New Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Data Available for Unsaturated Polyester (UP) and Vinyl Ester (VE) Resins
Executive Summary
With the recent release of Ecoinvent 3.11, updated Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) results are now available from the Cefic UP/VE Sector Group for the most important Unsaturated Polyester (UP) and Vinyl Ester (VE) resin chemistries.
This information enables composite fabricators and users to calculate the eco-footprint of their products (cradle-to-gate), demonstrating the positive environmental impact of composites.
Introduction
Over the past year, a detailed Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) study was conducted by EY consultancy, commissioned by five European resin manufacturers (AOC, INEOS Composites, Polynt, Scott Bader, SIR Industriale; all members of the Cefic UP/VE Sector Group).
These manufacturers provided detailed plant- and chemistry-specific data on energy consumption, emissions, and waste generation (Ortho, Iso, DCPD, Maleic, rPET, and Vinyl Ester resins).
EY aggregated the data and submitted average datasets per chemistry to Ecoinvent, which then calculated environmental impacts and published results across key categories, including:
- CO₂ emissions (GWP – Global Warming Potential)
- resource use (ADP Fossil – Abiotic Depletion Potential)
Calculations were based on representative average formulations agreed upon by the manufacturers.
Key Results
The GWP data for UP and VE resins in Ecoinvent 3.11 are 2–8% lower than those in Ecoinvent 3.10, reflecting improvements in both resin production processes and raw material inputs.
Additionally, rPET-based resins show a 16% lower GWP compared to the average of Ortho, DCPD, Iso, and Maleic resins, highlighting the environmental benefits of using recycled feedstocks.
LCA Data Reliability
“Composite manufacturers require reliable data for eco-footprint calculations,” states Stefan Osterwind, Chair of the Cefic UP/VE group.
“The new datasets are highly representative of European UPR and VER production and enable high-confidence assessments.”
“LCA results can vary depending on software and databases used,” adds Steven Brown, Chair of the Cefic UP/VE Sustainability Working Group.
“This high-quality project, involving more than nine months of intensive work by five resin manufacturers, sets a new benchmark for resin LCA data.”
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About the author
Polynt Group