What is PEF?
The Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) is the European Commission’s standardized methodology for measuring a product’s environmental performance throughout its lifecycle. PEF aims to harmonize environmental assessment methods across the EU and provide consistent, comparable results.Key Characteristics
- Comprehensive: Covers 16 environmental impact categories
- Standardized: Follows detailed Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCRs)
- EU-focused: Developed and promoted by the European Commission
- Data-intensive: Requires high-quality, specific data
When to Use PEF
Consider using PEF when:- Operating in or targeting European markets
- Preparing for EU regulations that require PEF methodology
- Needing to compare products within the same product category
- Requiring the most comprehensive environmental assessment
PEF Impact Categories
PEF evaluates products across 16 different impact categories:| Impact Category | Unit | Example Impact Source |
|---|---|---|
| Climate change | kg CO₂ eq | Fossil fuel combustion |
| Ozone depletion | kg CFC-11 eq | Refrigerant leakage |
| Human toxicity, cancer | CTUh | Heavy metal emissions |
| Human toxicity, non-cancer | CTUh | Pesticide exposure |
| Particulate matter | Disease incidences | Industrial emissions |
| Ionizing radiation | kBq U-235 eq | Nuclear energy production |
| Photochemical ozone formation | kg NMVOC eq | Solvent emissions |
| Acidification | mol H⁺ eq | Sulfur dioxide from power plants |
| Eutrophication, terrestrial | mol N eq | Agricultural runoff |
| Eutrophication, freshwater | kg P eq | Phosphorus discharge |
| Eutrophication, marine | kg N eq | Nitrogen-rich effluent |
| Land use | Pt | Agricultural land conversion |
| Water use | m³ world eq deprived | Irrigation in water-scarce regions |
| Resource use, fossils | MJ | Oil and gas extraction |
| Resource use, minerals and metals | kg Sb eq | Mining activities |
| Ecotoxicity, freshwater | CTUe | Chemical discharge to waterways |