Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)

An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a verified and registered document that reports transparent, comparable and science-based information on the environmental performance of a product, based on a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and developed in accordance with ISO 14025. Known as a Type III environmental declaration, it lets manufacturers, designers and buyers compare products on a like-for-like basis.

The framework behind an EPD

• ISO 14025 (Type III declarations): sets the general requirements for third-party verified, LCA-based declarations.
• Product Category Rules (PCR): define the calculation parameters, impact categories and data requirements for each product type, ensuring EPDs of similar products are comparable.
• Programme operators: registries such as The International EPD System, EPD Norge and ECO Platform publish and manage declarations. In construction, the European standard EN 15804 provides the core PCR.

What an EPD contains

• Product description: composition and intended use.
• LCA results: quantified impacts such as climate change (carbon footprint), resource depletion, acidification and eutrophication.
• Additional information: packaging, recyclability and any hazardous substances.
• Verification statement: confirmation by an independent third party.

How an EPD is developed

1. Select the applicable PCR.
2. Conduct the LCA in line with ISO 14040 and ISO 14044.
3. Undergo independent verification.
4. Register and publish the EPD with an accredited programme, typically valid for five years.

Why EPDs matter

• Credibility: third-party verification helps prevent greenwashing and supports claims under the Empowering Consumers Directive (EU) 2024/825, which applies from 27 September 2026 and bans generic environmental claims that cannot be substantiated. The proposed Green Claims Directive, which would have set out how to substantiate each claim, was withdrawn in June 2025.
• Market access: increasingly required in public procurement, green-building certifications such as LEED and BREEAM, and ESG reporting.
• Policy direction: EPD-style data underpins emerging EU tools such as the Digital Product Passport under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation.
• Improvement: reveals environmental hotspots to optimise products and cut costs.

Common sectors

• Construction: cement, steel, insulation, flooring and glazing.
• Food and beverage: packaging and processed products.
• Electronics and ICT: consumer devices and office equipment.

An EPD is a key instrument for standardised, evidence-based environmental communication and supports the transition to a circular, low-carbon economy. At Manglai we help companies run the LCA and product carbon footprint work that underpins a robust EPD.