The GFLI offers both methods as they are commonly used in the feed LCA industry, but makes no distinction which should be used. More information about the two methods:
– EF3.0 is the PEF-compliant and recommended methodological approach for quantifying environmental performance by the European Commission. EF3.0 includes 19 impact categories: climate change, ozone depletion, ionizing radiation, photochemical ozone formation, respiratory inorganics, non-cancer human health effects, cancer human health effects, acidification, freshwater-, marine-, and terrestrial eutrophication, freshwater ecotoxicity, land use, water scarcity, resource use energy carriers, resource use (minerals and metals), fossil and biogenic climate change, and land use and transformation climate change.
– ReCiPe 2016 midpoint (H)(.csv files) originated as the first harmonized methodological approach for quantifying environmental performances by experts in the Netherlands, and is still commonly used within Europe. ReCiPe includes 16 impact categories: global warming (incl. and excl. LUC), stratospheric ozone depletion, ionizing radiation, ozone formation (human health), fine particulate matter formation, ozone formation (terrestrial ecosystems), terrestrial acidification, freshwater eutrophication, marine eutrophication, terrestrial ecotoxicity, freshwater ecotoxicity, marine ecotoxicity, human carcinogenic toxicity, human non-carcinogenic toxicity, land use, mineral resource scarcity, fossil resource scarcity, and water consumption.
The chosen allocation is up to the user and what is most relevant in their case. Allocation distributes the emissions according to the chosen form. Economic allocation distributes it according to economic relevancy (price per kg product), particularly interesting with by-products that typically don’t hold a high economic value, which is also the recommended allocation within the EU framework of the PEFCR Feed. Mass is for dry matter per ton of product, and can be relevant for company-specific datasets where change in emissions is measured through dry matter per ton of product. Energy allocation focuses on energy/ calorie content (nutritional value of the feed taken into account).
Feed ingredients that have not been sourced on a national level yet, often have a global average (GLO) or European average (RER) in the database. The GFLI database is dependent on data-in providers for the increase of datasets in the GFLI database. If you are interested in bringing data in the GFLI database please contact info@globalfeedlca.org
the LCA datasets collected and implemented in the GFLI database are data that refer to the operational primary production, processing and transport processes of producing feed ingredients. Excluded are the emissions of activities related to the transport from the processing plant to the feed manufacturer (inbound transport), the activities related to processing in the feed manufacturer and the outbound transport (activities related to the transport from the feed manufacturer to a farmer).
Inbound transport is included from cradle-to-farm or cradle-to-plant. Cultivated ingredients have transport of land management and possible storage transport included. Processed ingredients have transport from farm to the processing facility included. Any inbound transport beyond this system boundary, as well as the outbound transport (beyond the system boundary to the feed mill, livestock farm, or other regions) should be calculated through own methods.
This is possible, but might require additional modelling and is subject to the procedures of a ‘data-in project’. This means the data requires an internal review, (re)modelling, and an external review according to the GFLI methodology. More information is available in the GFLI procedures document.
The aggregated database does not allow insight on the emissions related to the specific processes. The unit process level is disaggregated and allows for every step in the process to be visible if the data-in providers have agreed upon sharing this data. The unit process data is available for licensing. However, with this insight processes cannot be adapted in the database itself; as that would constitute for a new dataset if the processes vary (and therefore create a different impact assessment).
The GFLI encourages data-in projects to increase the data generation for the database and increase the usefulness of the database for users. Firstly, knowing which datasets you’d like to contribute should be figured out. The GFLI has sectoral and regional data-in projects. Details of the procedures for a data-in project can be found in the GFLI procedures document, see here: GFLI procedures document. Most importantly for sectoral or regional data-in projects is the creation of a consortium or leading organization that will facilitate project management. Within the project, topics such as data availability, LCA modelling, data confidentiality, will be relevant topics. For more contact of either data-in projects, contact the GFLI Secretariat through: info@globalfeedlca.org
The costs or a data-in project vary based on the work necessary by our database manager for assessment and integration of the data into the database. More dataset entries require more work, as well as the compliance to the GFLI methodology.
a) become a member, b) becoming a strategic partner, c) use the database!
The GFLI is a member-funded Institute for and by the feed industry. The members directly fund the maintenance and improvement of the GFLI database, and support the acknowledgement of the GFLI methodology as robust and solid metric for sustainable feed. Members also receive discounts for database access, can actively engage with the institute by nominations for the Board of Directors and Technical Management Committee, partake in GFLI working groups, and more!
Reach out to info@globalfeedlca.org or check the ‘Join the GFLI‘ page!
Do you have questions that are not represented in this FAQ? E-mail us at info@globalfeedlca.org