ILCD Handbook - eplca.jrc.ec.europa.eu · ILCD Handbook - Short course at SETAC Europe Annual...

ILCD Handbook - Short course at SETAC Europe Annual Meeting, Milan, 15 May 2011; Contact: [email protected]

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Short course, SETAC Europe Annual Meeting 2011, Milan

ILCD Handbook

How to work with the guidance documents

of the International Reference Life Cycle Data System

Marc-Andree Wolf, Serenella Sala, Miguel Brandao, Rana Pant, Javier Sanfelix

European Platform on Life Cycle Assessment

European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC),

Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES),

Unit “Sustainability Assessment”

(c) European Union, 2011. You may use and distribute these slides for trainings and presentations, giving proper reference to the source

and clarifying that any derived training/presentation is independent of the European Commission„s JRC and is prepared and presented

under your own, sole responsibility. Please note that this short course does not constitute a complete ILCD Handbook training.

Brussels May, 2009 – ILCD Overview


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Agenda - overview

13:00 - 13:15: Introduction to the International Reference Life Cycle Data System

(ILCD) scope and development process

by Rana Pant

13:15 - 15:00: ILCD Handbook: structure and guidelines, compliance

by Marc-Andree Wolf

15:00 - 15:15: Coffee Break

15:15 – 15:45: ILCD and Life Cycle Inventory (LCI)

by Marc-Andree Wolf

15:45 - 16:45: ILCD and Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA)

by Serenella Sala and Miguel Brandao

16:45 – 17:00: Course evaluation

by Rana Pant



3

13:00 - 13:15: Introduction to the International Reference Life

Cycle Data System (ILCD) scope and development process

by Rana Pant

• Policy background

• Purpose, scope, target audience of the ILCD

• Development process of the ILCD



4

Key target audience for this short course

• LCA practitioner

• LCA reviewer

• Experts in the public and private sector that deal with environmental

decision support related to products, resources, and waste

management

Intermediate level of expertise and above; not for “LCA beginners”

Objectives:

• Know the ILCD Handbook and what it is about

• Know how you can use the ILCD Handbook

Objectives and target audience



5

European Commission

(27 Commissioners,

36 Directorate-Generals)

SG. RELEX ENTR ENV SANCO JRC

…. ...

IES

... ... ...

RTD

IE IPSC ….. IPTS

…. ... ...

President Barroso

Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn

7 Institutes

JRC in the European Commission



6

European Commission,

Joint Research Centre (JRC),

Institute for Environment and

Sustainability (IES)

European Union “The mission of the IES is to

provide scientific-technical support

to the European Union's policies

for the protection and sustainable

development of the European and

global environment”

Mission of the JRC-IES



7

Design

Production

Distribution

Use

Collection

Reuse, Recycling, Recovery

Material & energy

extraction, land use

Waste & Recycling

Legislation

Waste Framework

Directive, Waste

Electric and

Electronic Products

(WEEE) Directive,

Thematic Strategy

Waste SCP/SIP: Smarter Consumption

EU Ecolabel, Energy label, Green

Public Procurement (GPP), ...

Sustainable Industrial

Policy (SIP): Leaner

Production

Environmental

Management and Audit

Scheme (EMAS), ...

Sustainable Consumption and

Production (SCP): Better

Products

Ecodesign Directive, Lead

Markets, ...

Natural Resources Policies

Thematic Strategy Resources,

Critical raw materials, Biofuels

Directive, …

Life Cycle and EU Policies



8

Integrated Product Policy Communication (IPP), 2003:

“LCA is the best framework for assessing the potential environmental impacts of

products, but the debate is ongoing about good practice”

Sustainable Consumption and Production Action Plan, 2008:

“To implement this policy, consistent and reliable data and methods are required

to asses the overall environmental performance of products …”

European Commission response to the need for consistent and

quality-assured life cycle data and assessments

European Platform on Life Cycle Assessment

JRC – integral part of the EC



9

International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD)

European Platform on LCA (EPLCA)

Resource directory Website User forum

European Reference Life Cycle Database (ELCD)

ILCD Data Network (upcoming)

ILCD Handbook



10 Purpose of the ILCD

ILCD Data Network

(upcoming)

Provide the infrastructure for better availability

of consistent and quality-assured LCA data

Provide good practice method guidance for LCA

in policy and business, in-line with and

expanding on the ISO 14040/14044

(no new method developments)

ILCD Handbook



11 Scope of the ILCD Handbook

Broad range of questions addressed with Life Cycle Assessment:

• Micro-level (process and product analysis)

• Macro-level (strategic, policy options)

• Monitoring

All kinds of LCA related work addressed:

• LCI data set development

• LCIA (incl. method development)

• LCA studies

• Some direct applications of LCA

• Review and quality assurance



12 Scope of the ILCD Handbook – II -

Covers all steps of Life Cycle Assessment:

• Goal definition

• Scope definition

• LCA data collection and modeling (Life Cycle Inventory - LCI)

• Assessing the potential environmental impacts (Life Cycle Impact Assessment - LCIA)

• Interpretation of results



13

Direct audience / users

• LCA practitioner (intermediate and expert level, not a beginner guide)

