The aim is to identify specific groups for each PEF analysis sector, carrying out drafts of PEFCRs “PEF Category Rules” which will define the general rules for the implementation of the PEF in the selected sector.
The ultimate aim is to create a group in each sector dedicated to analysing the PEF. A further objective is to create draft PEFCRs “PEF Category Rules”, which will establish general rules for the implementation of the PEF in the selected sector.
The aim is that of setting up work groups that can provide operative assistance to the partners. The work group must help the partners to involve companies, to distribute the PEFCRs and to monitor the results.
A PEF screening test will be developed for each “representative” product of the supply chains, in other words an LCA study that uses any data that is already available or generic (studies, articles, databases etc.), and in which any aspects that turn out to be irrelevant based on empirical values are ignored. The PEF method sets minimum criteria regarding the quality of data (such as technological or geographic representativeness) for the screening. In cases in which the criteria is not met by the generic data, the partners in each sector will collect the data required for the screening via questionnaires.
Drafts of the PEFCRs will be made based on the most recent version of the Community guidelines (Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules Guidance, currently being revised);
The draft PEFCRs of the EFFIGE products will be developed on the basis of the screenings and will contain the information necessary to conduct and compare the PEF studies: the information will concern the fields of application, the calculation of the environmental impacts, the interpretation of the results obtained by the screening and by the benchmark analyses.
The action is aimed to identify and assess, in a life cycle perspective, the environmental impacts of a characterizing product of each cluster involved in the project. The partners implement the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of each cluster product. The LCA is performer according the PEF methodology developed by the European Commission and adopted by the Recommendation 2013/179/CE. The action aim is the realization of 22 PEFs. The test allows identifying the main environmental problems (hot spots) of the companies. The partners defined some actions for environmental improvement to implement in each company participating in this action. The PEF test will be repeated after the implantation of the actions for improvement to assess the results achieved concerning the environmental product performances.
Action B3 aims at improving the environmental footprint of products. Starting from the environmental hotspots identified in the action B2, each involved organization will select the actions to be implemented(by using own resources) for reducing the environmental footprint of own selected products.
Additional product environmental footprint will be calculated in order to validate the achieved environmental improvements and demonstrate to the organization on how PEF can be used on a communication tools according to the lesson learnt emerged in the action B5.
This action is aimed at identifying the needs of SMEs that decide to implement the PEF and at developing supporting tools.
This action is composed of 3 sub-actions:
The barriers that should be overcome for a wide dissemination of the PEF among SMEs will be identified. Two approaches will be followed:
In this sub-action, supporting tools will be developed on the basis of the results emerged in Action B.4.1, and tested in each supply chain. The aim is to facilitate the process of PEF implementation at SMEs.
The tools already developed, especially those made available by the European Commission, will be analysed and the need for modifications and introduction of sector-specific features will be investigated.
Existing tools will be updated to make them more suitable to the sectors investigated in EFFIGE and new tools will be developed to support a self-assessment of the company’s strong and weak points for PEF implementation and to give guidance for the related methodological aspects and the data quality requirements.
This sub-action is aimed at creating a database for the development of pilot PEF studies, focused on the Italian scenario in the selected supply chains.
The database will be initially populated with primary data from studies identified in Action A.1, from literature and from LCA inventories made available in previous projects. As the PEF studies carried out in EFFIGE will be completed, the involved Associations and companies will be asked to populate the database with primary data related to their processes.
Two Working Groups (WGs) will be created as transversal tools of the Project, aiming at further elaborating the Project approach in order to deliver the stakeholders with practical and ready to use supports and instruments. More precisely, the WGs will deal with two main strategic issues: the communication role of PEF and its integration with existing environmental policy instruments.
