Toxicity impacts in the environmental footprint method: calculation principles

The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment - 2022
Serenella Sala1, Fabrizio Biganzoli1, Esther Sanye Mengual1, Erwan Saouter1
1Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Ispra, VA, Italy

Tóm tắt

Abstract Purpose The EU environmental footprint (EF) is a life cycle assessment (LCA)-based method which aims at assessing the environmental impacts of products and organisations through 16 midpoint impact categories, among which three address toxicity-related impacts. This paper presents the principles underpinning the calculation of the set of characterisation factors (CFs) for the toxicity-related impact categories in the EF version 3.0: freshwater ecotoxicity (ECOTOX), human toxicity cancer (HTOX_c) and human toxicity non-cancer (HTOX_nc). Methods In order to respond to the issues that emerged during the EF pilot phase, the input data and the calculation principles of the USEtox® model were updated. In particular, (i) robustness factors (RFs) were introduced to reduce the dominance of metals and to balance the lackness of a robust fate modelling for non-organic compounds in USEtox®; (ii) high-quality data were selected from databases of EU agencies (European Chemicals Agency and European Food Safety Authority) to guarantee the transparency and the reliability of input data; and (iii) a new approach based on HC20 (hazard concentration killing 20% of the exposed population) was implemented to derive freshwater ecotoxicity effect factors (EfF). Results and discussion The new approach increased the number of characterised chemicals in the three impact categories: ECOTOX (6038 chemicals, + 140%), HTOX_c (1024 chemicals, + 70%) and HTOX_nc (3317 chemicals, + 660%). Moreover, specific derivation principles were defined for assigning CFs also to relevant groups of chemicals (e.g. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), and specific strategies were implemented to better align LCA toxicity data with data used for risk assessment purposes. Conclusions The new set of CFs was calculated to ensure a broader coverage of characterised chemicals and to overcome some limitations of the USEtox® model identified during the environmental footprint pilot phase.

Từ khóa


Tài liệu tham khảo

Aggett P, Nordberg GF, Nordberg M (2015) Essential metals : assessing risks from deficiency and toxicity. In: Handbook on the toxicology of metals : Volume I: General considerations (4th ed., pp. 281–297). https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-59453-2.00014-7

Bare J (2011) TRACI 2.0: the tool for the reduction and assessment of chemical and other environmental impacts 2.0. Clean Technol Environ Policy 13:687–696. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-010-0338-9

Bassan A, Ceriani L, Richardson J, Livaniou A, Ciacci A, Baldin R, Kovarich S, Fioravanzo E, Pavan M, Gibin D et al (2018) OpenFoodTox: EFSA’s chemical hazards database. https://zenodo.org/record/1252752#.YhOR1zFBxaR

Dorne JL, Richardson J, Kass G, Georgiadis N, Monguidi M, Pasinato L Cappe S, Verhagen H, Robinson T (2017) Editorial: OpenFoodTox: EFSA's open source toxicological database on chemical hazards in food and feed EFSA J 15(1):e15011 3. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2017.e15011

EC (2021) 9332 final Commission Recommendation of 16.12.2021 on the use of the Environmental Footprint methods to measure and communicate the life cycle environmental performance of products and organisations

EC (European Commission) (2002) Regulation

(EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety. Off J Eur Union 31(1):24

EC (European Commission) (2006) Regulation

(EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH). Off J Eur Union L 369(1):15

EC (European Commission) (2013a) Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council. Building the Single Market for Green Products Facilitating better information on the environmental performance of products and organisations. COM 196.

EC (European Commission) (2013b) Commission Recommendation (2013/179/EU) of 9 April 2013 on the use of common methods to measure and communicate the life cycle environmental performance of products and organisations Off J Eur Communities L124:(1)216

EC (European Commission) (2020) Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European economic and social committee and the committee of the regions. Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability Towards a Toxic-Free Environment COM:667

EC (European Commission) (2021a) Initiative on substantiating green claims. Available at https://ec.europa.eu/environment/eussd/smgp/initiative_on_green_claims.htm

EC (European Commission) (2021b) Zero pollution action plan. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/environment/strategy/zero-pollution-action-plan_en Accessed Mar 2021b

EC-JRC (European Commission - Joint Research Centre) (2003) Technical Guidance Document on Risk Assessment in support of Commission Directive 93/67/EEC on Risk Assessment for new notified substances Commission Regulation (EC) No 1488/94 on Risk Assessment for existing substances Directive 98/8/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the placing of biocidal products on the market. Part II EUR 20418 EN/2

EC-JRC (European Commission - Joint Research Centre) (2018) Environmental Footprint reference package 3.0 (EF 3.0). Available at: https://eplca.jrc.ec.europa.eu/LCDN/developerEF.xhtml (Accessed 2020 Dec)

Fantke P, Bijster M, Hauschild MZ, Huijbregts MAJ, Jolliet O, Kounina A, Magaud V, Margni M, McKone TE, Rosenbaum RK et al (2017) USEtox 2.0 Documentation (Version 1.00). Lyngby, Denmark. ISBN: 978–87–998335–0–4. https://doi.org/10.11581/DTU:00000011.

