PVOH and PVB with LCA
Kuraray commissioned the Product Sustainability Consultancy Sphera Solutions to conduct an in-depth Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), from cradle to gate (i.e. from the extraction of raw materials to the factory gate), on four products manufactured in Europe: polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) Poval, polyvinyl butyral (PVB), PVB films and SentryGlas films. The aim was to scientifically assess the sustainability of the products and identify its potential for environmental improvement. In the case of Poval brand PVOH, according to the results of the study, the total climate change value calculated per 1 kg of material was 2.47 kg of CO2 equivalent, 30 per cent lower than the average indicated for PVOH. Furthermore, the carbon footprint of Kuraray’s oil-based PVOH would be significantly lower than that of coal-based PVOH variants on the market.