Showing good knowledge and control of product-related development in the supply chain
Since the awareness of different environmental aspects linked to products is being increased today, EPDs will have an important role to play in market communication strategies. In making use of EPDs companies and organisations will be able to prove their control and improvement of the environmental performance of their products and services to external interested parties.
There is also a growing need for life cycle-based environmental information which cover all product life cycle phases, from raw material acquisition to final waste disposal including information from raw material suppliers, sub-contractors and entrepreneurs. By the use of EPDs in the supply chain, LCA-based information can be collected and the information can help provide necessary background information for end-products. This can save a substantial amount of time and money for organisations which manufacture goods and services for end consumers.
Input to Eco-Design and product development work
The environmental impacts of products take various forms, such as energy consumption and related negative contribution to climate change, consumption of materials and natural resources, waste generation and release of hazardous substances. Eco-design, which means the integration of environmental considerations at the design phase, is arguably a good way to improve the environmental performance of products.
With LCA-based information, EPDs can provide a sound methodology for identifying those aspects based on scientific consensus. LCA-based quantified information is necessary input for many companies when it comes to Eco-Design and product development improvements.
Facilitating to implement and maintain an effective environmental management work, EMS
Over the past ten years. the implementation of environmental management systems according to ISO 14001, EMAS or simplifed EMS-approaches has led to an increasing demand for a accepted procedures to identify the so-called significant environmental aspects. When implementing EMS there is usually less problematic to identify those aspects, which usually leads to cost-savings. However, in the long term it becomes more difficult to find new relevant environmental aspects.
The EPD methodology, including a structured and well-defined procedure based on LCA for mapping all relevent environmental aspects in a life-cycle perspective will automatically give a science-based information on remaining environmental aspects candidates for future inclusion within the framework of the EMS. Such a procedure will save money and efforts not only for the organsaition but for the verification process as well.