Glossary

ABSOLUTE – The unmodified (i.e., not normalised) view of the system.

ALLOCATED VALUE – The value required to be allocated that the Allocation column is calculated upon. E.g., mass or economic value.

ALLOCATION – Partitioning the input or output flows of a process or a product system between the product system under study and one or more other product systems.

AQUATIC FRESHWATER EUTROPHICATION – Eutrophication and potential impact on ecosystems caused by nitrogen and phosphorous emissions mainly due to fertilisers, combustion, sewage systems. Units: kg P eq.

AQUATIC MARINE EUTROPHICATION – Eutrophication and potential impact on ecosystems caused by nitrogen and phosphorous emissions mainly due to fertilisers, combustion, sewage systems. Units: kg N eq.

BACKGROUND SYSTEM – Processes over which the LCA-commissioner has little to no direct influence.

CHARACTERISATION – A factor derived from a model, used to convert an LCI result into a common unit for impact category indicators. Enables summing impacts of different flows.

CLIMATE CHANGE – Increase in average global temperature due to GHG emissions. Units: kg CO₂ eq (GWP100).

CONTRIBUTORS (INPUTS, WASTE, EMISSIONS) – The inputs and outputs for the current unit process.

CRADLE TO GATE – Product supply chain from raw material extraction to manufacturer’s gate. Excludes use and end-of-life.

CRADLE TO GRAVE – Full life cycle including raw materials, manufacturing, use, and disposal/recycling.

DATA QUALITY – Column for entering the method used to assess the quality of LCI and LCIA data.

FOREGROUND SYSTEM – Processes under the control of the LCA commissioner.

FRESHWATER AND TERRESTRIAL ACIDIFICATION – Acidification from emissions due to combustion, etc. Units: mol H⁺ eq (AE).

FRESHWATER ECOTOXICITY – Impact of toxic substances on freshwater ecosystems. Units: CTUe.

FUNCTIONAL UNIT – Quantified performance of a product system used as a reference.

GATE-TO-GATE – System boundary focused on a stage or stages within the product supply chain.

GOAL – Describes purpose, intended use, audience, and whether results will be publicly compared.

HUMAN TOXICITY, CANCER EFFECTS – Health impact from carcinogens via air, water, and soil. Units: CTUh.

HUMAN TOXICITY, NON-CANCER EFFECTS – Health impact from non-carcinogens via air, water, and soil. Units: CTUh.

INTERMEDIATE INPUTS – Inputs to a unit process from a preceding unit process within the system.

IONISING RADIATION, HUMAN HEALTH – Impact of ionising radiation on health. Units: kBq U-235 eq.

LAND USE (EMBODIED) – Effects of land transformation/use on soil and ecosystems. Units: dimensionless points (soil quality index).

LIFE CYCLE – All stages from raw material acquisition to final disposal.

LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT (LCA) – Compilation and evaluation of the inputs, outputs, and environmental impacts of a product system.

LIFE CYCLE IMPACT ASSESSMENT (LCIA) – Phase to evaluate magnitude and significance of potential environmental impacts.

LIFE CYCLE INTERPRETATION – Phase for evaluating findings of inventory or impact assessment in relation to goals.

LIFE CYCLE INVENTORY (LCI) – Compilation and quantification of inputs/outputs for a product throughout its life cycle.

MAP – Tying a background characterisation to a foreground item.

MONOFUNCTIONAL PROCESS – A process or system that performs a single function.

MULTIFUNCTIONAL PROCESS – A process that performs more than one function (e.g., multiple outputs or joint waste treatment).

MY PRODUCTS – Products from your XYCLE projects available for reuse.

NON-FUNCTIONAL FLOW – Inventory items that are not (co-)products, e.g. emissions, waste, services.

OZONE DEPLETION – Loss of stratospheric ozone layer. Units: kg CFC-11 eq.

PARTICULATE MATTER – Health impact from PM and its precursors. Units: disease incidence.

PHOTOCHEMICAL OZONE FORMATION – Potential for tropospheric ozone (“summer smog”). Units: kg NMVOC eq.

PRODUCTS & INTERMEDIATE OUTPUTS – Outputs from the current unit process usable in other unit processes or projects.

REFERENCE – Unit (e.g. time or mass) represented by an inventory item.

REFERENCE FLOW – Output from a process fulfilling the function of the functional unit.

REFERENCE UNIT – The product XYCLE uses for normalisation and function definition.

RESOURCE USE, FOSSIL FUEL DEPLETION – Use of non-renewable fossil resources. Units: MJ (ADP-fossil).

RESOURCE USE, MINERALS AND METALS DEPLETION – Use of non-renewable mineral and metal resources. Units: kg Sb eq (ADP ultimate reserves).

SCOPE – Defines breadth, depth, and detail of the study.

STRIPPING RATIO – Ratio of waste mined per unit of ore.

SUBSTITUTION – Handling multifunctionality by crediting superseded processes/products (system expansion principle).

SUPPLIER PRODUCTS – Imported products from suppliers usable across XYCLE.

SYSTEM – The object of the LCA study—can include products, services, or aggregated consumption.

SYSTEM BOUNDARY – Criteria defining which unit processes are included in the product system.

TERRESTRIAL EUTROPHICATION – Ecosystem impact from N and P emissions. Units: mol N eq (AE).

UNIT PROCESS – The smallest element in LCI for which input/output data are quantified.

UNIT PROCESS, BLACK BOX – A unit process containing multiple single-operation processes.

UNIT PROCESS, SINGLE OPERATION – A unit process that cannot be further divided.

WATER USE SCARCITY FOOTPRINT – Water depletion adjusted by scarcity and ecosystem needs. Units: m³ world eq.