What does the ecoinvent LCDN node provide?
ecoinvent is happy to be part of the European Commission Environmental Footprint project. During the pilot phase, the ecoinvent Association provided Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) aggregated processes for the Chemicals sector, with their respective Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) results. The 268 datasets are available in the EF2_0_Chemicals data stock. During the transition phase of the project, ecoinvent updates the pilot (EF2.0) Chemicals data to be EF3.0 compliant. The data is updated with the EF3.0 nomenclature, the EF3.0 core data and adapted to the Guide for EF compliant datasets version 2.0 (JRC, 2020). The data is developed as aggregated (LCI) datasets in ILCD format as well as partly disaggregated at level-1 datasets in ILCD and eILCD format. The update is accessible through the EF3_1_Chemicals data stock. During this phase, the ecoinvent Association further leads a consortium composed of PRé Sustainability and Blonk Consultants, which provides EF3.0 processes in various sectors including, plastics, renewable materials, agrofood, textiles, chemicals, and others. The data related to all sectors apart for renewable materials and agrofood is published on the ecoinvent LCDN node, data stocks: EF3_1_Chemicals Part 2, EF3_1_Plastics, EF3_1_Apparel 1, EF3_1_Apparel 2, EF3_1_Apparel 3, and EF3_1_Others. The remaining data is available on the Blonk LCDN node, data stocks: EF3_1_Agrofood and EF3_1_Renewable materials.’ "Notice: The data stocks EF3.0 on this node has been updated according to the EF3.1 package released by the European Commission. The new EF3.1 package involves updating/fixing characterization factors in the impact categories of Climate Change, Acidification, Ecotoxicity freshwater, Photochemical ozone formation, Human Toxicity cancer, and Human Toxicity non-cancer. The life cycle inventories of the process datasets are NOT affected by these updates, but only the LCIA results for the 6 mentioned impact categories have been recalculated."
Want to know more about the structure and methodology of EF2.0 data?
You can consult the list of datasets available and learn more about the structure and the methodology downloading the sectorial report from the dedicated page on the ecoinvent website. Moreover, each dataset includes metadata that provide users with all the information needed to understand and use the provided datasets.
EF2.0 Known issue: within the Environmental Footprint 2.0 dataset, the results for water use might be overestimated and shall therefore be interpreted with caution. This problem has nothing to do with the impact assessment method or the implementability of EF methods, but occurred during the technical development of some datasets (outside the hands of the data provider). All results remain valid and usable.
Warning: due to miscommunication within the European Commission, the version of the ecoinvent PEF data that you might have downloaded before 19 June, 2019 should not be used for any work in the PEF/OEF pilots. To develop EF compliant studies in line with the PEFCRS/OEFSRS developed during the pilot phase, please make sure to use the version (03.00.008), available now. The difference between the two versions lies in the scores for the water use impact indicator. The European Commission would like to extend its sincere apology for the inconvenience. The European Commission and ecoinvent remain at your disposal for any questions you might have.
Who can use it and how?
To access and download the datasets, click on the “Register” button at the bottom of this page. As you register you will be automatically subscribed to the ecoinvent LCDN node mailing list. This list will be used to inform you of any update made to the ecoinvent PEF data. Please do keep up-to-date with the mailing list as outdated datasets shall not be used beyond 3 months after their replacement on the node.
2.0
The use of the datasets is restricted to the implementation of regular Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) studies and Organisation Environmental Footprint (OEF) studies exclusively under the specified Product groups and sectors as defined in the Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR) and Organisation Environmental Footprint Sectorial Rules (OEFSR) listed in https://ec.europa.eu/environment/eussd/smgp/PEFCR_OEFSR.htm. The use is granted in accordance with the terms and conditions of the End User License Agreements, which you can access on the dedicated page on the ecoinvent website and which you are required to accept upon registration on this node. The rights of use for the EF2.0 (pilot phase) data are granted till 31st December 2021, while the rights for the EF3.0 data (transition phase) are granted till 31st December 2024.
3.1
The use of the datasets is restricted to the implementation of PEF/OEF study in compliance with a PEFCR/OEFSR developed in the framework established by the Commission or in compliance with the requirements of an EU policy. The use of the datasets is granted in accordance with the terms and conditions of the End User Agreements (Chemicals Part1 & Agrofood, Apparel 1, Apparel 2, Apparel 3, Chemicals Part 2, Others, Plastics, and Renewable materials) which you are required to accept upon registration on this node. The rights of use for the EF3.1 data are granted till 31st December 2025. Users that do not accept the terms and conditions of this EULA are not allowed to use the data.
More about ecoinvent the ecoinvent database
Dedicated to promoting and supporting the use of environmental data worldwide, the ecoinvent Association focuses on LCI data compilation, linking and distribution, as well as data and database management. Its main activity is the publication of the ecoinvent database, which is used worldwide as a background database in LCA and other environmental assessments. Other activities include leading, or participating in, data management projects and initiatives worldwide. ecoinvent also coordinates, or collaborates on, initiatives aiming to promote awareness of, and good practices in, the creation and use of life cycle inventories around the world.
With the strong belief that people all around the world should have access to high-quality, affordable data for environmental assessments, ecoinvent works with policy-makers, private enterprises, NGOs, and the academic community globally.
Questions?
For any questions related to the PEF data, please contact us at pef@ecoinvent.org.