PEF compliance for Radigreen® synthetic turf yarn study

Environmental impact study validated by Certiquality

Certiquality has recently issued a Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) Statement of Compliance to Tessiture Pietro Radici for its Radigreen® MFL PE, a yarn ideal for the manufacture of synthetic turf. In line with the RadiciGroup sustainability strategy (the first Group PEF certification dates back to 2013), Tessiture Pietro Radici, a Group company engaged in the production of artificial grass yarn, decided to pursue the approach of voluntary environmental impact measurement of its products.

The PEF Statement of Compliance refers to a study of the entire yarn production process – from the extraction of crude oil to the production of polyethylene polymer (used as raw material for the process), down to the manufacture of yarn ready for delivery to customers.

It is a short, traceable production chain, in which the environmental impacts are measured for each and every process phase. The results attest to the fact that the environmental impact of the Radigreen® MFL PE production process is among the lowest in the synthetic turf yarn market.

With the EU Commission Recommendation 2013/179/EU, the European Union introduced the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) method for the calculation, assessment and third party validation of the environmental impacts of products and services along their entire life cycle.

“We live in a context in which there is much talk about sustainability and reducing the environmental impact of industrial activities, but there is also a need for harmonising the diverse measurement methodologies available today,” stressed Enrico Buriani, managing director of Tessiture Pietro Radici. “By adopting the methodology recommended by the EU, we aim to be as transparent as possible with our customers: we supply them with reliable and comparable environmental data, in light of continuous improvement in performance. Our Radigreen® yarns are all 100% recyclable and, as such, contribute to the recyclability of synthetic turf at the end of its life,” Mr. Buriani added. “With the PEF methodology, we are able to supply accurate identity cards of our products, certified by Certiquality, an impartial third-party verifier.”

The Radigreen® range of products is always evolving and includes yarns endowed with characteristics that ensure the uniformity of the playing field over time. The needed characteristics are guaranteed by the rigorous testing the yarn undergoes before reaching the market: checking the resistance to UV radiation, to weather, and wear and tear in the long run. The yarns are soft but always resistant, minimizing skin abrasion risk while delivering superior resilience.

Radigreen® yarns are subjected to chemical analysis by the Italian Institute for Toy Safety in order to verify that the yarn formulation does not include dangerous substances and complies with safety limits established by the law for the content of heavy metals and other substances hazardous to human health. Test results show that Radigreen® yarns are practically lead and plasticizer free.

“PEF compliance certification,” Mr. Buriani concluded, “is yet another stage in a long journey involving the whole Group and focusing on containing environmental impact and ensuring the health and safety of people. Quality, safety, and respect for the environment have always been the operative words of our production activities.”

For over ten years, RadiciGroup has published a Sustainability Report based on GRI standards, which examines the economic, environmental and social performance of the entire Group.

WHAT IS PEF?

The Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) is a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)-based methodology used to assess the environmental performance of products and services along their entire life cycle. PEF data are supplied with the general objective of reducing the environmental impact of products and services taking into consideration all the activities of the supply chain (from raw materials extraction, to production, utilization and end-of-life waste management). The Product Environmental Footprint project was initiated with the aim of developing a harmonised methodology for environmental footprint studies that can accommodate a broader suite of relevant environmental performance criteria using a life cycle approach. Such an approach is also essential to effective management because important environmental effects may occur “upstream” or “downstream” and hence may not be immediately evident.

RADICIGROUP – With approximately 3,000 employees, sales revenue of EUR 1,147 million in 2017 and a network of production and sales sites located throughout Europe, North America, South America and Asia, RadiciGroup is one of the world’s leading producers of a wide range of chemical intermediates, polyamide polymers, engineering plastics, synthetic fibres and nonwovens. These products – the result of the Group’s outstanding chemical expertise and vertically integrated polyamide production chain – have been developed for use in a variety of industrial sectors, such as: AUTOMOTIVE – ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS – CONSUMER GOODS – APPAREL – FURNISHINGS – CONSTRUCTION – HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES – SPORTS. The basis of the Group’s strategy is a strong focus on innovation, quality, customer satisfaction and social and environmental sustainability. With its business areas – Specialty Chemicals, Performance Plastics and Synthetic Fibres & Nonwovens (Performance Yarn, Comfort Fibres and Extrusion Yarn), RadiciGroup is part of a larger industrial group that also includes textile machinery (ITEMA), energy (GEOGREEN) and hotel (SAN MARCO) businesses.