• LCA reviewer

• Experts in the public and private sector that deal with environmental

decision support related to products, resources, and waste management

Indirect users of the ILCD Handbook

• Decision makers in policy and business as reference for good quality LCA

work in public and company policy development, implementation and

monitoring, for service contracts, in research calls

Target audience of the ILCD Handbook



14

Target audience

Policy

maker

LCA study

commissioner

LCA

practitioner

LCA

reviewer

LCIA

developer

DO

CU

ME

NT

S

JRC Reference

Report (under

preparation)

√ √ - - -

Detailed guidance

on LCA - - √ (√) -

Provisions and

action steps, LCA - - (√) √ -

Development of

LCI data sets - - (√) - -

Framework and

requirements for

LCIA models and

indicators

- - - - √

Target audience of the individual ILCD Handbook documents

Target audience -II


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Target audience

Policy

maker

LCA study

commissioner

LCA

practitioner

LCA

reviewer

LCIA

developer

DO

CU

ME

NT

S

Recommended

LCIA models and

indicators

- - √ √ √

Review schemes

for LCA - √ - √ √

Reviewer

qualifications for

LCI datasets

- √ - √ -

Review scope,

methods and

documentation

- - - √ √

Nomenclature and

other conventions - - √ √ √

Target audience of the individual ILCD Handbook documents -II-

Target audience - III



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Development approach ILCD

National

LCA project

XY-land

Manual for LCI

data modelling

National

LCA project

XY-land

Manual for LCI

data modelling

National

LCA project

Country X

Manual for LCI

data modelling

XY Association

Method

handbook

for LCA

of XY products

XY Association

Method

handbook

for LCA

of XY products

XY Association

Method

handbook

for LCA

of XY products

XY Research &

Consulting

Centre

Attributional

LCA

method manual

XY Research &

Consulting

Centre

Attributional

LCA

method manual

XY Research &

Consulting

Centre

Attributional

LCA method

manual



17

The ILCD guidance documents related to LCA in general and LCI data have

been drafted starting from the following existing sources:

Harmonised standards

• ISO 14040

• ISO 14044

• ISO 14025

• CEN/TC 261 SC4 WG1 and the CEN/TR 13910 (under revision)

Existing documents considered -I-



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National LCA database manuals:

• From Australia, Denmark, Japan, Switzerland, USA

Methodological handbooks of industry associations:

• From a range of leading EU-level and global associations

Existing documents considered -II-



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Outside of the European Commission:

• BSI British Standards: PAS 2050 revision (ongoing)

• ISO: 14067 Carbon footprint (ongoing)

• NREL: U.S. LCI database manual revision (ongoing)

• Sustainability Consortium method guide (ongoing)

• UNEP/SETAC LC Initiative project: Shonan Guidance Principles for LCA

databases (ongoing)

• WRI/WBCSD: GHG protocol scope III (ongoing)

Within the European Commission (DG ENV and JRC-IES):

• Product Environmental Footprint and Corporate Environmental Footprint

(ongoing); for more info see DG ENV website:

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eussd/product_footprint.htm

Further developments

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eussd/product_footprint.htm



20

Life Cycle Assessment data and studies,

development of criteria and sector specific guides

ISO 14040, 14044

Review

Documentation, Nomenclature, Terminology

Life Cycle Inventory

Life Cycle Impact Assessment

General Guide for Life Cycle Assessment

http://lct.jrc.ec.europa.eu/assessment/publications

Summary

Invited consultations

Public consultation & workshop

Expert meetings

LAUNCH March 2010

Invited consultations

http://lct.jrc.ec.europa.eu/assessment/publications



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Agenda

13:00 - 13:15: Introduction to the International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD) scope and

development process (R. Pant)




13:15 - 15:00: ILCD Handbook: structure and guidelines, compliance (M.-A. Wolf)

• Brief overview of the ILCD system and its components

• Overview of ILCD Handbook documents and their interrelationship

• Working with the ILCD Handbook towards “ILCD-compliant LCA studies”


15:15 – 15:45: ILCD and Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) (M.-A. Wolf)

• Developing “ILCD-compliant LCI data sets”

• Developing LCI data sets that meet the “ILCD Data Network - entry level” requirements

• Supporting tools etc.

15:45 - 16:45: ILCD and Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) (S. Sala and M. Brandao)

• The connection LCI and LCIA

• Framework and requirements for LCIA methods

• Recommended LCIA methods and factors

16:45 – 17:00: Course evaluation (R. Pant)



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Life cycle assessment framework

Interpretation

Goal definition

Scope definition

Inventory analysis

Impact

assessment

Direct applications: •Product development and

improvement

•Strategic planning

•Public policy making

•Marketing

•Other

From ISO 14044:2006, modified plus Documentation, Review


23 Needs of LCA practice

ILCD Data Network

Data

Supporting documents, templates and software tools

General guidance Specific guidance

Policy and business applications supporting sustainable consumption and production

and resource-efficiency

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) data and studies development


