The Influence of Database Selection on Environmental Impact Results. Life Cycle Assessment of Packaging Using GaBi, Ecoinvent 3.6, and the Environmental Footprint Database

Erik Pauer, Bernhard Wohner and Manfred Tacker
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Erik Pauer: Section of Packaging Technology and Resource Management, University of Applied Science, 1030 Vienna, Austria
Bernhard Wohner: Section of Packaging Technology and Resource Management, University of Applied Science, 1030 Vienna, Austria
Manfred Tacker: Section of Packaging Technology and Resource Management, University of Applied Science, 1030 Vienna, Austria

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 23, 1-14

Abstract: This research analyses the differences in impact assessment results depending on the choice of a certain software-database combination. Six packaging systems were modelled in three software-database combinations (GaBi database in GaBi software, ecoinvent 3.6 database in openLCA, Environmental Footprint database in openLCA). The chosen Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) method is EF 2.0. Differences and errors in the implementation of the LCIA method are a possible source of deviations. We compared the published characterisation factors with the factors implemented in the software-database combinations. While results for the climate change category are similar between the different databases, this is not the case for the other impact categories. In most cases, the use of the ecoinvent 3.6 database leads to higher results compared to GaBi. This is partly due to the fact, that ecoinvent datasets often include more background processes than the corresponding GaBi datasets. We found striking discrepancies in LCIA implementation, including the lack of regionalisation for water use in ecoinvent. A meaningful communication of LCIA results requires an excellent knowledge of the analysed product system, as well as of database quality issues and LCIA methodology. We fully acknowledge the constant efforts of database providers to improve their databases.

Keywords: packaging; life cycle assessment; databases; life cycle impact assessment; ecoinvent; GaBi; environmental footprint database (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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