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      Chemicals and Plastics

      The Chemicals and Plastics sector in the ecoinvent database comprises of over 2,000 datasets, covering the production and end-of-life treatment of bulk chemicals as well as specialty chemicals.

      Jan 30th, 2024

      Chemical and plastic products are widely used in many industrial sectors that support our daily lives. The chemical sector is the largest energy consumer worldwide, based on IEA, from which ca. 50% represents use of feedstock. At the European Union level, based on eurostat, the latter precedence persists as the sector accounts for 21.5% of the final industrial energy use. Should the current trends of growing demand continue, UNEP estimates the production of chemicals to be doubled by 2030 compared to 2017 and the production and consumption of plastic to consume 20% of global oil by 2050 (Global Chemicals Outlook IIGlobal Chemicals Outlook II, Single-use plastics). Regarding direct CO2 emissions, based on IEA, the chemical sector released about 935 Mt in 2022, and is classified as the third largest industrial emitter worldwide. Hence, current initiatives from the European chemical industry, and beyond, focus on improving the sustainability performance of this key economic sector.

      Sector Overview

      The Chemicals and Plastics sector in the ecoinvent database comprises over 2,000 datasets, covering a broad spectrum of substances that address different needs in various industrial sectors. The database accommodates data ranging from commodities to highly specialized products. The primary raw materials of the Chemicals and Plastics sector are sourced in refineries, this topic is discussed in the Fuels section, Database sectors Fuels. The Chemicals and Plastics sector, in turn, transforms these refinery products into a myriad of substances, i.e., from bulk to fine chemicals and polymers, that are a pivotal pillar of our modern world. 

      The geographies covered are Global (GLO), Europe (RER) and selected European countries, United States (US), Canada (CA), Chile (CL), Morocco (MA), India (IN), China (CN), and Australia (AU). 

      To allow holistic modeling, the ecoinvent database includes several infrastructure datasets, ranging from generic chemical and plastic processing factories to specialized plants such as aluminium hydroxide and methanol factories, among others. Additionally, data about several services such as compression refrigeration systems, injection moulding, and extrusion are available. 

      Substances in the database are modeled as pure substances. An exception refers to chemicals which are produced in different grades, e.g. silicon (electronics, metallurgical and solar grade). If an assessment demands for data of substances in diluted state, the required amount of water or solvent should be added to the assessment where necessary. To facilitate this for ecoinvent data users, the activity names in the ecoinvent database include the industrially most applied solution state for selected chemicals.

      Sector Highlights 

      Fertilisers and Pesticides

      While datasets on the manufacturing of chemicals as pure substances are included in the Chemicals sector, datasets referring to chemicals applied as fertilisers and pesticides are integrated into the Agriculture sector. Database sectors agriculture The ecoinvent database covers nearly 20 geographies across five continents. 

      Specifically, the ecoinvent database accommodates a broad variety of pesticides and fertilisers. Datasets of the main active substances in fertilisers, such as ammonia, urea, ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, calcium ammonium nitrate and superphosphates are covered. Further, the database includes datasets on production of various pest controlling substances, ranging from molluscicides, to fungicides, herbicides and insecticides applicable to various crops. 

      Ink and Paints

      This sector includes data on numerous paints and inks, covering printing inks, toners, acrylic varnish and alkyd paint among others. In addition to datasets on manufacturing, datasets on the disposal of selected products are also included.  

      Plastics and Rubber

      Besides the coverage of chemical substances, the database includes information about a wide variety of plastics and rubbers and their use in different sectors, such as packaging, building and construction, textiles, consumer products, transportation, electrical and electronics, and industrial machinery. Datasets include information about the manufacturing and recycling of common plastics and rubbers (including PE, PET, PU, nylon, and synthetic rubber). Plastic recycling and other waste treatment activities are included. 

      Cleaning Agents

      The database includes datasets focused on various consumer products used as cleaning consumables. These include tensides, bleaches, soap, laundry and dishwashing detergents. 

      Bulk and Specialized Chemicals

      The database includes datasets focused on various consumer products used as cleaning consumables. These include tensides, bleaches, soap, laundry and dishwashing detergents. 

      Data Providers 

      ecoinvent Data originates from different sources. Notable data providers to the Chemicals and Plastics sector include (but are not limited to): 

      Editors

      • Eric Johnson (Main Editor for Chemicals), Atlantic Consulting, Switzerland 
      • David Cornell (Main Editor for Plastic), Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers, US 
      • Michael H. Levy (Co-Editor for Plastic), First Environment, US

      Relevant Sources

      While the database contains all needed information to understand the modeling and calculations behind its contents, the reports below provide further information for enhanced understanding of the activities within the sector. 

      Muthusezhiyan N., Gangane P., Samuel S., (2017). Life Cycle Inventories of Plastic Recycling – India. ecoinvent Association, Zürich, Switzerland. Accessible at SRI project results (registration required). 

      ecoinvent, (2017). Data on the Production of Chemicals created for the EU Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) pilot phase implementation. Zürich: ecoinvent Association. 

      Gendorf, (2015). Umwelterklärung 2014. s.l. : Gendorf, 2015. 

      Gendorf, (2016). Umwelterklärung 2015. s.l. : Gendorf, 2016. 

      Wernet, G., Hellweg, S. and Hungerbühler, K., (2012). A tiered approach to estimate inventory data and impacts of chemical products and mixtures. International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. 2012. 

      Althaus H.-J., Chudacoff M., Hischier R., Jungbluth N., Osses M. and Primas A., (2007). Life Cycle Inventories of Chemicals. Final report ecoinvent data v2.0 No. 8. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH (available in the report section of ecoQuery v2). 

      Zah R. and Hischier R., (2007). Life Cycle Inventories of Detergents. Final report ecoinvent data v2.0, No. 12. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH (available in the report section of ecoQuery v2). 

      Sutter J., (2007). Life Cycle Inventories of Highly Pure Chemicals. Final report ecoinvent data v2.0, No. 19. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH (available in the report section of ecoQuery v2). 

      Sutter J., (2007). Life Cycle Inventories of Petrochemical Solvents. Final report ecoinvent data v2.0, No. 22. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH (available in the report section of ecoQuery v2). 

      Hischier R., (2007). Life Cycle Inventories of Packaging and Graphical Paper. Final report ecoinvent data v2.0 No. 11. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH (available in the report section of ecoQuery v2). 

      Hischier, R., et al., (2005). Establishing Life Cycle Inventories of Chemicals Based on Differing Data Availability. International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. 2005, pp. 59-67. 


      Other Data 

      The ecoinvent Association has supplied data on Chemicals for the Pilot Phase of European Commission’s Environmental Footprint project and is currently working on the update of the data for the Transition Phase of the project. For more on the data visit this page. 

      Some of the updated and newly created data have been included in the ecoinvent database (see chapter 5 of the Report of changes for version 3.4 and chapter 5.1 of the Report of changes from version 3.9).