Aug

26, 2014

Event: Breakfast seminar about EPDs and the food sector

On September 12th, the International EPD® System will host a breakfast seminar in Stockholm, Sweden, to talk about the opportunities of using EPD® for food and agriculture products. We will give an overview of EPD® and PCR, and current harmonization efforts currently ongoing internationally. A special guest presentation will be given by Massimo Marino, Chair of the Technical Committee, who will present how Italian companies are using EPDs as part of their sustainability strategy.

For further information (in Swedish), please contact Kristian Jelse at kristian@environdec.com. The number of participants is limited, and there will unfortunately not be any web broadcast.

If you have any ideas or requests for EPD related events, feel free to share them with us via info@environdec.com.

Update: The seminar is now fully booked.

Aug

20, 2014

First EPD from India published in the International EPD® System

Saint-Gobain Gyproc India has become the first company to register an EPD from India in the International EPD® System. The EPD concern their 12.5 mm plasterboard intended to be used in most system applications where normal fire, structural and acoustic levels are specified.

With the addition of an EPD from India and the recent publication of a New Zealand EPD, there are now EPDs from 23 countries from four continents published in the International EPD® System.

Aug

11, 2014

Eight EPDs from Ofita

The Spanish furniture designer and manufacturer OFITA INTERIORES S.A. has published 8 EPDs for a range of their products, including office desks, rolling pedestals and cabinets.

OFITA INTERIORES has been designing and producing and equipment of work spaces for over 45 years. Ofita has 50,000 m2 of industrial facilities in Spain as well as showrooms all around the world. Ofita pioneered ecodesign as the first office furniture company in the world to certify an ecodesign management system based on the initial EN 150301 standard, which some years ago became encompassed by the current ISO 14006 standard.

These 8 EPDs are the first office furniture EPDs developed and third-party certified in Spain based on the ISO 14025 standard, and demonstrates the company’s commitment to sustainability and public environmental information transparency.

The EPDs where developed with the assistance of the LCA-expert company IK INGENIERIA (member of Environdec) and the verification procedure was carried out by TECNALIA R&I CERTIFICACIÓN, the first Accredited Certification Body in Spain.

The EPDs were developed and verified using the recently-updated PCR PCR 2012:19 Other furniture, of a kind used in offices and Other furniture n.e.c , which includes under its scope the CPC codes 3812 "Other furniture, of a kind used in offices" and CPC 3814 "Other furniture n.e.c. (not elsewhere classified)" .

Ofita’s website: http://ofita.com/en/

Jul

14, 2014

Problem with file attachments in the PCR Forum (likely) solved

During the last week, some EPD stakeholders have had issues when uploading or downloading file attachments, such as PDF, ZIP and DOC files, in the PCR Forum. This issue should now have been solved and the forum work as intended.

In case any problems persist, please contact the Secretariat at webmaster@environdec.com, with:

Link to the thread in which the problem occured
Error code/message provided by the system
Webbrowser and operating system used.

Jul

14, 2014

PCR Updated: Machine-tools for drilling, boring or milling metal

The Product Category Rules (PCR) for Machine-tools for drilling, boring or milling metal have been updated to version 2.0. The PCR with registration number 2012:02 was originally published in January 2012 in the International EPD® System.

The update was led by the PCR Moderator Eva Martínez Herrero at Fundación centro tecnológico de miranda de ebro (CTME) in Spain. The key changes in the update include:

Updated to comply with the latest General Programme Instructions (version 2.01)
Minor editorial changes and clarifications, e.g. the inclusion of primary and secondary packaging was added.
Clarification that specific data shall be used in the core module.
Methods used to assess noise, vibration and electromagnetic wave emissions shall be declared in the EPD.
Clarification that parameters shall be included in Declared Unit.
Examples of quantification of diffusion emissions were included in Allocation Rules.
A template to collect the information of chemical preparations was included in Data Quality Rules.
A recycling declaration and end of life scenarios were included.
References were added.

The updated PCR is avialable to develop and register EPDs. The validity of the new version is until 2018-01-25.

Jul

8, 2014

Read the latest newsletter - #6 2014

A new version of the EPD newsletter has been published. If you don't already subscribe, you can read the latest edition and past versions here.

Jul

3, 2014

Press release: IVL new owner of the International EPD® System

PRESS RELEASE, 2014-07-02

IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute is taking over the EPD ® System for Environmental Product Declarations when the Swedish Environmental Management Council is liquidated. In this way additional expertise, experience and development resources will be tied to the EPD system by IVL's international operations, deep expertise and network of contacts. For IVL the takeover is a logic step in the already pointed out direction of broad focus on LCA (life cycle assessments), resource-efficient and climate-friendly products and system analysis for sustainable development.

– We are very excited about this opportunity to take over the EPD system. It fits perfectly with IVL's current operations and our expansion plans, says Tord Svedberg, CEO at IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute.

The international EPD program has been part of the Swedish Environmental Management Council since the program was founded in 1998. When the Swedish Parliament decided to phase out the Swedish Environmental Management Council and move procurement activities to the Swedish Competition Authority, a new, stable and independent residence for the international EPD system was sought. The choice fell on IVL who took over on July 1.

– We feel that this solution is very safe. The international EPD system is gaining ground and Sweden has been a pioneer in credible and transparent communication of environmental performance of products, says Sven-Olof Ryding, the initiator of the international EPD system and CEO of the Swedish Environmental Management Council.

The activities within the international EPD system will be operating as a subsidiary of IVL, with the same personnel and purpose as before. In addition, the EPD program will be enhanced by IVL's collaboration with various sectors, industries, communities and other organisations. IVL's experts on LCA, eco-design, sustainable procurement, sustainable construction, energy efficiency and non-toxic and safe production are also expected to contribute to the further development of the EPD system and its applications.