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Specific guides and tools (to be developed): • product-

group related

• sector related

• application related

ILCD Data Network

ILCD Data Network Review

Documentation, Nomenclature, Terminology

Life Cycle Impact Assessment

General Guidance for Life Cycle Assessment

Life Cycle Inventory

ILCD Handbook

ILCD as integrated solution package

Policy and business applications supporting sustainable consumption and production

and resource-efficiency

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) data and studies development

ILCD supporting documents, templates and software tools

Converter to

HTML and XLS Report templates Data set format

and editor Data storage engine Web-interfaces

/search



25

Guidance documents of the ILCD Handbook • General guide for Life Cycle Assessment - Detailed guidance

• General guide for Life Cycle Assessment - Provisions and Action Steps

• Specific guide for Life Cycle Inventory data sets

• Recommended Life Cycle Impact Assessment models and indicators (under

finalisation)

• Framework and requirements for Life Cycle Impact Assessment models and

indicators

• Background document: Analysis of existing Environmental Impact Assessment

methodologies for use in Life Cycle Assessment

• Review schemes for Life Cycle Assessment

• Reviewer qualification for Life Cycle Inventory data sets

• Review scope, methods and documentation (in preparation)

• Nomenclature and other conventions ( ILCD reference elementary flows, flow

properties, unit groups)

15



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Status of ILCD-compliant specific guides and tools developed by third

parties:

IF methodologically in-line with ILCD Handbook (i.e. further specified within

the defined frame) AND reviewed by review panel with interested parties, this

specific guide shall be used*

* Details see “ILCD Handbook – General guide on LCA and “ILCD Handbook – Review

schemes for LCA”



27

ILCD supported LCA data development, studies and applications; schematic

Policy and

business

instruments set

requirements

Sector and

application

specific guides

(Interim

solution) ILCD

Handbook

LCI data

(foreground)

LCI results

data sets

LCA studies

LCA

applications

ILCD Data

Network



28 ILCD-compliance: components

Aspects

Method Quality Nomenclature Documentation Review

Extract from “General guide …”, chapter 12.4, Table 9.

•LCI modelling

and method

provisions

•Other method

provisions

(e.g. scope

aspects, LCIA

methods, ...)

•Completeness

•Represen-

tativeness

(technological,

geographical,

time-related)

•Precision

/uncertainty

•Method

appropriate-

ness and

consistency

•Nomenclature

•Terminology

•Extent

•Form

•Format

•Review type

•Review scope

and methods

•Review

documentation

Co

mp

on

en

ts



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How to use the ILCD Handbook documents

Start with “General guide for LCA – Detailed guidance”:

• ILCD Handbook compliance criteria: chapter 2 “How to use this document” and chapter

12.4. Provide a path through the ILCD Handbook, referencing the respective chapters.

Other documents on e.g.:

• Nomenclature, Review, Documentation, selection of LCIA methods: referenced from

respective chapters in “General guide”

• LCI data set compliance criteria: “ILCD-compliance and ILCD Data Network – entry-level

requirements”

Supporting templates, software, data objects:

• Provided for free use to ease workflow and for better quality and compatibility



30

Target audience

Policy

maker

LCA study

commissioner

LCA

practitioner

LCA

reviewer

LCIA

developer

DO

CU

ME

NT

S

JRC Reference

Report (under

preparation)

4 (40) 10 (40) - - -

General guide … -

Detailed guidance - - 90* (400) 90* (400) -

General guide … -

Provisions and

action steps - -

(alternative to

“Detailed

guidance”)

(alternative

to

“Detailed

guidance”)

-

Development of

LCI data sets - - (alternative to

“Detailed

guidance”) - -

Framework and

requirements for

LCIA models and

indicators

- - - - 20 (105)

Working with the ILCD Handbook documents:

Pages of relevant provisions (total number of pages)

* Note: Half are general provisions (check once & understand) and half need to be checked/considered

more intensively during project - all of these are „good LCA practice“.


31

Target audience

Policy

maker

LCA study

commissioner

LCA

practitioner

LCA

reviewer

LCIA

developer

DO

CU

ME

NT

S

Recommended

LCIA models and

indicators

- - 5 (ca. 120) 5 (ca.

120) -

Review schemes

for LCA - 2 (25) - 10 (25) 2 (25)

Reviewer

qualification for

LCI data sets

-

0 ( use

reviewer

registry)

- 10 (25) -

Review scope,

methods and

documentation

- - - 30 (ca.

60) -

Nomenclature and

other conventions - - 8 (48) 8 (48) 6 (48)

Working with the ILCD Handbook documents:

Pages of relevant provisions (total number of pages)

30



32

Short break (5 min)



33

ISO 14044 and ILCD-compliance

Selected, condensed provisions addressed in next slides: • Functional unit

• LCI model

• Fossil and biogenic carbon emissions

• Review

[Depending on available time and your interest:]

• Substitution or allocation of waste and end-of-life products

• Carbon storage / sequestration and delayed emissions



34

ISO14044:2006 ILCD (all Situations)

Clearly defined and measurable

• Clearly defined both in term of quantitative and qualitative aspects which

increase possibility of comparison.

