The International Carbon Black Association (ICBA) released its first-ever industry-average Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) for carbon black produced using furnace technology at the Carbon Black World conference held on May 12 and 13, 2025, in Fort Worth, Texas.

Furnace carbon black represents 95% of the volumes manufactured by ICBA members and is the main processing technology used on the market. The release of an average cradle-to-gate PCF for furnace carbon black marks a significant step forward in the association’s commitment to support downstream industries in meeting their sustainability and decarbonization goals as well as eco-design efforts. Through this, the ICBA aims to provide a reliable, science-based reference point for customers’ PCF calculations, promoting consistency and transparency in sustainability reporting across the value chain.

Since the assumptions and system boundaries made during Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) modeling can significantly influence the final results and conclusions, ICBA initiated in 2024, the joint development of a Product Category Rule (PCR) to standardize the methodology and be agnostic of the process technology used to manufacture carbon black. This effort is intended to enable credible and comparable disclosure of product-level LCA and PCF data across the industry.

“The ICBA’s initiative to standardize product carbon footprints and develop category rules marks a critical advancement in promoting transparency and consistency across the carbon black industry. By establishing clear and reliable metrics, we empower stakeholders to better understand and reduce environmental impacts. I am proud to support this important work, which reflects our shared commitment to decarbonization and responsible industry practices. This effort sets a new benchmark as we collectively pursue a more sustainable future.” said Jennifer Chittick, President of the ICBA."

The industry average LCA is 3rd party verified following the ISO 14044/14067 and ISO 14071.