– We will, along with our partners in 20 countries, focus on the continued development of the EPD program. We also wish to strengthen our cooperation with our customers. Together with our international technical committee, we will focus on a development that will be based on user needs and customer requests, says Elin Eriksson, Director at IVL that participated as expert in the technical committee for the EPD system from start.

IVL started its LCA activities in 1990 and its early work on a Nordic framework became one of the forerunners to ISO standards within the Life Cycle Analysis area. IVL's employees have since then been a driving force in the international development of the ISO standards and LCA. Among other things IVL employees currently participate in the European Commission's development of environmental footprints, as well as in the development of ISO standards for PCRs, footprints and construction products..

For more information contact:
Elin Eriksson, Director at IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute,
phone: +46-31-725 62 64/+46-730-789 703
Sven-Olof Ryding: CEO of the Swedish Environmental Management Council,
phone: +46-70-568 81 11

The international EPD ® program is a voluntary program for the communication of the impact of a product or service, from start to finish. The program, which is based on ISO 14025 and other international standards, is based on objectivity and transparency.

Jul

2, 2014

PCR published for Insulation materials

Product Category Rules (PCR) for declaring the environmental impact of Insulation materials have now been published in the International EPD® System.

The development of the PCR was led by Stefano Rossi at Life Cycle Engineering as the appointed PCR Moderator in accordance with the PCR Process described in the General Programme Instructions, based on ISO 14025. During the development of the document, it has been subject for an open consultation on www.environdec.com as well as a review by the appointed Technical Committee.

This PCR aims towards compliance with the European standard EN 15804 (Sustainability of construction works - Environmental product declarations - Core rules for the product category of construction products). (Core rules for the product category of construction products).

The PCR is now available for any company to voluntarily develop and publish information on the life cycle environment impact of this type of product in a transparent and comparable way.

Jun

25, 2014

Nine EPDs published by SANTEX S.p.A.

The Italian company SANTEX S.p.A. has published nine EPDs for a range of their absorbent hygiene products:

S-P-00566 SANTEX Egosan & Florelle Lady Light Inco
S-P-00567 SANTEX Egosan Pannoloni Cintura
S-P-00568 SANTEX Rettangolare
S-P-00569 SANTEX Egosan Traverse Salvaletto
S-P-00570 SANTEX Egosan Sagomato
S-P-00571 SANTEX Egosan Pannoloni Mutandina
S-P-00572 SANTEX Egosan Pannoloni Mutandina Natural Comfort
S-P-00573 SANTEX Egosan Pannoloni Mutandina Vita Soft
S-P-00574 SANTEX Egosan Pants Natural Comfort

The EPDs were developed and verified using their recently-awarded EPD Process Certification by Certiquality.

Jun

23, 2014

Summer schedule at the Secretariat, 2014

Photo: Johan Hansson, Flickr (Licence: CC BY 2.0)

The Secretariat will be closed for about two weeks during the summer period of 2014. For any questions the EPD System, EPDs, PCRs or EPD registrations, please use the following contacts:

Dates	Main contact, all topics
July 5 - July 18	kristian@environdec.com
July 19 - August 3	Secretariat closed
August 4 - August 12	joakim@environdec.com
August 13 - August 17	Secretariat closed

We kinly request EPD registrations in July to be submitted no later than July 16th.

The Secretariat wishes you a very pleasant summer!

Jun

9, 2014

PCR published for Fish, otherwise prepared or preserved; caviar and caviar substitutes

Product Category Rules (PCR) for declaring the environmental impact of Fish, otherwise prepared or preserved; caviar and caviar substitutes have now been published in the International EPD® System.

The development of the PCR was led by Maurizio Fieschi at Studio Fieschi as the appointed PCR Moderator in accordance with the PCR Process described in the General Programme Instructions of the International EPD® System, based on ISO 14025. During the development of the document, it has been subject for an open consultation on www.environdec.com as well as a review by the appointed Technical Committee.

The PCR is now available for any company to voluntarily develop and publish information on the life cycle environment impact of this type of product in a transparent and comparable way.

May

31, 2014

Transition period ended for old version of General Programme Instructions

On 2014-05-31, the one-year transition period for the old version of the General Programme Instructions of the International EPD® System officially ended. After this date:

All newly-initiated or updated PCRs shall comply with the latest version of the programme instructions.
Newly registered or recertified EPDs shall comply with the latest version of the programme instructions.

The Secretariat and the PCR Moderators have been busy updating the PCR library to comply with version 2.01 of the programme instructions. The current status is that:

All 50 PCR Basic Modules have been updated and may be used as templates for new PCR development;
47 PCRs have been updated;
10 currently-valid PCRs are in the process of being updated.

There is an additional 33 valid PCRs currently published, which have not yet been updated to ensure full consistency. In case of any contradictions between a PCR and the latest programme instructions, please contact the Secretariat at info@environdec.com.

May

23, 2014

PCR published: Fabricated steel products, except construction products, machinery and equipment

Product Category Rules (PCR) for declaring the environmental impact of PCR published for Fabricated steel products, except construction products, machinery and equipment have now been published in the International EPD® System.

The development of the PCR done in parallel to a PCR for fabricated steel construction products, which is still pending technical review and publication. The finalization of the PCR was led by Gorka Benito Alonso at IK Ingenieria according to the PCR Process described in the General Programme Instructions of the International EPD® System, based on ISO 14025. During the development of the document, it has been subject for an open consultation on www.environdec.com as well as a review by the appointed Technical Committee.

The PCR is now available for any company to voluntarily develop and publish information on the life cycle environment impact of these types of product in a transparent and comparable way.

May

22, 2014

Read the latest newsletter

A new version of the EPD newsletter has been published published. If you don't already subscribe, you can read it here.

May