• Use reference flow for application-unspecific products and for

supporting data collection

Functional unit

Same function, e.g. strengths, volume?

Single or multiple use?

Example “functional unit”: plastic and paper shopping bags

VS.

http://www.haibeibag.com/Kraft_Paper_Bag_HBKR-002.htm



35

• "Micro-level decision support“ (Situation A)

LCI model -I-

• "Meso/macro-level decision support“ (Situation B)

• "Accounting“ (Situation C), with sub-types “Monitoring” (C1), ”Descriptive” (C2)

Many applications of LCA: Policy development input, consumer information,

Ecolabel development, Ecodesign, Decoupling Indicators, waste management

decision support, …

All these applications are represented by three general goal situations, which

require a distinct LCI modelling approach:

ISO14044:2006 ILCD (differentiated per Situation)

No provisions • Depending on goal situation, i.e. decision context



36

"Micro-level decision support“ (Situation A)

• “Micro-level decisions” e.g. on product development or purchase are assumed to have no

structural consequences outside the decision-scope, i.e. are supposed not to change

production capacity.

EXAMPLE: Ecodesign study on a new computer mouse model comparing conventional and

bio-based polymers for the casing

LCI modelling

• attributional model of the existing life cycle (e.g. supply chain, use, expected end-of-life)

• substitution of avoided burdens (market mix) for all cases of multi-functionality

LCI model -II-


37

"Meso/macro-level decision support“ (Situation B)

• “Meso/macro-level decisions” on raw materials strategies, technology scenarios, policy

options, … are assumed to have structural consequences outside the decision-scope,

i.e. they are supposed to change production capacity.

EXAMPLE: Policy study analysing the mandatory replacement by 2025 of 50% of all

polymers in the U.S. by bio-based polymers (purely illustrative example)

LCI modelling:

• consequential model of all processes that are structurally affected

• consider secondary consequences & constraints

• mix of long-term marginal processes

• embedded into a Situation A base-model of all structurally unaffected processes

LCI model -III-

45



38

Electricity using process

attributional: “as is” consequential: “what if”

Marginal

process (mix)

Electricity

Supplier /

market mix

Electricity

Attributional and consequential modelling



39

Key criteria to differentiate between Situation A and B

• “… The guiding criteria shall be whether the consequences of the analysed decision

alone are big enough to overcome related thresholds and/or other constraints and result

in large-scale consequences in the installed production capacity outside the

foreground system. Then: Situation B. If not: Situation A. Large-scale consequences

shall generally be assumed if the annual additional demand or supply, triggered by

the analysed decision, exceeds the capacity of the annually replaced installed

capacity of the additionally demanded or supplied process, product, or broader function,

as applicable. (If that percentage is bigger than 5 %, 5 % should be used instead.)”

LCI model -IV-


40

"Accounting“ (Situation C), with sub-types “Monitoring” (C1), ”Descriptive” (C2)

• Documentation of the system's life cycle under analysis (e.g. a product, sector, or

country), without being interested in any potential additional consequences on other

parts of the economy.

Variant C1: Considering existing benefits of avoided burdens

EXAMPLE: Monitoring the environmental performance of nation-wide Italian waste

management

LCI modelling:

• identical to Situation A

Variant C2: Purely descriptive, i.e. NOT considering any benefits of avoided burdens

(Note: few applications for C2.)

LCI modelling:

• purely attributional model

• allocation among co-functions.

LCI model -V-


41

Advantages of including CO2 uptake in inventory (compared to not including biogenic

CO2 uptake and emission in view of „CO2-neutrality“):

- Same characterisation factors for fossil and biogenic CO2 and CH4 emissions – no need

to know exactly where C comes from originally; more robust.

- Avoids distortion of inventory on level of system„s life cycle: excluding CO2 uptake from

model means this flow by-passes allocation steps.

Separate elementary flows for biogenic and fossil CO2 are NOT required, as long as carbon

uptake by plants is modelled explicitly. However, it is still recommended to report biogenic

and fossil flows separately for transparency and analysis purposes.


No provision • Inventory also uptake of CO2 in plants

• Separately for fossil and biogenic CO2 and CH4 (but with same characterisation factor)

Fossil and biogenic carbon emissions


42


General requirements • Structured review approach, modular; strengthens stakeholder involvement for fair playing field.

• Provide minimum requirement on review type, reviewer

qualification and how to review.

• E.g. for general LCA study of Situations A, C1, C2 an

Independent External Review is minimum requirement

• Review type depends on type of study and target audience

• Qualification in: LCA, analysed process/product, review experience.

