Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)

An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a publicly registered third-party verified document that communicates the environmental impact of a product or service. The impacts are calculated using and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and the final document is verified by an approved system operator. EPDs are published and publicly available online.

Obtaining an EPD for your product can help with:

1. Transparency: EPDs provide a credible means to communicate your environmental impact, improving transparency with stakeholders.

2. Product-Specific Standard: When making an EPD, there are specific Product Category Rules (PCRs) to follow. These rules guide methodological decisions specific to your product group increasing the specificity of your life cycle study.

3. Informed Decision-Making: Objective data on your product’s environmental impact enables informed decision-making during product design, selection, and procurement. Understanding your environmental hot spots facilitates targeted and effective reduction efforts.

4. Market Differentiation: With no current legal requirement to have an EPD, publishing one for your products could help you stand out in the market.

While not legally mandated, the demand for Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) is increasing. This is due to regulations and directives that require the communication of credible data on environmental impact. One example of this is the Corporate Sustainability Directive (CSRD). Introduced in 2023, large and listed companies must report the impact of their activities on the environment. Consequently, companies seek to understand the impact of the products they use. Another example is schemes such as BREEAM which incentivise manufacturers with credits for providing EPDs as evidence of their environmental impacts.

At Ecomatters, we have 15 years of experience working with life cycle thinking and are highly experienced at producing EPDs following the appropriate standards. By collaborating closely with your team, Ecomatters can:

• Identify the appropriate standards and methods to be followed
• Produce EPDs compliant with EN 15804 and ISO 14025
• Advise on the most appropriate EPD platform for publication based on your product or service
• Support your in-house experts
• Handle the third-party review and publication process of your EPD(s)

Do you have any questions, or are you looking for EPD support? Schedule a call with one of our consultants, visit our contact page, or get in touch via our online form below.