> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.greenzero.eu/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Product Environmental Footprint (PEF)

> EU standardized methodology for comprehensive environmental impact assessment

## 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    |

## Relationship with Other Methodologies

For a detailed comparison between PEF and our standard ReCiPe 2016 methodology, see our [Deep Dive: PEF](/insights/deep-dive-pef) article.

## Implementation in GREENZERO Journey

While GREENZERO Journey primarily uses ReCiPe 2016 for its standard LCA calculations, we maintain compatibility with PEF requirements. Organizations requiring full PEF compliance should contact our support team for customized solutions.