(upcoming online reviewer (self-)registry as technical support

infrastructure)

more on next slides

• Review workflow

• Review report template

Review

60



43

1 Includes product Environmental footprint and Carbon footprint and declaration.

ILCD Handbook: Review schemes

12 LCA applications and 2 review types

Application

Review type Required

involvement

of interested

parties

Independent

external review

Independent external

panel review

Micro level LCI data sets X

LCIA model X

LCIA factors X

Comparative assertions on micro-level (e.g. products)

disclosed to the public

X Yes

Meso/macro level decision support LCA studies /

Meso/macro life cycle based accounting indicators

X

Yes

Meso/macro level LCA studies X Yes

LCA studies for identifying Type I Ecolabel criteria and

Eco-design Key Environmental Performance Indicators

(KEPIs)

X

Yes

Indirect aspects in Environmental Management Schemes

(EMS) X

Micro level LCA studies/ Micro level monitoring indicator X

Environmental product declarations1 X Yes

Environmental product declarations for B2B1 X

Product Category Rules (PCR) for type III, product-group

and sector-specific guides

X Yes



44

- First step: self-registry of individual experts (under implementation)

- Online forms and display; free service provided by EPLCA

- Uses reviewer qualification pattern of ILCD Handbook – Reviewer qualification,

plus CV

- Status: under development/implementation; foreseen to be operational within

2011 (via http://lct.jrc.ec.europa.eu (check “News” “Reviewer self-registry”))

- Final step: once a system operator has been identified, the system operator will be

checking qualification along CV (and potentially exams etc.) and registers the

qualified reviewer

Reviewer registry

Optional slide

http://lct.jrc.ec.europa.eu/



45

ISO14044:2006 ILCD (Situation A&C1)

• To be avoided through process division or system expansion where possible

• If not possible, the causal physical relationships (e.g. mass, energy) between products or functions should be used to partition inputs/outputs

• When physical relationships cannot be established, other relationships shall be used instead (e.g. economic)

Further developed and specified from ISO 14044:

- Avoiding allocation by subdivision or virtual subdivision

- Substitution / system expansion (also of wider functions) by market mix

- Causal physical relationship allocation

- Economic allocation

Multi-functionality -I- Optional slide


46

Waste/

End-of-Life

product

(MV < 0)

MV = Market value

PRODUCT

SYSTEM 1

(Ex.: Al oil filter)

Products and/or

Resources

Waste

Emissions

Products and/or

Resources

Waste

Emissions

PRODUCT

SYSTEM 2

(Ex.: Al pellets)

Recyclate

(MV ≥ 0)

Allocation of secondary products from waste (market value below 0)

between first and second product system. Example: Aluminium oil filter

Pre-

treated

waste

(MV < 0)

Process Pn to Pn-1 Process Pn

Partition

as follows:

abs(MVPW) : MVR

Optional slide

Multi-functionality -II-


47

Waste/

End-of-Life

product

(MV < 0)

MV = Market value

PRODUCT

SYSTEM 1

(Ex.: Al oil filter)

Products and/or

Resources

Waste

Emissions

Products and/or

Resources

Waste

Emissions

PRODUCT

SYSTEM 2

(Ex.: Al

pellets)

Recyclate

(MV ≥ 0)

Substitution of secondary products from waste (market value below 0).

Example: Aluminium oil filter

Pre-

treated

waste

(MV < 0)

Process Pn to Pn-1 Process Pn

Substitution

of market mix of

superseded primary

Al pellets (with

market value

correction, if

applies)

Optional slide

Multi-functionality -III-



48

-0.75 kg

delayed

emission

credit 0+1-0.75 = +0.25 kg

fossil (plastic wardrobe)

0 kg

uptake

+1 kg

emission

1

0.5

0

- 0.5

- 1

Kg

CO2

eq

years

100 75

biogenic (wood wardrobe)

years

100

1

0.5

0

- 0.5

- 1

Kg

CO2

eq

+1 kg

emission

-1 kg uptake

-0.75 kg

delayed

emission

credit

75

-1+1-0.75 = -0.75 kg


No provision • Excluded from normal LCA studies

• [However, if included because part of the goal of study, the ILCD Handbook provides detailed operational while simplified provisions: Linear, 100 year maximum storage; considers storage and delayed emissions / delayed recycling. All data and assumptions to be documented in that case. Specific elementary flows provided.]

• Permanent storage: if guaranteed for over 100000 years

Carbon storage / sequestration

and delayed emissions

Optional slide 1„15

http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-illustration-12204045-tree-illustrations.php



49

Agenda





















50

ILCD-compliance

• Scope: all steps of LCA, i.e. including for LCI data set development, as

applicable

• Criteria: fulfill all requirements of ILCD Handbook documents, as applicable

for the specific application type and study.

ILCD Data Network entry-level requirements

• Scope: only LCI data. Main purpose: build-up phase of upcoming ILCD Data

Network

• Criteria: based on ILCD-Handbook and ISO; simplified compared to full

ILCD-compliance (especially regarding LCI methodology)

• Declaration inside the data set, see document „ILCD Data Network -

Compliance rules and entry-level requirements“ (accessible via

http://lca.jrc.ec.europa.eu)

ILCD-compliance vs

ILCD Data Network entry-level requirements

http://lca.jrc.ec.europa.eu/


51

Aspect ILCD-compliance

Method ISO 14040 and -44 compliant process-based LCA

Methodological ILCD-compliance, differentiated by the archetype goal situations A,

B, C1 and C2 to be applied and documented

Data quality 3 levels of data quality ("high quality", "basic quality", "data estimate")

Quantitative and qualitative criteria for accuracy, completeness, precision,

documentation, nomenclature, review.

