72
Target Groups Private consumers, commercial procurers.
Status The origin of different footprints is the concept of the ecological footprint
(Rees and Wackernagel 1996 ) which were followed by different other footprint
approaches (see Fang et al. 2014 ), like product water footprint, land footprint or
carbon footprint.
However, of increasing importance are the ongoing efforts of the European
Commission to create a Product Environmental Footprint. They have their origin in
a communication of the European Commission ( 2008 ), which called for the elaboration of a product carbon footprint. Later, the Commission decided to extend the
work to other environmental aspects resulting in a product footprint. The
“Communication Building the Single Market for Green Products” (European
Commission 2013a ) and methodological recommendations (European Commission
2013b ) pushed the further development. The Commission’s product footprint should
be based on LCA, mentioned are the corresponding ISO standards of the 14040
series and some other concepts, it might consider 14 different impact categories.
Like for EPD, for each product group so called “Product Environmental Footprint
Category Rules” should be prepared and used for the proliferation of data.
In autumn 2013, a 3 year two stages-pilot phase started to elaborate and test the
Commission’s approach.
2 Actually pilots
3 run for 25 different product groups like
wine, household detergents or thermal insulation materials. The product footprint is
intended to be applied in different context, business internally, business to business
and business to consumer. The fi nal format of the product footprint is not decided,
different examples of communication vehicles have been provided
4 and will be
tested during the pilots.
5 If the target audience is the fi nal consumer, product footprint might come close to symbols and might be interpreted as a qualitative
approach − however this is still an open issue of consideration of the Commission.
Example European “Environmental product footprint” approach.
3.3.3 Material Composition
Addressed Issues Without reference to any ISO standard, business in the supply
chain provide information on the composition of their products, especially with
regard to the material they consist (UNEP 2014 ). The objective is to use an agreed
data sheet which fulfi ls information needs of business clients and does not request
case-by- case adoption.
2 See the webpage http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eussd/smgp/product_footprint.htm (accessed
March 6, 2015).
3 See http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eussd/smgp/pef_pilots.ht (accessed 9 March 2015).
4 See Mugdal et al. ( 2012 ) and a Background Paper ( 2013 ).
5 See Finkbeiner ( 2014 ) for a strong critique of the Commission’s efforts.
F. Rubik
Target Groups Private consumers, commercial procurers.
Status The origin of different footprints is the concept of the ecological footprint
(Rees and Wackernagel 1996 ) which were followed by different other footprint
approaches (see Fang et al. 2014 ), like product water footprint, land footprint or
carbon footprint.
However, of increasing importance are the ongoing efforts of the European
Commission to create a Product Environmental Footprint. They have their origin in
a communication of the European Commission ( 2008 ), which called for the elaboration of a product carbon footprint. Later, the Commission decided to extend the
work to other environmental aspects resulting in a product footprint. The
“Communication Building the Single Market for Green Products” (European
Commission 2013a ) and methodological recommendations (European Commission
2013b ) pushed the further development. The Commission’s product footprint should
be based on LCA, mentioned are the corresponding ISO standards of the 14040
series and some other concepts, it might consider 14 different impact categories.
Like for EPD, for each product group so called “Product Environmental Footprint
Category Rules” should be prepared and used for the proliferation of data.
In autumn 2013, a 3 year two stages-pilot phase started to elaborate and test the
Commission’s approach.
2 Actually pilots
3 run for 25 different product groups like
wine, household detergents or thermal insulation materials. The product footprint is
intended to be applied in different context, business internally, business to business
and business to consumer. The fi nal format of the product footprint is not decided,
different examples of communication vehicles have been provided
4 and will be
tested during the pilots.
5 If the target audience is the fi nal consumer, product footprint might come close to symbols and might be interpreted as a qualitative
approach − however this is still an open issue of consideration of the Commission.
Example European “Environmental product footprint” approach.
3.3.3 Material Composition
Addressed Issues Without reference to any ISO standard, business in the supply
chain provide information on the composition of their products, especially with
regard to the material they consist (UNEP 2014 ). The objective is to use an agreed
data sheet which fulfi ls information needs of business clients and does not request
case-by- case adoption.
2 See the webpage http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eussd/smgp/product_footprint.htm (accessed
March 6, 2015).
3 See http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eussd/smgp/pef_pilots.ht (accessed 9 March 2015).
4 See Mugdal et al. ( 2012 ) and a Background Paper ( 2013 ).
5 See Finkbeiner ( 2014 ) for a strong critique of the Commission’s efforts.
F. Rubik