• United Nations Environment Programme. (2020). LCA guidelines and practical tools for SMEs. UNEP Publications.