Table 1 Environmental impact categories, indicators and corresponding units for midpoint indicators according to [58]
Impact Category | Shortcut | Indicator | Indicator Unit | Comment on cause and effect chain | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Acidification | Acid | Accumulated Exceedance | molc H + eq | Acid rain → Impact on Biodiversity, Bioproductivity in Soils, Lakes, Rivers, Oceans | |
Climate Change | CC | Radiative Forcing as Global Warming Potential (GWP100) | kg CO2 eq | Change in Radiative Forcing in the Atmosphere → Increase in Temperature on Earth | |
Ecotoxicity (freshwater) | Ecotox-fw | Comparative Toxic Unit for Ecosystems | CTUe | Emissions of Chemicals → Loss in Biodiversity | |
Eutrophication | Aquatic, freshwater | Eutr-fw | Fraction of Nutrients Reaching Freshwater end Compartment | kg P eq | Increased Nutrient Concentration in Aquatic Compartments → Algal Growth, Change in Species Composition, Oxygen Depletion → Damage to Aquatic Ecosystems |
Aquatic, marine | Eutr-mar | Fraction of Nutrients Reaching Marine End Compartment | kg N eq | ||
Terrestrial | Eutr-ter | Accumulated Exceedance(AE) | mol N eq | Deposition of Airborne Emissions on Land → Damage to Forestry, Crops, Terrestrial Ecosystems | |
Human Toxicity | Cancer effects | HT-c | Comparative Toxic Unit for Humans | CTUh | Food Intake and Direct Exposure (e.g. Inhalation) to Toxic Substance → Cancer and Diverse other Diseases |
Non-cancer effects | HT-nc | Comparative Toxic Unit for Humans | CTUh | ||
Ionizing Radiation, Human Health | IR-hh | Human Exposure Efficiency Relative to U235 | kg U235 eq | Radioactive Release → Inhalation, Consumption of Food and Water → Hereditary and Cancer Effects | |
Ozone Depletion | OD | Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) | kg CFC-11 eq | Increased UV-B Level on the Earth's Surface Skin Cancer → Negative Effects on Plant Growth | |
Particulate Matter/Respiratory Inorganics | PM | Intake Fraction for Fine Particles (kg PM2.5-eq/kg) | kg PM 2.5 eq | Absorption of Particles (< 10 μm) through the Airways → Lung Problems, Cardiovascular Diseases | |
Photochemical Ozone Formation | POF | Tropospheric Ozone Concentration Increase | kg C2H4 eq | Ozone Pollution through the Oxidation of Carbon Monoxide (CO), Methane (CH4) and Volatile Hydrocarbons (VOC) | |
Resource Depletion, Mineral, Fossil and Renewable | RD | Scarcity | kg Sb eq | More Effort to Dismantle in the Future, e.g. Costs, Supply Risk |