Data from: Addressing Life Cycle Inventory Data Gaps for Industrial Hemp Products and Processes

Hemp-based products are gaining research interest due to their diverse applications and eco-friendly cultivation practices. Recognized as a key contributor to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, industrial hemp is emerging as a vital biobased material for eco-friendly products. However, the absence of industrial hemp product and process data in available life cycle inventory (LCI) databases poses a challenge for the emerging industry due to a lack of standardized practices and global market adoption. Notably, the industry faced legal restrictions in the U.S., leading to a paucity of industrial hemp research and technology development since the 1930s. This study addresses the data gaps hindering comprehensive environmental impact assessments of industrial hemp products. A mixed-method approach was employed to review relevant literature and develop an inventory of product and process data for life cycle assessment (LCA). Data were extracted for pre-harvest operations, including fertilizer use, seeding density, irrigation, agricultural machinery, diesel use, electricity use, and harvest yield. Post-harvest operations data included decortication processes, extraction yield, and carbon storage. Machine learning techniques were explored for data processing and prediction (interpolation and extrapolation). The resulting datasets can facilitate sustainability assessments and support industry competitiveness and growth by reducing or eliminating the labor-intensive and time-consuming processes of creating LCI amidst data scarcity in the hemp industry. This work highlights the need for comprehensive LCI databases and thorough LCA studies to guide hemp-based and other emerging biobased industries through innovation challenges. Future research will consider more recent studies and explore region-specific datasets to reduce LCA variability and uncertainties in environmental impact assessments.