Lesson 1Assessing data quality: temporal, geographic, technological representativeness and uncertaintyThis section covers data quality checks for LCI, including time, place, tech match, completeness, accuracy, and uncertainty, plus how to score and note quality for bottle system data.
Temporal representativeness and data ageGeographic coverage and regional relevanceTechnological representativeness of processesCompleteness and precision of inventory flowsQualitative scoring and uncertainty flagsLesson 2Transport modelling: modal choices, typical distances for North America and Europe, fuel and load factorsThis section explains modelling freight transport for bottle systems, picking transport types, estimating usual distances in regions, and setting real fuel use, load factors, and return trip assumptions for North America and Europe.
Selecting relevant freight transport modesTypical road, rail, sea distances by regionEstimating fuel consumption and emission factorsModeling load factors and empty backhaulsAllocating transport to functional unitLesson 3Identifying required inventory flows: materials, energy, transport, water, wasteThis section introduces finding all needed inventory flows for bottle LCIs, like materials, energy, transport, water, emissions, waste, and ensuring full coverage matching the functional unit.
Linking flows to the functional unitListing material inputs and auxiliary materialsIdentifying energy carriers and utilitiesCapturing transport, water, and emissionsChecking completeness and avoiding double countingLesson 4Using secondary datasets: ecoinvent, US LCI, ELCD, GaBi proxies — how to search and select matching processesThis section focuses on picking and using secondary LCI data from ecoinvent, US LCI, ELCD, GaBi, with search tips, proxy picks, metadata checks, and adjusting for bottle system needs.
Searching databases for matching processesInterpreting metadata and system boundariesChoosing and justifying proxy processesAdapting datasets to regional conditionsHandling cutoffs and allocation in datasetsLesson 5Documenting sources and citing datasets, papers, calculators, and government statisticsThis section explains clearly noting all LCI sources like databases, reviewed papers, industry reports, calculators, government stats, and citing them right for repeatable bottle studies.
Creating a structured LCI data logReferencing LCI databases and versionsCiting peer‑reviewed and industry studiesUsing and documenting online calculatorsReferencing government and statistical dataLesson 6Modelling manufacturing processes: steel production, injection/stretch blow moulding for PET, forming and finishingThis section covers modelling making processes for PET and stainless steel bottles, including steel routes, PET resin making, injection and stretch blow moulding, forming, trimming, finishing, and scrap/yield losses.
Steelmaking routes and alloy specificationsPET resin production and drying stepsInjection and stretch blow molding parametersForming, trimming, and surface finishingModeling scrap rates and material yield lossesLesson 7End-of-life pathways: recycling rates, mechanical recycling processes for PET and stainless steel, landfill, incineration with energy recoveryThis section explains modelling end-of-life for PET and stainless steel bottles, with local recycling rates, mechanical recycling, landfill, incineration with energy recovery, and sharing recycling benefits/burdens.
Collecting regional recycling and disposal ratesModeling PET mechanical recycling processesModeling stainless steel recycling routesLandfill and incineration with energy recoveryAllocation approaches for recycling creditsLesson 8Estimating material composition and mass flows for stainless steel and PET bottlesThis section describes estimating material makeup and mass flows for PET and stainless steel bottles, including wall thickness, caps, labels, extra parts, and turning drawings or material lists into LCI inputs.
Interpreting drawings and specificationsEstimating PET and steel wall thicknessesAccounting for caps, labels, and coatingsConverting volumes to masses and densitiesBuilding mass balance tables for the LCILesson 9Use-phase modelling for reusable bottles: washing scenarios (hand vs. dishwasher), frequency of reuse, cleaning agents and hot water energyThis section details modelling use phase for reusable bottles, with washing frequency, hand vs. machine cleaning, hot water energy, detergents, and user habits that affect LCI results a lot.
Defining realistic reuse frequency scenariosHand washing water, energy, and detergent useDishwasher cycles, loading, and energy profilesModeling hot water generation and fuel mixesSensitivity analysis on user behavior patterns
