LCA toothbrush results
The LCA has been carried out with the data base ecoinvent 3.4, according five indicators from the ILCD evaluation method and the SimaPro 8.5.2 software.
The headings ‘Electric/manual toothbrush’ are understood to be the reference flows enabling the functional unit to be achieved:
‘Brush teeth twice a day for one year as recommended by the health insurance scheme’.
Characterisation
Indicateurs (%) | Electric toothbrush | Manual toothbrush |
Climate change | 92,4% | 100% |
Human toxicity, cancer effects | 100% | 22,4% |
Freshwater eutrophication | 100% | 11,4% |
Freshwater ecotoxicity | 100% | 7,7% |
Mineral, fossil & ren resource depletion | 100% | 6,8% |
The characterisation is mandatory in LCA.
It is carried out here in relation to mid-point indicators and over the entire life cycle.
The results show that the electric toothbrush has a much greater impact than the manual toothbrush in four impact categories (human toxicity, freshwater eutrophication, freshwater ecotoxicity, depletion of fossil and renewable mineral resources). They range from +78% to 93%.
For the climate change category, the difference is less than 8% between the two toothbrush models. Given the uncertainties involved, it is therefore not possible to conclude whether one has an advantage over the other.
Standardisation
Indicateurs (mPt) | Electric toothbruh | Manual toothbrush |
Climate change | 7,08E-05 | 7,66E-05 |
Human toxicity, cancer effects | 0,00678976 | 0,00152279 |
Freshwater eutrophication | 0,00012824 | 1,46E-05 |
Freshwater ecotoxicity | 0,02743214 | 0,00211641 |
Mineral, fossil & ren resource depletion | 0,00411749 | 0,00028108 |
Standardisation is optional in LCA. It is carried out here in relation to the same set of indicators as above.
Standardisation highlights the indicators that have the greatest influence, compared with the benchmark for an average European.
Ecotoxicity in freshwater is the main category that stands out. Human toxicity and the depletion of fossil and renewable mineral resources also have a significant impact according to the standardisation carried out. The other two categories are not significant.
The electric toothbrush stands out as having the greatest impact in relation to this representation.
Unique score
Electric toothbrush | Manual toothbrush | |
Score unique (mPt) | 2,57 | 0,27 |
The single score is optional in LCA. It is used to aggregate the different impact categories into a single indicator.
Here, the electric toothbrush appears to have the greatest impact. This makes sense in view of the previous results, which favour the manual toothbrush for each impact category (or equivalent for climate change).