Quality ratings to be documented inside data set.

Nomenclature Compliance with “ILCD nomenclature and other conventions” document and use of

ILCD reference elementary flow, flow properties and unit group data sets for IT-

compatible inventories

ILCD terminology to be used

Documentation Minimum documentation extend, specified in “Documentation of LCA data sets”

“ILCD format” to be used for IT compatible data set documentation

Review ILCD-registered, qualified "Independent external reviewer" (ILCD reviewer

register, qualification point system: LCA expertise and experience, experience in

relevance sector, review experience - in line with ISO 14044 and 14025, further

specified)

Separate review report required, in addition to documentation provided in data set

Type, scope and methods of review in line with ILCD Handbook (e.g. “Independent

external review“), typically on level of the unit processes also of any included

background system is required

Overview of ILCD compliance aspects

8



52

• Open for all providers - not in competition to other databases

• Non-centralised – data kept and published on website of individual owner/developer

• Emphasis on consistency and quality - requirements based on ILCD Handbook

• “Entry-level” – reduced requirements for build-up phase

• Supporting tools and templates provided for free

Outlook - ILCD Data Network

– platform for consistent, quality-assured data

International Reference Life Cycle Data System

(ILCD) Data Network (in implementation)



53

Advantage of data network compared to data library/registry:

• compatible data - data from different sources can be used together

• supports quality - no need for users for manual conversion / flow

mapping/adjustments with errors and loss of easily accessible

documentation

• cost savings - more efficient work-flow; more independence for

users from single/few data providers



54

ILCD Data Network – next steps

• Beta Test among limited group of database developers (ongoing)

• Finalisation of IT development for first release, in Collaboration with KIT,

Germany

• Start of ILCD Data Network - to be announced (later in 2011)

• Interested data providers receive free ILCD IT package and can register

their network node and all data sets that meet the „entry-level“

requirements



55

Aspect ILCD Data Network - Entry-level requirements

Method ISO 14040 and -44 compliant process-based LCA

Methodological ILCD-compliance not enforced; applied modelling framework(s) and

allocation/substitution approaches to be documented

Data quality "Not defined", i.e. no data quality levels (Note: this requirement is covered as part of

"Documentation")

Data quality can be stated using (at least) ISO quality criteria, i.e. representativeness and other

criteria to be verified and documented

Nomenclature Compliance with “ILCD nomenclature and other conventions” document and use of ILCD

reference elementary flow, flow properties and unit group data sets for IT-compatible inventories

Terminology use not enforced

Documentation Minimum documentation extend in data set, specified in “Documentation of LCA data sets”

“ILCD format” to be used as basis for IT compatible data set documentation

Review Use of reviewers from reviewer registry not required

"Qualified reviewer” based on ISO 14025 (instead of ILCD reviewer qualification):

knowledge of relevant sector

knowledge of represented process or product

LCA method expertise and experience

Qualified independent external reviewer in line with ISO 14044 (chapter 6.1) requirements BUT

separate review report is not required (review documented only in data set) OR

Qualified independent internal reviewer in line with ISO 14044 (chapter 6.1) requirements,

PLUS separate review report is required (minimum review scope defined), in addition to

documentation provided within data set

Note: Review on unit process level may not be required, depending on data quality claims

ILCD Data Network entry-level requirements vs.

ILCD-compliance for LCI data sets

blue: less strict requirements compared to “ILCD-compliance”

17



56

ILCD-formatted data – web-based access

(developed in Collaboration with KIT, Germany)

Remote search,

other remote service ILCD editor,

LCA software

= Component of ILCD IT package



57

ILCD data set editor

(developed in Collaboration with KIT, Germany)

20



58

Agenda






















59 About Life Cycle Impact Assessment

According to ISO 14044 (2006), Life Cycle Impact Assessment

(LCIA) proceeds through two mandatory and two optional steps:

• Classification, where each environmental flow is assigned to

specific impact category

• Characterisation, where the impact from each emission is

modelled quantitatively according to the underlying

environmental mechanism

• Normalisation, where the different characterised impact

scores are related to a common reference

• Weighting, where weighting (or ranking) is performed on the

different environmental impact categories, reflecting their

relative importance



60 Guidance on LCIA



61 Handbook documents related to LCIA

Pre-Selection of Methods Framework and Requirements Recommended Methods

and Factors



62

HUMAN TOXICITY

ECOTOXICITY

ACIDIFICATION

EUTROPHICATION

IONISING RADIATION

LAND USE

RESOURCE DEPLETION

OZONE DEPLETION

PHOTOCHEMICAL OZONE

FORMATION

CLIMATE CHANGE



63 Objectives of LCIA recommendations

• Identify and promote best practice in LCIA

• To encourage new research and development

- No new method development



64 Scope

• General approach: global scope

– As far as available, global models were recommended

– If no global model could be recommended, preference was given to

models that represent large heterogeneous regions

– These choices can be seen as reflecting a European perspective on

models and factors for use in Life Cycle Assessment

• Only models available in early 2009 were evaluated



65 Evaluation criteria- 1

General criteria

• Scientific criteria:

1. Completeness of scope

2. Environmental relevance

3. Scientific robustness and certainty

4. Documentation, transparency and reproducibility

5. Applicability

• Stakeholder acceptance criteria:

6. Degree of stakeholder acceptance and suitability for communication in business and

policy contexts

• Each criterion is specified through a number of sub-criteria.

