Annex A. Overview of Relevant Methods, Tools and Metrics
This is a non-exhaustive compilation of various methods, tools, and metrics specific to the chemicals perspective on sustainable plastics that could further help in the selection process. Further recommendations or guidance on the use of these tools is not within the scope of this report. These tools are listed here as examples and additional information on tools can also be found in Technical Tools and Approaches in the Design of Sustainable Plastics (OECD 2018b).
Assessing Chemical Process Sustainability with Gauging Reaction Effectiveness for the Environmental Sustainability of Chemistries with a Multi-Objective Process Evaluator (GREENSCOPE) | US EPA – tool for the sustainability assessment of chemical processes
GaBi– Life cycle assessment (LCA) Software
LCIA: the ReCiPe model | RIVM - Methodology for the Impact Assessment in an LCA
SimaPro - LCA Software
The Economic Input-Output LCA tool | Carnegie Mellon University – Online tool to perform an Economic Input-Output LCA
Circle Scan | Circle Economy – Method to identify opportunities for companies, governments, and organisations to become more circular
Circular assessment | Circle Economy – Online tool to help businesses understand the different operational and organisational aspects of the Circular Economy
Circular IQ – Platform that helps optimise circularity of purchasing processes through data collection, reporting and analysis
Circular Transition Indicators Tool | WBCSD – Online software tool to measure a company’s circular performance based on the Circular Transition Indicators
Circularity Calculator | IDEAL&CO – Tool to measure, communicate and improve the circularity of products.
Circularity check | Ecopreneur – Online tool determining the circularity of a product and/or service based on a questionnaire
Circulytics | Ellen MacArthur Foundation – Tool to measure circularity of companies
Cradle-to-Cradle certification – measure of safe and sustainable products based on the certification scheme of the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute
IMPACT (TNO) – Scientific method for establishing the circularity of products
Madaster Circularity indicator | Madaster & EPEA – Tool to determine the circularity of a building
Metabolism analysis | Metabolic – Method considering the material, energy, water and waste flows of cities, companies, and organisations.
Optimal SCANS – System for sustainable and circular purchasing and monitoring of organisations, products, and services
ReNtry | Rendemint – Part of the PRP circular E-procurement tool that ensures optimal preservation of resources
APR Design ® Guide | The Association of Plastics Recyclers – guide for packaging designers to measure each aspect of a package design against recycling compatibility criteria per frequently used plastics
Design Guidelines | European PET Bottle Platform – General design guidelines for PET bottles
Recyclability By Design | RECOUP Recycling – Guidelines to help industry understand the full technicalities of plastic packaging recyclability.
RecyClass Tool | Plastics Recyclers Europe – Online tool that helps check the recyclability of packaging and gives advice on improvement
California Safe Consumer Products Alternatives Analysis Guide | Department of Toxic Substances Control – Comprehensive list of CHA methods and databases
CHA database | IC2 – Database to search for Greenscreen and Quick Chemical Assessment Tool assessments
Food Contact Chemicals database (FCCdb) | Food Packaging Forum - inventory on hazardous chemicals in plastic packaging with a priority list of chemicals to avoid
Groh, K. et al. (2020) “Overview of intentionally used food contact chemicals and their hazards.” Environment International, Vol. 150.
Groh, K., et al. (2018). “Overview of known plastic packaging-associated chemicals and their hazards.” Science of The Total Environment, Vol. 651, No. 2.
Globally Harmonised System (GHS) of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (2021) (9th Revised Edition), New York and Geneva
GreenScreen® – Tool identifying hazardous chemicals and safer alternatives based on GHS and the US EPA Design for the Environment methods and including an overall chemical benchmark score
Plastics Scorecard Version 1.0 | BizNGO - scores polymeric materials by evaluating individual chemicals and aggregating their associated GreenScreen Benchmark scores
Quick Chemical Assessment Tool – developed by the Washington State Department of Ecology for small and medium enterprises with limited toxicological expertise and resources
Restricted Substances List | Cradle-to-Cradle Products Innovation Institute, - Restrictions to all products seeking Cradle to Cradle certification
Safer Chemical Ingredients List | US EPA – List of chemical ingredients organised by functional-use class based on the Safer Choice Program
Safer Choice Standard and Criteria | Safer Choice | US EPA – Standard that identifies the requirements that products and their ingredients must meet to earn the Safer Choice label
SIN list from ChemSec – List of chemicals identified for substitution based on their properties
Sustainable Futures | US EPA – Program that gives chemical developers the same risk-screening models that EPA uses
Toxicity Forecasting | US EPA - Toxicity Forecaster (ToxCast) includes data and predictive models on thousands of chemicals
Scivera Lens – Chemical Hazard Assessment tool with a system with 23 toxicological endpoints
Exposure Map: Greggs, W. et al. (2019) “Qualitative Approach to Comparative Exposure in Alternatives Assessment”, Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, Vol.15, No.6.
Hierarchy of controls | NIOSH – Hierarchy of methods to control exposures to occupational hazards
Rapid Chemical Exposure and Dose Research | US EPA – Tools, models, databases, and other resources to estimate exposure for thousands of chemicals
Total Exposure Assessment Methodology (TEAM) | US EPA – Study that measured exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds in the air, drinking water and exhaled breath
Design for the Environment Alternatives Assessments | Safer Choice | US EPA – Assessment that characterises chemical hazards based on a full range of human health and environmental information.
Online training on analysis of alternatives | ECHA – Introductory online training on analysis of alternatives to hazardous substances
Substitution and alternatives assessment tool selector | OECD – Tool selector provides information on online resources and software that can be used in conducting chemical substitutions or alternatives assessments
CompTox Chemistry Dashboard | US EPA – Database of chemicals
CPCat Database | US EPA - Chemical and Product Database categorizing chemicals to usage or function
eChemPortal | OECD – Global Portal to Information on Chemical Substances
Eco-profiles | Plastics Europe – LCI datasets and Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) for plastics
EcoInvent database – LCI dataset
ECOTOXicology knowledgebase | US EPA – publicly available knowledgebase with toxicity data on aquatic life, terrestrial plants and wildlife
Information on Chemicals | ECHA– Source of information on the chemicals manufactured and imported in Europe
PubChem Compound database | US NLM - Database of chemicals
QSAR toolbox | OECD – Software application intended to fill gaps in (eco)toxicity data to assess the hazards of chemicals
References
OECD (2018b), “Technical Tools and Approaches in the Design of Sustainable Plastics: Background paper 2. OECD Global Forum on Environment: Plastics in a Circular Economy”, Series on Risk Management, No. 52, OECD, Paris, https://www.oecd.org/chemicalsafety/risk-management/technical-tools-and-approaches-in-the-design-of-sustainable-plastics.pdf