Østfold Research Foundation STØ

Environmental Communication and Marketing

• Three types of Environmental Product Declarations– Type I: Ecolabels (EU Flower)

– Type II: Self declarations by companies

– Type III: Independent declarations

• Type III regulated through ISO 14025 Technical Guideline

Østfold Research Foundation STØ

Environmental Product Declarations Type III

The system consists of• A general methodology based on LCA and ISO

14040-43, but with less options for • Product Specific Rules for each type of applications• A certification system with independent review of

the LCA and EPD • A communication format• Registration and distribution on internet

Østfold Research Foundation STØ

Important principles

• The system should be additive along the value chain

• The EPD Type III should be easily recognised in the market and easy to compare between products (common format/product specific rules)

• An EPD approved in one country should automatically be valid in all other countries

Østfold Research Foundation STØ

Status internationally for EPD development

• ISO Technical Guideline 14025 approved in July 1999

• Most developed systems in Sweden and the Nordic countries, Canada, Japan and Korea

• Global Network initiated in 1999 • Nordic project for development of a common

system initiated in 1999• System available for certification in the Nordic

countries

Østfold Research Foundation STØ

Misuse of EPD systems ?

• Presentation of EPD by third party institution with low involvement from producers

• Comparisons of competing solutions without external independent review

• Misinterpreting the value of EPDs – High uncertainty in non-qualified data

– Important life cycle stages are not included