Afera and IVK launching an Effective Solution to Help Members Meet Upcoming E.U. Regulations

The adhesive and adhesive tape industries contribute significantly to the European Green Deal by enabling energy efficiency, durability, repairability, and recycling while striving to achieve CO? neutrality by 2050. To meet these goals and comply with upcoming E.U. regulations, manufacturers will need robust, data-backed environmental claims. A unified, recognized standard for measuring sustainability is essential for adhesive tape manufacturers, product designers, and regulators.

The Role of Product Carbon Footprint (PCF)

PCF calculates the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across a product’s lifecycle. It is becoming critical in the adhesive tape industry, supporting “cradle-to-grave” or “cradle-to-gate” assessments based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). These evaluations are essential for raw materials, manufacturing, distribution, and end-of-life stages, enabling businesses to provide reliable environmental data.

Introducing TACK: A New Tool for PCF Calculation

Afera and IVK, in collaboration with Sphera, are developing TACK (Tape and Adhesives Calculation Kit), a web-based tool for adhesive tape manufacturers. This affordable solution uses aligned methodologies compliant with ISO 14067:2018 and ISO 14040:2006 standards, ensuring a validated approach for calculating PCF.

TACK is tailored for B2B users across the adhesive tape value chain, including manufacturers, converters, and raw material suppliers. It incorporates system boundaries like waste, logistics, and energy, ensuring compatibility with existing industry data, including the TfS methodology.

Key Benefits of TACK

- Future Compliance: TACK aligns with upcoming regulations like the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and Battery Regulation. It will also support Digital Product Passports (DPPs).

- Supply Chain Integration: Customers increasingly demand PCF data. TACK enables consistent reporting across the supply chain.

- Ease of Use: Designed for non-experts, TACK simplifies PCF calculation for internal R&D and sustainability tracking.

- Expanded Functionality: Future updates may incorporate broader sustainability metrics, such as Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) and Environmental Product Declarations (EPD).

Costs and Timeline

TACK is cost-effective compared to individual calculations (€2K–€5K per product). Access requires a one-time development fee and annual licensing, with pricing available on request. The tool is in development and will launch in Q1 2025.

For more information, visit: Afera PCF calculation tool: The what, why, how, and when: https://afera.com/uploads//Afera_PCF_Calculation_Tool_Presentation_22102024.pdf