Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)

Planning and Engagement Processes

Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are a way for manufacturers to take comprehensive, third-party-verified LCAs, which are quite complex, and turn them into standardized declaration labels for their products.

"EPDs are communication tools that bring complex LCAs into a more user-friendly format by streamlining the information presented and enforcing as much consistency as possible.”
- John Jewell, senior consultant, thinkstep, Boston

EPDs are Type III environmental declarations (following ISO 14025 non government site opens in new window

; see definition in glossary opens in new window

) that communicate standardized environmental information about the life cycle impact of a product. EPDs are independently verified and registered documents based on industry standard product category rules opens in new window

(PCRs), but having an EPD does not imply that the declared product is environmentally superior to alternatives. An EPD reports a specific set of environmental results, which can only be created after a full LCA is conducted. Common impact categories include: global warming potential (GWP), ozone depletion potential, acidification potential, eutrophication potential, smog formation potential, and primary energy use.

EPDs are more comprehensive than single-attribute product declarations and more reliable than non-standard life cycle claims. Although the ISO framework and PCRs are internationally coordinated, registries of EPDs are maintained by country-specific Program Operators. In the United States, these include (but are not limited to) ASTM International non government site opens in new window , NSF International, The Sustainability Consortium, UL Environment, etc. Note that the International EPD System® is operated by a company called EPD International AB. However, legitimate EPDs used in the United States need not be registered with the International EPD System.

An EPD will have certain characteristics:

Compliance with ISO standards
Adherence to the appropriate industry-standard PCR
Third party certification of the LCA process
A clear description of the functional unit
A list of the life cycle stages considered in the analysis

Read an overview about how to get an EPD here non government site opens in new window .

Examples

You might use EPDs to compare different flooring material options you are considering for your project, such as Vinyl Tile and Ceramic Tile.

Example impact table showing results for primary energy (in MJ), eutrophication potential (in kg phosphate equivalent), global warming potential (in kg CO2 equivalent), ozone depletion potential (in kg R11 equivalent), acidification potential (in kg SO2 equivalent), and photochem ozone creation potential (in kg O3 equivalent).

You might use EPDs to compare specific suppliers for the same product type such as steel rebar, such as Reinforcing Steel #1 and Reinforcing Steel #2

Second example impact table. Defines the system boundary as cradle-to-gate, the allocation method as cut-off approach, and the declared unit as one metric ton of fabricated steel reinforcing bar. The evaluation variables are: primary energy non-renewable (MJ), primary energy renewable (MJ), global warming potential (metric ton CO2 equivalent), ozone depletion potential (metric ton CFC-11 equivalent), acidification potential (metric ton SO2 equivalent), eutrophication potential (metric ton N equivalent), photochemical oxidant formation potential (metric ton O3 equivalent), abiotic depletion potential elements (metric ton Sb equivalent), and abiotic depletion potential fossil (MJ).

Life Cycle Perspective Life Cycle Assessment Conducting LCA LCA and Buildings LCA in Building Standards & Certification Systems LCA Example LCA Key Terms