3.17 Manufacture of plastics in primary form (climate change adaptation)

Kurzbeschreibung

Manufacture resins, plastics materials and non-vulcanisable thermoplastic elastomers, the mixing and blending of resins on a custom basis, as well as the manufacture of non-customised synthetic resins. The economic activities in this category could be associated with NACE code C20.16 in accordance with the statistical classification of economic activities established by Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006.

Wirtschaftsaktivität (EU-Taxonomie)

Rechtsakt: 2021/2139, Anhang II, Abschnitt 3.17 · MANUFACTURING

Umweltziel: climate change adaptation

NACE-Codes: C20.16

Beschreibung

Manufacture resins, plastics materials and non-vulcanisable thermoplastic elastomers, the mixing and blending of resins on a custom basis, as well as the manufacture of non-customised synthetic resins. The economic activities in this category could be associated with NACE code C20.16 in accordance with the statistical classification of economic activities established by Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006.

Technische Bewertungskriterien

Technical screening criteria Substantial contribution to climate change adaptation 1. The economic activity has implemented physical and non-physical solutions (‘adaptation solutions’) that substantially reduce the most important physical climate risks that are material to that activity. 2. The physical climate risks that are material to the activity have been identified from those listed in Appendix A to this Annex by performing a robust climate risk and vulnerability assessment with the following steps: (a) screening of the activity to identify which physical climate risks from the list in Appendix A to this Annex may affect the performance of the economic activity during its expected lifetime; (b) where the activity is assessed to be at risk from one or more of the physical climate risks listed in Appendix A to this Annex, a climate risk and vulnerability assessment to assess the materiality of the physical climate risks on the economic activity; (c) an assessment of adaptation solutions that can reduce the identified physical climate risk. The climate risk and vulnerability assessment is proportionate to the scale of the activity and its expected lifespan, such that: (a) for activities with an expected lifespan of less than 10 years, the assessment is performed, at least by using climate projections at the smallest appropriate scale; (b) for all other activities, the assessment is performed using the highest available resolution, state-of-the-art climate projections across the existing range of future scenarios ( 222 ) consistent with the expected lifetime of the activity, including, at least, 10 to 30 year climate projections scenarios for major investments. 3. The climate projections and assessment of impacts are based on best practice and available guidance and take into account the state-of-the-art science for vulnerability and risk analysis and related methodologies in line with the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports ( 223 ), scientific peer-reviewed publications and open source ( 224 ) or paying models. _____________ ( 221 ) Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/902. ( 222 ) Future scenarios include Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change representative concentration pathways RCP2.6, RCP4.5, RCP6.0 and RCP8.5. ( 223 ) Assessments Reports on Climate Change: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability, published periodically by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change produces, https://www.ipcc.ch/reports/. ( 224 ) Such as Copernicus services managed by the European Commission. 4. The adaptation solutions implemented: (a) do not adversely affect the adaptation efforts or the level of resilience to physical climate risks of other people, of nature, of cultural heritage, of assets and of other economic activities; (b) favour nature-based solutions ( 225 ) or rely on blue or green infrastructure ( 226 ) to the extent possible; (c) are consistent with local, sectoral, regional or national adaptation plans and strategies; (d) are monitored and measured against pre-defined indicators and remedial action is considered where those indicators are not met; (e) where the solution implemented is physical and consists in an activity for which technical screening criteria have been specified in this Annex, the solution complies with the do no significant harm technical screening criteria for that activity. Do no significant harm (‘DNSH’) (1) Climate change mitigation The plastic in primary form is one of the following: (a) fully manufactured by mechanical recycling of plastic waste; (b) where mechanical recycling is not possible, fully manufactured by chemical recycling of plastic waste where the life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of the manufactured plastic, excluding any calculated credits from the production of fuels, are lower than the life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of the equivalent primary plastic manu­ factured from fossil fuel feedstock. Life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions are calculated using Recommendation 2013/179/EU or, alternatively, using ISO 14067:2018 ( 227 ) or ISO 14064-1:2018 ( 228 ). Quantified life-cycle GHG emissions are verified by an independent third party. (c) derived wholly or partially from renewable feedstock ( 229 ) where the life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of the manufactured plastic in primary form, manufactured wholly or partially from renewable feed­ stock, is lower than the life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of the equivalent plastics in primary form manufactured from fossil fuel feed­ stock. Life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions are calculated using Recom­ mendation 2013/179/EU or, alternatively, using ISO 14067:2018 or ISO 14064-1:2018. Quantified life-cycle GHG emissions are verified by an independent third party. _____________ ( 225 ) Nature-based solutions are defined as ‘solutions that are inspired and supported by nature, which are cost-effective, simultaneously provide environmental, social and economic benefits and help build resilience. Such solutions bring more, and more diverse, nature and natural features and processes into cities, landscapes and seascapes, through locally adapted, resource-efficient and systemic interventions’. Therefore, nature-based solutions benefit biodiversity and support the delivery of a range of ecosystem services (version of 4.6.2021: https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/research-area/environment/nature-based-solutions_ en/). ( 226 ) See Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Green Infrastructure (GI) — Enhancing Europe’s Natural Capital (COM/2013/0249 final). ( 227 ) ISO standard 14067:2018, Greenhouse gases — Carbon footprint of products — Requirements and guidelines for quantification (https://www.iso.org/standard/71206.html). ( 228 ) ISO standard 14064-1:2018, Greenhouse gases — Part 1: Specification with guidance at the organization level for quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and removals (https://www.iso.org/standard/66453.html). ( 229 ) Renewable feedstock refers to biomass, industrial bio-waste or municipal bio-waste. Agricultural biomass used for the manufacture of plastics in its primary form complies with the criteria laid down in Article 29, paragraphs 2 to 5, of Directive (EU) 2018/2001. Forest biomass used for the manufacture of plastics in its primary form complies with the criteria laid down in Article 29, paragraphs 6 and 7, of that Directive. (3) Sustainable use and protection of water and marine resources The activity complies with the criteria set out in Appendix B to this Annex. (4) Transition to a circular economy N/A (5) Pollution prevention and control The activity complies with the criteria set out in Appendix C to this Annex. Emissions are within or lower than the emission levels associated with the best available techniques (BAT-AEL) ranges set out in the relevant best available techniques (BAT) conclusions, including: (a) the Best Available Techniques Reference Document (BREF) for the Production of Polymers ( 230 ); (b) the best available techniques (BAT) conclusions for common waste water and waste gas treatment/management systems in the chemical sector ( 231 ). No significant cross-media effects occur. (6) Protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems The activity complies with the criteria set out in Appendix D to this Annex. 4. ENERGY