Abstract:

The aim of this paper is to identify the existing barriers to the implementation process of Environmental Life Cycle Costing (ELCC) in the production enterprises which have implemented it or declare that they will do so. This aim was achieved through a survey carried out in such entities in Poland, Lithuania and Germany with the use of the following research methods: a questionnaire interview, a survey questionnaire, a semi-structured interview. The key findings permit the formulation of new hypotheses, which will be verified at the next stage of the conducted research: (1) the barriers to implementing ELCC depend on the awareness of an enterprise’s managers; (2) preparing controlling departments with respect to environmental costs determines the form and complexity of ELCC; (3) shorter product life cycles constitute a barrier to implementing ELCC.