High value of freshwater ecotoxicity

Question

Hello,

I used OPEN LCA to calculate the impacts of a project. All the values ​​obtained are consistent, except for the freshwater ecotoxicity component. Specifically, I obtained a value of 1.5 x 10⁶ kg 1,4-DCB for a project with a CO₂eq of 2.5 x 10⁶ kg. I haven't been able to find the source of the error. I use the Ecoinvent database. Do you have any suggestions for further investigation? Or perhaps a direct interpretation?

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi, difficult to say from what you write - which impact assessment method do you use, what did you model, do you have own processes also (not ecoinvent) that contribute to the result? 

1e6 kg is of course high but e.g. in ReCiPe 2016 midpoint H, freshwater ecotocity 1,4-DCB equivalents and climate change CO2 equivalents are often in the same range, in kg, and thus whether the amount is incorrect depends on the above and on your functional unit.