Industry sectors worldwide are increasingly required to adopt an eco-design and sustainable manufacturing philosophy to address environmental concerns, conserve resources and enhance economic competitiveness. However, with a range of choices of methods and initiatives available to substantiate such a claim, the European Commission (EC) adopted in 2013 the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) method. This method was updated in 2021. PEF is a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)-based harmonized method to measure and communicate the life cycle environmental performance of products and services. The draft rules that will provide guidance for the calculation and reporting of environmental impacts of the entire product life cycle of synthetic turf surfaces have been published for public review. These rules have been drafted in close collaboration with the industry, LCA specialists, and international sports federations including FIFA, UEFA and FIH. The process considers every step from raw material extraction to production, use and end-of-life for the synthetic turf carpet, performance and stabilising infills and any shockpad.

The rules will apply to synthetic turf surfaces used for sports, landscaping and recreational applications. They do not, however, include the base construction, drainage or supporting infrastructure on which a synthetic turf system is installed. This is due to the very diverse methods of construction used throughout Europe, reflecting the differing climatic and geotechnical conditions that need to be considered.