Ecoinvent cut-off approach
Cut-off model is based on the recycled content or cut-off approach. In this system model, wastes are the producer’s responsibility (“polluter pays”), and there is an incentive to use recyclable products that are available burden free (“cut-off”).
Introduction to the cut-off model
The point behind this approach is that primary production of materials is always allocated to the primary user of a material. If a material is recycled, the primary producer does not receive any benefits for the provision of any recyclable materials. Therefore, recyclable materials are available burden-free to recycling processes, and secondary (recycled) materials bear only the impacts of the recycling processes.
For example, recycled paper only has the impacts of waste paper collection, transportation, and the recycling process of turning waste paper into recycled paper. It is free of any burdens of the forestry activities and processing required for the primary production of the paper. Furthermore, producers of wastes do not receive any benefits for recycling, incineration or reuse of products resulting from any waste treatment (1).
Cut-off approach in One Click LCA:
If secondary (recycled) materials are included in One Click LCA, take care to not add benefits and loads in module D (2).
For more information, please refer to this article about secondary materials.
(1) Reference: Adopted from https://ecoinvent.org/the-ecoinvent-database/system-models/
(2) EN 15804:2012 + A2:2019, 6.4.3.3 Allocation procedure of reuse, recycling, and recovery