It has been announced by the European Commission that the European Federation of Bottled Waters application to pilot test the Commission’s Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR) on bottled water has been approved.
EFBW had applied to assist with the development of official EU Product Category Rules for the food and drink sector, which will ultimately enable producers to adequately calculate and communicate their product’s environmental impact.
A selection of bottled water companies, namely Danone Waters, Nestlé Waters and Ferrarelle, are set to be the first to develop and test harmonised European rules to calculate the environmental impact of bottled water. Their efforts will be supported by a Technical Secretariat of leading stakeholders consisting of, among others, the European Road Haulers Association (UETR), Petcore Europe and the European Container Glass Federation (FEVE). The Secretariat will also be assisted by experienced environmental life-cycle assessment consultancy Quantis International.
“The EU’s Product Environmental Footprint project is an ambitious and ground-breaking undertaking and EFBW is proud to be a part of it,” said Patricia Fosselard, secretary general of EFBW. “With the help of such an impressive consortium of partners, we are confident that it will cement the EU’s position as the frontrunner for sustainable and green production in the world.”
“Environmental protection lies at the heart of our sector and the bottled water industry already has an impressive track record for doubling its efforts when it comes to environmental sustainability,” said Bernard Pruvost, chair of EFBW’s Environment Working Group. “The industry was one of the first in the food sector to have developed its own Product Category Rules for measuring its environmental footprint. This, coupled with other initiatives such as monitoring and improving its waters use during the production process, and its elaborate protective measures for water catchment areas, is a testimony to the sector’s dedication and determination to help protect the environment and provide consumers with a high-quality, sustainable and resource-efficient product.”
The end result of this new project will be a set of guidelines that will allow food and drinks producers to calculate and assess their environmental footprint in a harmonised way. It is intended to provide consumers with clearer information on the environmental impact of the products they choose to purchase.
Source: EFBW
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024