Successful completion of the workshop series hosted by Afera and IVK paves the way for the development of the PCF tool in 2024
Final 2 workshops on Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) attended by a targeted group of experts within the adhesives and adhesive tapes industry in Düsseldorf on 6 and 7 November 2023.
Afera and the German Adhesives Association, IVK are jointly collaborating with Sphera, a specialised provider of sustainability consulting services to develop the sector-wide tool for harmonised PCF calculation of adhesives and adhesive tapes.
Building upon the advanced discussions that took place in the second workshop held in September 2023, industry-specific workshops were held for the adhesives and the adhesive tapes industries. On 7 November 2023, 14 participants from Afera member companies carried out key discussions regarding industry-specific model processes, raw material clusters, and data requirements and collection process needed to develop the new PCF tool for adhesive tape manufacturers.
Getting the PCF tool ready: Actions mapped for the next year
The final two workshops held in November marked the successful completion of the scoping workshop series. For the adhesive tape industry, Sphera will work in close cooperation with Afera to finalise the raw material clusters and build the database required to set up the tool. In addition to the PCF tool, Sphera will also provide Afera members with the following:
- Manual on how to use the tool
- Detailed description of the methodology used for calculation of PCF including the assumptions made and how the TfS guidelines apply to adhesive tapes
Important agreements over the course of the workshop series are summarised below:
| Calculation methodology | To be based on ‘ISO standard 14067:2018: Greenhouse Gases – Carbon Footprint of Products’ through an expansion of the Together for Sustainability (TfS) PCF Guideline
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| Scope | Cradle-to-gate
For reporting within B2B for the time being
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| Functional unit | CO2 eq. per sq. m of tape, with a conversion factor (surface area to mass)
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| Parameters | ‘Open parameters’ [raw material, waste (including treatment), energy use, warehousing, packaging]
‘Fixed parameters’ [transportation, auxiliary materials]
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| Data | Primary data from suppliers possible to be incorporated
Secondary data sets to be compiled by Sphera with input from Afera |
| Timeline | Raw materials clusters and model processes – Q4 2023
Data collection – H1 2024 Draft tool delivery (MVP) – Q3 2024 |
“We made a lot of progress during the last scoping workshops in Düsseldorf: all the key aspects have been agreed upon. We can now focus on filling in the details for the raw materials and the manufacturing processes. Fortunately, earlier discussions and data from prior projects can pave the way for a swift development of the tool, so that we can have a version before the end of 2024 as was intended,” Pablo Englebienne, Afera Regulatory Affairs & Sustainability Manager said, post-event.
Harmonised Calculation of PCF of Adhesives and Tapes
The AFSP was set up with cooperation at its heart to solve problems that are too big for one single company to tackle. Joining forces with the liquid adhesive industry to develop a common approach and solution to calculate the environmental impact of adhesives and adhesive tapes is one such example.
The 2 associations are working with software developer Sphera on an online platform, access to which will be made available to Tape Manufacturer Members under an access fee.
The common goal is to ensure that Member Companies are soon able to determine PCF values for adhesives and tapes in a straightforward, harmonised, affordable manner. This will allow businesses to meet future legal requirements as well as the demands of the supply chain.
Get more information regarding the PCF tool here: Afera PCF calculation tool
For more details, contact us at AFSP@afera.com.