Lifecycles contributes to updated ecoinvent LCI data for Australia's Agriculture

Lifecycles played an important role in this update by contributing to the enhancement of the ecoinvent database for Australia's Agriculture sector. This collaboration has resulted in the addition of five new region-specific agricultural products: barley, maize, oat, rape seed, and wheat. These products are now represented in ecoinvent v3.10, with regional models available to represent state-wide production as well as nationwide average.

Additionally, the update introduces five new models for on-farm operations in Australia, covering essential activities in agricultural practices. These operations encompass the application of plant protection products by a field sprayer, combined harvesting, fertilizing by broadcaster, planting with starter fertilizer by a no-till planter, and tillage cultivating chiselling.

For those seeking more detail, the ecoinvent update report documents the new Australian-specific agriculture datasets (see Table 53 of the report). This level of transparency and detail enables for complete and nuanced use of LCA involving Australian commodities and provides insights to the international life cycle assessment community through supporting the development of the ecoinvent database. This update will facilitate a more accurate representation of the environmental impacts associated with agricultural activities in Australia.