Environmental footprint compliant secondary datasets

Environmental Footprint Compliant Secondary Datasets

Three oxygenated solvents (acetone, n-butanol and butyl glycol ethers) and three categories of hydrocarbon solvents which have consumer end uses were selected to develop cradle-to-gate life-cycle inventories to facilitate the calculation of Product or Organisation Environmental Footprints (PEFs/OEFs) and assure that a solid Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) data base for solvent is available. 

These EF compliant datasets are based on the latest standards. 

Anyone wanting to engage in such an exercise can find datasets based on industry data from our member companies in our dedicated ESIG node or via the Global LCA Data Access network (GLAD) which promotes the wide use of LCA data to improve sustainability-related decisions through enhanced, interoperable, and global access to LCA datasets.

Currently available are datasets for:

  • Acetone (CAS 67-64-1)
  • n-Butanol (CAS 35296-72-1)
  • Butyl Glycol ethers covering 2-Butoxyethan-1-ol, (CAS 111-76-2), ( 2-(2-Butoxyethoxy)ethanol (CAS 112-34-5) and 2-[2-(2-Hydroxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethanol (CAS 112-27-6)
  • Hydrocarbon Solvents category 3 (C9-14 Aliphatics (2-25% Aromatics)
  • Hydrocarbon Solvents category 6 (C6 Aliphatics)
  • Hydrocarbon Solvents category 8 (C9-14 Aliphatics (<=2% aromatic))

In the course of 2023 we will develop datasets for

  • Butyl acetate (CAS 123-86-4)
  • Hydrocarbon Solvents category 1 and 2 (C9-12 Aromatics)

If you wish to receive excel files, please let us know esig@cefic.be

To learn which hydrocarbon solvents are covered by each category, please consult our naming convention 

The Environmental Footprint (EF) is a life cycle assessment (LCA) based method to quantify the environmental impacts of products (goods or services). It has been developed under the supervision of the EU Commission. A pilot phase was run for 5 years (2013-2018) to test the PEF/OEF methods by 27 different industry sectors and about 20 Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCRs) and Organisation Environmental Footprint Sectoral Rules (OEFSRs) were developed.

The project is in a transition phase (2019-2024) during which the implementation of sets of rules established (PEFCRs) is monitored, the rules are expanded, and the background or secondary data sets developed are updated and expanded.

Currently the EU Commission is also exploring how to use the Product and Organisation Environmental Footprint methods in policies.