Biodegradability
Biodegradability is the capacity for biological degradation of organic materials by living organisms down to the base substances such as water, carbon dioxide, methane, basic elements and biomass. (encyclopedia of ecology)
Glossary
B
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the variability among living organisms from all sources, including terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species, and of ecosystems.
Bioenergy
Energy produced from Biomass.
Biomass
Ecology: Biomass describes the total mass of living things in a particular area, expressed either as the weight of organisms per unit area or as the volume of organisms per unit volume of habitat. Energy: Biomass describes dead plant or animal material that can be converted to fuel and is therfore regarded as a potential energy source.
Biosourced material / Biobased material
Biosourced materials have a biological or biochemical source. They refer to products that mainly consist of a substance (or substances) derived from living matter (biomass) and either occur naturally or are synthesized, or it may refer to products made by processes that use biomass.
C
Carbon footprint
Sum of GHG emissions and GHG removals in a product system, expressed as CO2 equivalents and based on a life cycle assessment using the single impact category of climate change whereas GHG removal means the withdrawal of a GHG from the atmosphere.
Chemical Recycling
Chemical Recycling converts polymeric waste by changing its chemical structure to produce substances that are used as products or as raw materials for the manufacturing of products. Products exclude those used as fuels or means to generate energy.
Circular Economy
A circular economy is based on the principles of designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems.
Compostable material
Capable of being biodegraded at elevated temperatures in soil under specified conditions and time scales, usually only encountered in an industrial composter (standards apply).
Corporate (Social) Responsibility
Corporate (Social) Responsibility describes the willingness of an organization to incorporate social and environmental considerations in its decision making and ISO 26000:2010 Companies be accountable for the impacts of its decisions and activities on society and the environment.
Corporate Sustainability
Corporate sustainability emphasizes growth and profitability through intentional business practices in three areas of society. The goal is to provide long-term value for stakeholders without compromising people, the planet, or the economy.
E
Ecodesign / Ecoconseption
Integration of environmental features into product design to improve the environmental performance of the product throughout its life cycle. (EU directive). Design rules aiming a maximizing recyclability and minimizing environmental footprint of a product.
Ecodesign Packaging
It is a packaging that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Energy Consumption
Quantity of energy applied, whereas energy means electricity, fuels, steam, heat, compressed air and other similar media.
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)
An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is an independently verified and registered document that communicates transparent and comparable information about the life-cycle environmental impact of products in a credible way.
Environmental Social Governance
ESG is a concept from the financial world to measure and evaluate the sustainability of an investment in a company with the help of environmental, social and governance criteria.
G
Green Energy
Renewable energy from natural resources sur as Wind, Sun or Hydraulic source and not emitting GHG.
L
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
Compilation and evaluation of the inputs, outputs and the potential environmental impacts of a product system throughout its life cycle with defined scope: Cradle to Cradle, cradle to Gate or gate to gate.
P
Product Environmental Footprint (PEF)
The European Commission developed with the Joint Research Centre a harmonised methodology for the calculation of a product environmental footprint. The methodology is based on the life-cycle assessment technique and the International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD) handbook. In total, 14 different impact categories are assessed through the methodology. (EU directive)
R
Recyclability
Any recovery operation whereby waste, including organic waste, is reprocessed into substances, materials or products for its original function or for other purposes. Waste-to-energy operations, waste-to-fuel operations and landfill operations do not qualify as recycling operations. (EU directive)
Recycling Guidelines
The Design for Recycling Guidelines provide an overview of the design of the various components of plastic packaging and provide advice to users on how to improve the recyclability of their product. The guidelines look at components such as closures, labels and additives and assess their compatibility in terms of their recycling stream. (recyclass)
Reuseability of packaging
Any operation by which the components of end-of-life packaging are used for the same purpose for which they were designed. (ADEME)
S
Scope 1 emissions
A company's direct GHG emissions, whereas GHG emissions means the release of a GHG into the atmosphere and direct GHG emissions are emissions from sources that are owned or controlled by the company.
Scope 2 emissions
A company’s indirect GHG emissions associated with the generation of electricity, heating/cooling, or steam purchased for own consumption whereas indirect GHG emissions are emissions that are a consequence of the operations of the reporting company, but occur at sources owned or controlled by another company.
Scope 3 emissions
A company’s indirect emissions other than those covered in scope 2.
Single Used Plastic
Single-use plastics, often also referred to as disposable plastics, are commonly used for plastic packaging7 and include items intended to be used only once before being recycled or treated as waste.
Sustainability
Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Sustainability Management
Sustainability Management describes the integration of concepts and instruments for improving social and ecological aspects into organisational management.
W
Water Scarcity
Water scarcity can mean scarcity in availability due to physical shortage, or scarcity in access due to the failure of institutions to ensure a regular supply or due to a lack of adequate infrastructure. [UN Definition]