PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Most synthetic turf fields are either located on sites operated by local or regional governments or receive public financial support for the construction costs. Therefore, synthetic turf fields typically are bought on basis of public procurement processes, which award the contract to the bidder with the lowest price (provided that the minimum standards are met). As a result, it is hard for environmental aspects to take centre stage when buying synthetic turf; and when they do, the information provided by potential sellers is often in a format that makes direct comparison between options very difficult. With increasing concerns about the environmental impacts of products, EMEA Synthetic Turf Council (ESTC) strives to incorporate environmental care into its strategy by setting industry standards for both industry and end users.
OBJECTIVES
The main objectives of the LIFE Synthetic Turf PEFCR project were to finalise calculation rules to measure the environmental footprint of synthetic turf systems, making the comparison of the environmental performance of different synthetic turfs possible. This helped the synthetic turf industry to identify the key improvement opportunities to enhance environmental performance. It also addressed many issues and specifically microplastic leakage, a vital contribution to the implementation of the Circular Economy Action Plan. Most importantly, it helped develop a set of Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR) for synthetic turf systems. By developing such PEFCR, it ensured that the environmental impact of synthetic turf can be incorporated in the procurement process by users and field owners.
RESULTS
Consumers and markets are becoming more environmentally aware and the desire to incorporate sustainability assessments into the selection process when buying a product is becoming ever more common. This is especially the case when public funding is involved as is often the case with facilities with synthetic turf surfaces. Without a standardised approach to assess environmental credentials of a product or production process, data is often incompatible, meaning direct comparisons between products cannot be made when procuring products. The Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCRs) for synthetic turf surfaces developed by ESTC within this project encompass a systematic framework for assessing and communicating the environmental impact of synthetic turf products across its entire life cycle. PEFCR ensures that all synthetic turf products are compared using the same standardised methodology, allowing for consistent evaluations across different products and manufacturers during procurement process.
These PEFCR form a key component of the European Commission's Environmental Footprint (EF) initiative, which aims to standardise life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies and ensure consistent, trustworthy environmental information. The PEFCR for synthetic turf surfaces cover a total of 17 different environmental and climate impact categories, 16 of which are “standard” categories that are used for PEF calculations (Product Environmental Footprint) for different products. In addition, the PEFCR for synthetic turf surfaces include also microplastics, acknowledging the significant impacts microplastics are having on the environment.
PEFCR for synthetic turf surfaces have been developed in close collaboration with industry representatives. To assist companies in calculating the PEF value of their products while keeping costs low, as part of After-Life activities, ESTC has developed a software tool that is available to all interested stakeholders. This tool enables companies to assess the environmental sustainability of their products and make necessary adjustments for improvement.
