Product Footprint Category Rules for Paper

The Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI), in collaboration with the European Commission’s DG Environment is developing Product Footprint Category Rules (PFCR) for paper.

The PFCR is linked to the forthcoming European methodology for the calculation of environmental footprint, currently being developed by the European Commission.

Between September and November, all interested stakeholders participated in a transparent online consultative process (crowdsourcing). This was a pilot project, testing a new way of adopting PFCR for an industry sector using crowdsourcing and online tools.

The outcome

If the process is successful, the developed PFCR for paper will provide clear guidance for paper companies to conduct environmental footprint studies.

Further background information can be found on on the European Commission website at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eussd/product_footprint.htm

Role of PFCR

Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules aim at providing detailed technical guidance on how to conduct a product environmental footprint study.

PFCRs complement general methodological guidance for environmental footprint by providing further specification at the product level.

PFCRs will increase reproducibility and consistency in product environmental footprint studies.

As defined in ISO 14025(2006), PCRs (Product Category Rules) include sets of specific rules, guidelines and requirements that are aimed at developing Type III environmental declarations. Type III environmental declarations are quantitative, LCA-based claims of the environmental aspects of a certain good or service.