CML is a midpoint-based impact method, focusing on individual environmental problems such as climate change, acidification, and toxicity.
CML 4.8 was developed by the Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML) at Leiden University. It was last updated in October 2016 and remains one of the most widely used methods.
Find out more about it on Leiden University’s official CML-IA characterization factors page.
Impact categories
Category | Unit |
Abiotic depletion (elements, ultimate ultimate reserves) | kg antimony eq. |
Abiotic depletion (fossil fuels) | MJ |
Global warming (GWP100) | kg CO2 eq. |
Ozone layer depletion (ODP steady state) | kg CFC-11 eq. |
Human toxicity (HTP inf) | kg 1,4-dichlorobenzene eq. |
Freshwater aquatic ecotoxicity (FAETP inf) | kg 1,4-dichlorobenzene eq. |
Marine aquatic ecotoxicity (MAETP inf) | kg 1,4-dichlorobenzene eq. |
Terrestrial ecotoxicity (TETP inf) | kg 1,4-dichlorobenzene eq. |
Photochemical oxidation (high NOx) | kg ethylene eq. |
Acidification (incl. fate, average Europe total, A&B) | kg SO2 eq. |
Eutrophication (fate not incl.) | kg PO4--- eq. |
Using the CML 4.8 impact method and its categories
To use this impact assessment method and its categories, you need a full Ecoinvent license.