ASF is a methodology developed for the sustainability assessment of additive use throughout the lifecycle of PVC articles. It is a replicable, risk-based methodology that integrates different types of quantitative and qualitative knowledge, including environmental and lifecycle process management dimensions.

It was developed by The Natural Step (an international sustainable development company) and VinylPlus (the voluntary commitment of the European PVC industry) to analyse how individual additives can affect the sustainability of a product throughout its lifecycle. It provides practical guidance on sustainable materials management and innovation with a view to the circular economy. Although developed for PVC products, it is relevant to chemicals generally.

Both primary material and additives can have implications for the circularity of a product, for example through parameters such as emissions into the atmosphere or water and wider impacts on the environment and human health during the lifecycle, from extraction, production and use through to disposal or recycling.

The application of ASF enables PVC converters to gain information about the sustainability of additives and the supply chain, which can guide the choice of formulations. The adoption of ASF methodology in product design thus directly influences ecodesign.

The method is based on social, economic and environmental criteria, transparency, a lifecycle risk approach, positive contributions to meeting human needs, open access, applicability to all products and/or materials and peer review.