The U.S. Life-Cycle Inventory (LCI) Database helps life-cycle assessment (LCA) experts answer their questions about environmental impact. This database provides a cradle-to-grave accounting of the energy and material flows into and out of the environment that are associated with producing a material, component, or assembly. It's an online storeroom of data collected on commonly used materials, products, and processes. The critically reviewed LCI data are consistent with a common research protocol and with international standards. The LCI data support efforts to develop product LCAs, support systems, and LCA tools.
The U.S. Life-Cycle Inventory (LCI) database contains data modules that quantify the material and energy flows into and out of the environment for common unit processes. A full product life-cycle assessment (LCA) requires the combination of several unit process LCI data modules. In addition to product LCAs, the LCI data can be used as regional benchmarks to generate or assess company, plant, or new technology data; develop environmentally oriented decision support systems; and develop LCA tools. Public availability of the LCI data will make LCAs easier to perform and more accessible. Having a common set of data that is based on a single protocol will improve the quality and consistency of LCAs.