Specific criteria • specific environmental mechanism is taken into account



66

Example: Climate Change

specific criteria

• Consideration of:

– atmospheric fate and transport – all relevant effects for damages on ecosystems and Human Health

• The fate and transport model reflects state-of-the-art knowledge

• Complete coverage in modelling of the impacts from midpoint to endpoint

• Scientifically-robust:

– human damage model – ecosystem damage model with loss of species – ecosystem damage model on primary production

• Indicators and models fulfill the science-based requirements

• Geographic and temporal differentiation



67

• Qualitative scoring (A, B, C, D, E) for all relevant criteria for

each model for each impact category

• Final decision on recommendation and their respective levels

(I, II, III and interim) was based on the qualitative scoring and

expert judgment

Evaluation criteria - 2



68 Level of recommendation I

Recommended and satisfactory

Definition:

• These models and characterisation factors are recommended for all types

of life cycle based decision support.

• Although further research needs may have been identified, the models and

factors are satisfactory given the current state-of-the-art.

• Updating and improvement via established mechanisms, such as e.g. the

IPCC, should be followed also for these methods and factors.



69 Level of recommendation II

Recommended, some improvements needed

Definition:

• The models and characterisation factors are recommended for all types of

life cycle based decision support.

• The uncertainty of models and the resulting characterisation factors is to be

more strongly highlighted.

• The impact on results and interpretation has to be more carefully

evaluated, especially in published comparisons.

• The need for dedicated further research is identified for these

methods/factors to further improve them in terms of precision, differentiation,

coverage of elementary flows, etc.



70 Level of recommendation III

Level III Recommended, but to be applied with caution

Definition

• These models and characterisation factors are recommended, but only with caution

given the considerable uncertainty, incompleteness or other shortcomings.

• These models/factors are in need of further research and development before they can

be used without reservations for decision support, especially in comparative assertions.

• The recommendation is to calculate and present the results of the LCIA with and

without methods that are level III and to discuss the differences, e.g. in the

interpretation of the LCA. It is also recommended to conduct sensitivity analyses

applying – if available - other methods than the level III recommended ones and to

discuss differences in the results and in the interpretation of the LCA. However, the

level III recommended method should remain the baseline.



71 Interim

• The classification “interim” indicates that a method was

considered the best among the analysed methods, but is still

too immature to be recommended.

• This does not indicate that the impact category would not be

relevant but that further efforts are needed before a

recommendation can be given.



72

Midpoint and Endpoint Indicators

towards Area of Protection



73 Compliance with ILCD Handbook - 1

• If a study intends to claim to be in compliance with the ILCD Handbook, and

uses midpoint/endpoint indicators for the assessment:

• the models and factors at midpoint/ endpoint that have a level I, level II or level

III recommendation shall be used.

• any geographical differentiation, addition of factors for individual elementary

flows and addition of impact methods for not yet covered impacts or

improvements on methods that have a level III recommendation have to be

explicitly justified and reflected in both the goal and scope definition and in the

results interpretation




Any deviation from the recommended LCIA method has to be justified and the

recommended LCIA method has to remain the baseline for comparison and it has

to be reflected in the interpretation.



75

Other LCIA methods could also be accepted if:

1. The LCIA method different from the recommended method is more

suitable for the circumstances of the specific case:

• specific geographical relevance

– has to be justifiable with reducing the uncertainty

– has to be justifiable in accordance with the goal of the study.

2. The LCIA method is in compliance with ILCD requirements

• minimum review requirements for LCIA according to ILCD Handbook “Review

schemes for Life Cycle Assessment”

– Independent external review is requested for LCIA factors,

– Independent panel review is requested for the underlying LCIA models

Compliance with ILCD Handbook - 3

Also refer to the General “ILCD Handbook – General guide – Detailed guidance”, chapter

6.7.2 to 6.7.5 and the related “Provisions 6.7 Preparing the basis for the impact

assessment.”




Which impact categories have to be used?

• The selection of the impact categories must be consistent with the goal of the

study and the intended applications of the results, and it must be

comprehensive in the sense that it covers all the main environmental issues

related to the system.

