PARENT SESSION

6A - LCIA - Toxicity/RA
Hall 2
8:30 AM - 10:15 AM, Wednesday, 30 April 2003
Chair: Jolliet, O.¹, ¹
Co-chair: McKone, T.², ²

(WE2/5) Comparison of four LCIA methods for ecotoxicity based on a detergent case study within OMNIITOX.

Pant, Rana¹, Van Hoof, Gert², Schowanek, Diederik², Feijtel, Tom², ¹ Procter & Gamble Technical Centres Ltd., Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, UK² Procter & Gamble Eurocor, Strombeek-Bever, Belgium, Belgium

ABSTRACT- The ecotoxicity impact scores were calculated from one data set for three detergent products and four LCIA methods. Using the same data set eliminates the differences in the LCIA results stemming from the use of different effect or physico-chemical data. Thus, methodological differences can be better identified and compared which is one important objective of the OMNIITOX project. The compared detergent products were: Regular Powder (RP), Compact Powder (CP) and Compact Liquid (CL). The LCIA was conducted for the end of use stage, i.e. the release of detergent ingredients by direct discharge or after waste water treatment. The LCIA methods applied were CML 92 (aquatic ecotoxicity), EDIP (acute and chronic aquatic ecotoxicity), USES LCA (freshwater and marine water ecotoxicity) and IMPACT 2002 (aquatic ecotoxicity). The methods CML 92, EDIP acute toxicity and USES LCA freshwater lead to similar results regarding the product ranking (RP and CP similarly good, CL worse) and the most contributing ingredients (surfactants followed by inorganics like Sulphate and Carbonate). The results by IMPACT 2002 and USES LCA marine water are similar to each other but distinct from the other LCIA methods. In both methods the dominating ingredients are inorganic substances such as Carbonate, Sulphate and Silicate and CL is identified as the best product alternative, followed by CP and RP. The difference in the results to the other LCIA methods is likely due to the different approach to fate and exposure modeling in IMPACT 2002 and USES LCA marine water and will be discussed in the presentation. The results for CML 92, EDIP acute toxicity and USES LCA freshwater are broadly in concurrence with findings in a comparative ERA using the same data set.

Key words: detergents, LCIA, ecotoxicity, aquatic