Environmental Product Declarations: Understanding the Carbon Footprint of Products

What are Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)?  

An EPD expresses the results of an LCA, which assesses the environmental impacts of a commercial product, process, or service across all the stages of its life cycle. This includes the product, construction process, use, end-of-life stages within the life cycle, and the re-use, recovery & recycle stage, beyond the end-of-life. Embodied carbon and a range of other factors are considered, including the potential impact on biodiversity, the ozone layer and soil toxicity. EPDs are always verified by a third-party and follow standardised methods to make comparisons between them easier.  

EPDs are designed to help consumers, businesses, and stakeholders make more informed and sustainable choices by providing transparent and reliable information.  

The Construction Leadership Council has set a target for 40% of product revenue across the industry to have EPDs by 2025 and 100% by 2030.  

Many European countries have made embodied carbon reporting mandatory and it’s only a matter of time before this becomes part of Building Regulations in the UK. 

Why EPDs are important  

Manufacturers can use EPDs to identify specific areas for reducing their products' environmental impact. Green building rating systems, such as LEED and BREEAM, offer points for using products with EPDs, incentivising using environmentally-friendly materials.    

Moreover, as environmental regulations become more stringent, EPDs will help companies demonstrate compliance with these regulations.  

Furthermore, products with favourable EPDs can differentiate themselves in an increasingly eco-conscious market, appealing to environmentally-conscious consumers and businesses.  

Key sections of an EPD  

EPDs typically contain the following sections:  

• Programme-related information and verification – This initial section is important to understand whether the document is a real EPD (as it will show which standards it follows ie. +A1 or +A2 - and who verified it) or if it’s just a LCA (no third-party verification). 
• General information – Gives a general description about the company and the product.  
• Product Information: Details the product, its intended use, and technical characteristics.  
• Life Cycle Assessment Information: The LCA methodology used, with some information on the different stages assessed and the parameters/ assumptions used. 
• Environmental Performance- This section is divided into the following categories: 

- Potential environmental impacts Quantified environmental impacts (13 core categories in the latest +A2 standard), such as global warming potential, ozone depletion, and water depletion. 

- Use of resources: Consumption of renewable and non-renewable energy & resources.  

- Waste production and output flows: Hazardous and non-hazardous waste, materials for recycling, energy recovery, etc.  

- LCA interpretation - Additional impact categories and indicators: This section provides relevant supplementary data not covered in the LCA.  

- Resources use summary and References, including standards detail.  

How to read an EPD  

Understanding how to read an EPD is essential for interpreting and using the provided environmental information effectively. 

Here are the key steps:   

• Start with the product description to understand what's being assessed.  
• Check the declared unit (e.g., per kg of product or m² of coverage) to ensure proper comparisons.  
• Review the system boundaries to understand what stages of the product's life cycle are included.  
• Focus on the environmental impact indicators most relevant to your concerns or project requirements.  
• Look at the other indicators for a fuller picture of the product's environmental footprint.  

Comparing EPDs  

When comparing EPDs for similar products from different manufacturers, it’s essential to ensure a fair and informed comparison. 

• Ensure the products serve the same function and have similar declared units.  
• Is the EPD product specific or product generic; the former will give you a better representation of the product you are trying to assess. 
• Check that the EPDs follow the same Product Category Rules (PCRs) and standards.  
• Compare the environmental impact indicators directly, keeping in mind the declared unit.  
• Consider the entire lifecycle impact, not just individual stages.  
• Look beyond single indicators; a product might perform well in one area but poorly in another.  

What EPDs don’t cover  

While EPDs aim to be comprehensive, they don’t cover every aspect of a product’s environmental impact. One important factor to consider is air quality. Most manufactured products produce Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that can at best be a smell, and at worst extremely harmful chemicals that cause serious illness. Indoors, VOCs are in their highest concentration, so many manufacturers prioritise creating products that don’t negatively impact air quality.  

Standards such as Eurofins Indoor Air Comfort Certification rate products according to their VOC emissions and provide assurance for products that don’t emit VOCs. Products with Eurofins Gold Certification have best-in-class VOC levels that go beyond legislated standards.  

A DECLARE label brings transparency by declaring 99.9% of the ingredients in a product and whether the product contains any harmful chemicals on the ‘Red List’. So, using ‘Red List Free’ products is also a key factor in achieving credits in Green Building Rating Systems such as LEED and the Well Building Standard. 

Not all EPDs are made equal  

As the demand for EPD grows, so does the information provided in them. The European standard for EPDs was updated in 2022 from EN15804 +A1 to EN15804 +A2, making it mandatory for all new EPDs published after October 31, 2022.  

EPDs issued before this date are valid until they expire, usually within 5 years of publication. It's worth noting that the two standards are not easily comparable. While a single +A1 EPD can be broadly applied to a range of products that, while similar, may not fully be the specific attributes of each product, +A2 EPDs are typically product-specific, offering more detailed data. 

This drive to offer more comprehensive information is evident in the required reporting on the 'End of life' stage and the product stage. At a minimum, +A2 EPDs present a clear overview of the production's impact and the considerations for recycling or disposing of the product.   

Whenever possible, it's recommended to look for +A2 product-specific EPDs, as many proactive manufacturers have already adopted this new standard.  

By 2030 manufacturers will be expected to report the full range of environmental impact data contained within EN 15804-based EPDs.  

At Knauf Insulation, our glass mineral wool EPDs were updated at the end of 2023. We currently have 30 Product-Specific EPDs produced to the latest standard EN15804+A2 across our glass and rock mineral wool range. Plus, we declare all LCA stages (A-D), beyond the mandatory requirements of A1-A3, C1-D. 

So, in conclusion, EPDs are powerful tools for assessing products’ sustainability in the built environment. By understanding how to read and compare EPDs, stakeholders can make informed decisions for a greener future. As environmental concerns continue to grow, the importance of EPDs in guiding sustainable practices and product selection is likely to increase. 

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