{"id":1994,"date":"2024-03-28T11:18:06","date_gmt":"2024-03-28T10:18:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecochain.com\/blogs\/product-environmental-footprint\/"},"modified":"2025-03-04T12:44:42","modified_gmt":"2025-03-04T12:44:42","slug":"product-environmental-footprint","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecochain.com\/de\/blog\/product-environmental-footprint\/","title":{"rendered":"Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) \u2013 A Complete Overview"},"content":{"rendered":"

*This article was updated on: 20\/10\/2022<\/em><\/p>\n

The Product Environmental Footprint<\/strong>, also the PEF<\/strong> methodology, is an important initiative from the European Commission<\/a>. It\u2019s a new and improved method on how companies should measure the environmental performance of any product throughout its Life Cycle (taking into account all the upstream supply chain and downstream activities).\u00a0The PEF is based on the scientific method for measuring environmental footprints called Life Cycle Assessments (LCA).<\/p>\n

The PEF outlines an improved common <\/strong>framework for all the steps and specific rules that are necessary to make an appropriate and comparable<\/strong> Life Cycle Assessment. Its mission is to strengthen the (European) market for green alternatives and ensure that environmental impacts are transparently assessed and, in the end, of course; reduced<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In short: the PEF is great news. Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n

More Validity & Comparability in Footprints<\/h2>\n

The PEF being a single LCA method used by everyone- helps improve the validity and comparability<\/strong> of the environmental performance evaluation of EU member states and the private sector. Especially compared to the existing methods.<\/p>\n

Having this new organisational standard in environmental impact measurements will tackle greenwashing and false sustainability claims. Motivating companies to stay on the \u2018right sustainability path\u2019- and helping consumers recognise to what extent a product, company, or service is environmentally friendly.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The PEF isn\u2019t mandatory yet<\/h2>\n

The PEF methodology is still in progress and in the so-called \u2018transition phase\u2019 (pilot phase). This transition phase is planned to be completed by the end of 2024<\/a><\/strong>. This means that using the PEF<\/strong> isn\u2019t mandatory yet<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The European Commission is still further developing the details for the PEF Product Category Rules (also PEFCR\u2019s or PCR\u2019s) in order to finalise the PEF methodology developments.\u00a0These category rules will define footprint measurement rules specific<\/em> to industries.<\/p>\n

Only for the European construction sector<\/strong>, has the PEF already resulted in some mandatory <\/strong>changes in LCA\u2019s. This is due to the PEF norm EN15804+A2. Read more on these changes here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

At Ecochain we implement the PEF database changes into our tools with every new update. Construction companies can already report according to the EN15804+A2 in our software. Currently, one of the first finished PCR\u2019s is the one for the Dutch asphalt sector, which was made in collaboration with Ecochain and market leaders (read more here<\/a>).<\/p>\n

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Read the EU’s Q&A on the PEF<\/a><\/p>\n

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Explaining the PEF: Methodology + Database<\/h2>\n

The Product Environmental Footprint exists out of two components;<\/p>\n

(1)<\/strong> The PEF methodology;<\/p>\n

(2)<\/strong> The PEF database.<\/p>\n

The methodology includes new cohesive rules for performing LCA\u2019s in line with the EU\u2019s Green Deal and Taxonomy. Currently, we have reached the 3.0 version of PEF methodology. The main difference with the previous versions is that some environmental impact categories have been divided into new subcategories<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The PEF database is meant to support the PEF methodology and create a new standard environmental database for the European industries. With the PEF impact database, the EU hopes to create a more complete database<\/strong> to use in LCA\u2019s. The PEF methodology doesn\u2019t need to be used solely with the PEF database. It\u2019s also possible to mix<\/strong> the methodology with the biggest database for environmental data Ecoinvent.<\/p>\n

Although we reached the 3.0 version of the PEF methodology<\/strong>, the PEF database<\/strong> hasn\u2019t reached version 3.0 yet. This is still a work in progress.<\/p>\n

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Beginners Guide:<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Learn to create products – fit to fight climate change. In this guide we share tips from product designers. And the 3 steps to creating environmentally sustainable products – guided by environmental data.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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How to design – with the environment in mind.<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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