European Platform on Life Cycle Assessment: Supporting Life Cycle Thinking in Policy and Industry

The European Commission's project "European Platform on Life Cycle Assessment" (EP-LCA) supports life cycle thinking in product development and in a broad range of European policies. It addresses the related needs of industry and of policy makers. The project is conducted in the context of the European Commission's Thematic Strategies on the Prevention and Recycling of Waste and on the Sustainable Use of Natural Resources, as well as the Integrated Product Policy Communication (IPP). The first key deliverable of the project is the European Reference Life Cycle Data System (ELCD). The ELCD is as far as possible based on data of European business associations and contains core Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) data for main commodities, energy carriers, transport, and waste management in a common reference LCA format. These inventory data sets will be accompanied by recommended life cycle impact assessment factors. The ELCD is published online via the EC's LCA Info Hub, the first version being online since July 2006. It will be extended by further core data in close cooperation with industry. The LCA Info Hub also hosts an independent, detailed, and searchable directory of LCA services, tools, databases, and providers. The second main deliverable is a handbook on recommended LCA practice for goal and scope definition, data collection, modeling, analysis, interpretation, documentation, and review. This will be based on the best attainable consensus among stakeholders. The deliverables are being developed through a serious of studies, meetings, and workshops, complemented by the outputs of national and international projects. See also http://lca.jrc.ec.europa.eu.JRC.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource