The benefits of EPDs extend beyond just the final product. There are some advantages of integrating EPD of raw materials into your product’s EPD:
-
Precision and Accuracy: Incorporating specific data from EPDs of raw materials ensures accuracy in assessing your product’s environmental impact. Generic data points might not reflect the unique characteristics or production methods of the raw materials you use, leading to inaccuracies in your product’s EPD.
-
Comprehensive Insight and Customized Solutions: Utilizing specific data from EPDs of raw materials provides comprehensive insights into the entire lifecycle of each component, from extraction to manufacturing. This detailed information enables the development of tailored sustainability solutions for your product. By analyzing raw material impacts, you can identify areas for optimization and innovation throughout your product’s lifecycle.
-
Differentiation in the Market: Utilizing EPD results from specific raw materials enhances the credibility of your product and mitigates the risk of misrepresentation. Stakeholders can trust that your product’s EPD reflects its true environmental impact.
What happens if the EPDs I have for raw materials are complying with +A1 and not +A2?
In the Software you may notice a warning symbol beside the EPD datapoint to draw attention for you to check which impact categories it is compliant with. The update to EN 15804+A2 has changed the impact indicators that are reported in EPDs. An EPD done to EN15804+A1 will not report these required impact categories. If your LCA is being done to the new standard, you can use +A1 EPDs in conjunction with a +A2 compliant datapoint using the “Use for A1/A2/TRACI” feature in the Software. All Ecoinvent data is compliant with +A1, +A2, and TRACI.
