Global environmental impacts: data sources and methodological choices for calculating normalization factors for LCA

• DOI: 10.1007/s11367-019-01604-y
• Publication Date: 2019-03-25T14:03:35Z
• Authors: Eleonora Crenna; Michela Secchi; Lorenzo Benini; Serenella Sala
• Keywords: Normalization; Global Change

Characterizing environmental impacts at the global scale is crucial to define references against which compare profile of products and systems. Within this study, emissions resource uses have been collected characterized for following impact categories: climate change, ozone depletion, human toxicity (cancer non-cancer), ecotoxicity, particulate matter, ionizing radiation, photochemical formation, acidification, eutrophication (terrestrial, marine, freshwater), land use, water use. The results can be used as normalization factors (NFs) in context life cycle assessment (LCA). NFs are built on an extensive collection data resources extracted a 2010, gathering different sources comparing them. A hierarchical approach was applied selection sources. Extrapolations, mainly temporal data-gap filling, were complementing inventories missing data. In order calculate NFs, inventory by using International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD) midpoint indicators EU Environmental Footprint (EF) set, includes recently released models. resulting (ILCD EF) reported discussed each category. Coverage completeness robustness both underpinning models level uncertainty calculations. Based contribution analysis main elementary flows, it resulted that only few flows drive overall most categories. Moreover, ratio between EU27 2010 showed Europe generally covers less than 10% impact. quantification current levels pressures entails critical aspects, consists accounting resources, relying often incomplete or based modeling. Despite attempts made increasing coverage robustness, calculation present study highlights need further efforts aiming overcoming uncertainties limitations identified (i.e., difficulty retrieving complete recent data) characterization (e.g., consistency regarding spatialization, system boundaries). Most importantly, any use should carefully interpreted light paper.