• The LCIA methods (and any normalisation of weighting factors) are to be

explicitly identified and justified in the scope definition

Also refer to the General “ILCD Handbook – General guide – Detailed guidance”, chapter

6.7.2 “Identifying LCIA methods to be applied”



77

Synopsis of recommendations

of LCIA methods

Impact category Midpoint

Recommendation level

Endpoint

Recommendation level

Climate change I Interim

Ozone depletion I Interim

Human toxicity Cancer effects II / III II / Interim

Non-cancer effects II / III Interim

Respiratory inorganics I / II II

Ionising radiation Human health II Interim

Ecosystem Interim

Photochemical ozone formation II II

Acidification II

Euthrophication Terrestrial II

Aquatic II Interim

Ecotoxicity Terrestrial

Aquatic II / III

Land use III Interim

Resources

Water III

Mineral, fossil,

renewable

II Interim



78 Examples at midpoint

• Level I : climate change Global Warming Potential (IPCC10

• Level II: acidification Accumulated exceedence

• Level II/III: human toxicity, cancer effect USEtox

classification related to factors not to the method itself

• Level III: land use soil organic matter

• Interim: ionising radiation (ecosystem) no method

recommended but a method is considered promising



79

Environmental mechanism

(e.g. Climate Change)

Emissions into the atmosphere

Climate change

- Direct effect

- Indirect effects

Time integrated concentration

Radiative forcing

Effects on

humans

Effects on

ecosystems

- temperature - extreme weather - precipitation - droughts

Net primary

production

Changing

biomes

Wild

fires

Infectious

Diseases Flooding Malnutr-

ition

Heat

stress

Decreasing

bio diversity

other

impacts Endpoint level

Midpoint level

IPCC 2007

Ecoindicator 99

EPS 2000

ReCiPe

LIME



80

Recommended methods

(e.g. climate change)

Default LCIA method Classification

at midpoint Baseline model of 100 years of the IPCC Global Warming Potential

Level I

at endpoint No methods recommended ReCiPe

Interim



81

• Not necessarily all LCIA methods that are recommended within this document are fully compliant with all ILCD requirements, especially in terms of the requirements for review of LCIA models and factors.

• However, the recommendation reflects that these methods were seen as being of sufficient quality.

• Until the methods comply with all ILCD requirements, they may be considered a preliminary recommendation.

Some remarks



82 Research Needs

Further need for development of methods for impact

assessment are presented in the section of the Handbook

“ research needs”

JRC is also partner of LC –Impact ( FP7 research project) in order to

further develop:

•Human and ecotoxicity

•Resources

•Land use

Cross cutting issues: • Spatial differentiation

• Uncertainty assessment

www.lc-impact.eu

http://www.lc-impact.wikispaces.net/

http://www.lc-impact.eu/





83

Agenda






















84

Summary

• ILCD Handbook = Guide for good practice: differentiated LCI modeling guidance

by main types of LCA applications plus recommended LCIA methods

• For more consistent and quality-assured LCA data and studies in support of

government and business

• Data access supported by the upcoming, non-centralised and open ILCD Data

Network

• Working with the ILCD supported by a range of templates, tools, and online

resources



85

General acknowledgements:

• This work has been funded by the European Commission, partially supported through Commission-internal

Administrative Arrangements (Nos 070402/2005/414023/G4, 070402/2006/443456/G4, 070307/2007/474521/G4, and

070307/2008/513489/G4) between DG Environment and the Joint Research Centre.

• The ILCD Handbook has been drafted by several contractors of the JRC-IES. Early drafts of the documents have been

distributed in 2008 to more than 70 organisations and groups. These include the 27 EU Member States, various

European Commission (EC) services, 6 National Life Cycle Database Initiatives outside the European Union, UNEP,

16 EU-level business associations as members of the Business Advisory Group, 15 Life Cycle Assessment software

and database developers and 7 Life Cycle Impact Assessment method developers as members of the respective

Advisory Groups, as well as other relevant institutions. This was supported by a number of dedicated technical

meetings with the named Advisory Groups and by presentations and discussions with the wider scientific community in

context of international conferences. Public consultations were carried out on the advanced draft guidance documents

of the ILCD Handbook, typically over 8 weeks. Equally, a few of the supporting documents and software solutions

were publicly consulted (particularly the data set format and the review report template). For the main set of the ILCD

Handbook documents, the public consultation included a joint 4-day public consultation workshop, which took place

from June 29 to July 2, 2009, in Brussels. The full list of invited consulted parties and of participants in the public

consultations is provided at the end of each of the ILCD Handbook documents. The valuable contributions provided by

the participants in invited and public consultations on the various documents – literally hundreds of pages of technical

comments – are gratefully acknowledged. They have very substantially contributed to ensure comprehensiveness and

to balance scientific precision and practicality to achieve the required support in policy and business context.

• The ILCD data set format, ILCD data set editor and other ILCD Data Network IT tools, and the Terminology are

developments under the Collaboration Agreement No 382956 SOC between the European Union represented by the

European Commission's Joint Research Centre - Institute for Environment and Sustainability (JRC-IES), the Research

Centre Karlsruhe (FZK, now Karlsruhe Institute for Technology, KIT) in Germany, and the Brazilian Institute of

Information on Science and Technology (IBICT) under the Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology.



86

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• Relevance

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87

E-mail:

[email protected]

Thank you very much for your interest and time!

LEGAL NOTICE

Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission is responsible for the use which might be

made of this publication. References made to specific information, persons or organisations, data, databases, or tools do not imply

endorsement by the European Commission and do not necessarily represent official views of the European Commission.

ILCD System, ELCD Database, Decoupling Indicators,

Waste Guidance, Food Roundtable, Retailer Forum,

Ecodesign, LCA Resources Directory, ... :

http://lct.jrc.ec.europa.eu

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