Fantke P, Huijbregts M, Hauschild M, Margni M, Jolliet O, McKone TE, van de Meent D, Rosenbaum RK (2015a) USEtox® 2.0 Manual: Inorganic Substances (Version 2), available at https://usetox.org/sites/default/files/support-tutorials/USEtox_Manual_inorganics_0.pdf

Fantke P, Huijbregts MAJ, Margni M, Hauschild MZ, Jolliet O, McKone TE, Rosenbaum RK, van de Meent D (2015b) USEtox® 2.0 User Manual (Version 2). http://usetox.org

Fazio S, Biganzoli F, De Laurentiis V, Zampori L, Sala S, Diaconu E (2018) Supporting information to the characterisation factors of recommended EF Life Cycle Impact Assessment methods, version 2, from ILCD to EF 3.0, EUR 29600 EN, European Commission, Ispra ISBN 978–92–79–98584–3. https://doi.org/10.2760/002447

Hauschild MZ, Huijbregts MAJ, Jolliet O, Macleod M, Margni M, van de Meent D, Rosenbaum RK, McKone TE (2008) Building a Model Based on Scientific Consensus for Life Cycle Impact Assessment of Chemicals: The Search for Harmony and Parsimony. Environ Sci Technol 42:7032–7037. https://doi.org/10.1021/es703145t

Hauschild MZ, Potting J (2005) Spatial Differentiation in Life Cycle Impact Assessment - The EDIP2003 methodology. Environ News 80:1–195

Huijbregts MAJ, Guinee JB, Reijnders L (2001) Priority assessment of toxic substances in life cycle assessment. III: Export of potential impact over time and space. Chemosphere 44:59–65. ISSN 0045–6535. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0045-6535(00)00349-0.

ISO (International Standard Organisation) (2006a) ISO 14040. Environmental management -- Life cycle assessment -- Principles and framework

ISO (International Standard Organisation) (2006b) ISO 14044. Environmental management -- Life cycle assessment -- Requirements and guidelines

Jolliet O, Margni M, Charles R, Humbert S, Payet J, Rebitzer G, Rosenbaum RK (2003) IMPACT 2002+: A new life cycle impact assessment methodology. Int J Life Cycle Assess 8:324–330. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02978505

Jolliet O, Rosenbaum RK, McKone TE, Scheringer M, van Straalen N, Wania F (2006) Establishing a Framework for Life Cycle Toxicity Assessment. Findings of the Lausanne Review Workshop. Int J Life Cycle Assess 11:209–212

Kemna R, van Elburg M, Li W, van Holsteijn R (2005) MEEuP Methodology, final. Delft, Netherlands

Klimisch HJ, Andreae M, Tillmann U (1997) A Systematic Approach for Evaluating the Quality of Experimental Toxicological and Ecotoxicological Data. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 25:1–5. https://doi.org/10.1006/rtph.1996.1076 (PMID: 9056496)

Lewis KA, Tzilivakis J, Warner DJ, Green A (2016) An international database for pesticide risk assessments and management. Hum Ecol Risk Assess an International Journal 22(4):1050–1064. https://doi.org/10.1080/10807039.2015.1133242

McKone TE, Enoch KG (2002) CalTOX, A multimedia total exposure model spreadsheet user’s guide. Version 4.0. Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab. Available at https://dtsc.ca.gov/caltox/

McKone TE, Kyle AD, Jolliet O, Olsen SI, Hauschild MZ (2006) Dose-Response Modeling for Life Cycle Impact Assessment - Findings of the Portland Review Workshop. Int J Life Cycle Asses 11:137–140

Owsianiak M, Fantke P, Posthuma L, Saouter E, Vijver MG, Backhaus T, Schlekat T, Hauschild MZ (2019) Global Guidance for Life Cycle Impact Assessment Indicators Volume 2. Chapter 7 Ecotoxicity. www.lifecycleinitiative.org/training-resources/global-guidance-for-life-cycle-impact-assessment-indicators-volume-2/

Posthuma L, van Gils J, Zijp MC, van de Meent D, de Zwart D (2019) Species Sensitivity Distributions for Use in Environmental Protection, Assessment and Management of Aquatic Ecosystems for 12,386 Chemicals. Environ Toxicol Chem 38:905–917. https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.4373

PPDB (Pesticides Properties DataBase) (2017) The University of Hertfordshire Agricultural Substances Database Background and Support Information. Available at http://sitem.herts.ac.uk/aeru/ppdb/

Rosenbaum RK, Bachmann TM, Gold LS, Huijbregts MAJ, Jolliet O, Juraske R, Koehler A, Larsen HF, MacLeod M, Margni M et al (2008) USEtox—the UNEP-SETAC toxicity model: recommended characterisation factors for human toxicity and freshwater ecotoxicity in life cycle impact assessment. Int J Life Cycle Assess 13:532–546. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-008-0038-4

