Report

Development of the VNVF Sustainability Index for Traffic Signs

The issue of sustainability is moving ever further centre stage. By signing up to the Paris Accord and the natural resource agreement, the Netherlands has confirmed its ambitions on transitioning to a sustainable and circular economy. For traffic-sign makers these are interesting times, because besides price, quality and safety, sustainability (or ‘circularity’) of the various types of traffic signage will also be playing an increasingly key role in tenders. Against this background a growing number of different signs have been developed over the past few years that use recycled materials (Cradle-to-Cradle) or biobased materials like bamboo. Alternatively, old signs are being refurbished for second use.

As it often proves hard to establish the true ‘sustainability’ of traffic signage, the Dutch Traffic Sign Manufacturers Association (VNVF) commissioned CE Delft to develop a methodology that makes it easier for traffic sign manufacturers to do the sums on the ‘sustainability’ of their products, with more transparent results.

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