RStudioTeam (2016) RStudio: Integrated Development Environment for R. http://www.rstudio.com/

Sala S, Reale F, Cristobal Garcia J, Marelli L, Pant R (2016) Life cycle assessment for the impact assessment of policies. EUR 28380 EN. https://doi.org/10.2788/318544

Saouter E, Aschberger K, Fantke P, Hauschild MZ, Bopp SK, Kienzler A, Paini A, Pant R, Secchi M, Sala S (2017a) Improving substance information in USEtox®, part 1: Discussion on data and approaches for estimating freshwater ecotoxicity effect factors. Environ Toxicol Chem 36:3450–3462. https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.3889

Saouter E, Aschberger K, Fantke P, Hauschild MZ, Kienzler A, Paini A, Pant R, Radovnikovic A, Secchi M, Sala S (2017b) Improving substance information in USEtox®, part 2: Data for estimating fate and ecosystem exposure factors. Environ Toxicol Chem 36:3463–3470. https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.3903

Saouter E, Biganzoli F, Ceriani L, Versteeg D, Crenna E, Zampori L, Sala S, Pant R (2018) Environmental Footprint : Update of Life Cycle Impact Assessment Methods – Ecotoxicity freshwater, human toxicity cancer, and non- cancer. JRC technical report. EUR 29495 EN, Publications Office of the European Union Luxembourg ISBN 978–92–79–98182–1. https://doi.org/10.2760/178544.

Saouter E, Biganzoli F, Pant R, Sala S, Versteeg D (2019a) Using REACH for the EU Environmental Footprint: Building a Usable Ecotoxicity Database, Part I. Integr Environ Assess Manag 15:783–795. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1002/ieam.4168

Saouter E, Wolff D, Biganzoli F, Versteeg D (2019b) Comparing Options for Deriving Chemical Ecotoxicity Hazard Values for the European Union Environmental Footprint. Part II Integr Environ Assess Manag 15(5):796–807. https://doi.org/10.1002/ieam.4169

Simulations Plus (2016) ADMET PredictorTM. https://www.simulations-plus.com/software/admetpredictor

S‐IN Soluzioni Informatiche (2015) Further development and update of EFSA's Chemical Hazards Database. EFSA Supporting Publication 12(7):EN‐823-884. https://doi.org/10.2903/sp.efsa.2015.EN‐823

UNEP (United Nations Environment Program) (2019) Global Guidance for Life Cycle Impact Assessment Indicators Volume 2. https://www.lifecycleinitiative.org/training-resources/global-guidance-for-life-cycle-impact-assessment-indicators-volume-2/

US-EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) (2012) BIOWINTM User’s Guide (v4.10). Available at: https://www.epa.gov/tsca-screening-tools/epi-suitetm-estimation-program-interface

US-EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) (2018) Estimation Programs Interface SuiteTM for Microsoft® Windows, v 4.11. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, USA

USEtox (2018) Official USEtox Download website. https://usetox.org/ Accessed 2018 Nov

van Zelm R, Huijbregts MAJ, Harbers JV, Wintersen A, Struijs J, Posthuma L, Van de Meent D (2007) Uncertainty in msPAF-Based Ecotoxicological Effect Factorsfor Freshwater Ecosystems in Life Cycle Impact Assessment. Integr Environ Assess Manag 3:203–210. https://doi.org/10.1897/ieam_2006-013.1 (PMID: 17477288)

van Zelm R, Huijbregts MAJ, van de Meent D (2009) USES-LCA 2.0—a global nested multi-media fate, exposure, and effects model. Int J Life Cycle Assess 14:282–284. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-009-0066-8

Wegmann F, Cavin L, Macleod M, Scheringer M, Hungerbu K (2009) The OECD software tool for screening chemicals for persistence and long-range transport potential. Environ Model Softw 24:228–237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2008.06.014

Wessells KR, Brown KH (2012) Estimating the global prevalence of zinc deficiency: results based on zinc availability in national food supplies and the prevalence of stunting. PloS One 7(11):e50568. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0050568 (PMID: 23209782)

Westh TB, Hauschild MZ, Birkved M, Jørgensen MS, Rosenbaum RK, Fantke P (2015) The USEtox story: a survey of model developer visions and user requirements. Int J Life Cycle Assess 20:299–310. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-014-0829-8

Wintz H, Fox T, Vulpe C (2002) Responses of plants to iron, zinc and copper deficiencies. Biochem Soc Trans 30(4):766–768. https://doi.org/10.1042/bst0300766 (PMID: 12196190)

Zoroddu MA, Aaseth J, Crisponi G, Medici S, Peana M, Nurchi VM (2019) The essential metals for humans: a brief overview. J Inorg Biochem 195:120–129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2019.03.013 (PMID: 30939379)

Thông tin
Thông tin xuất bản

The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment

Thông tin tác giả