Environmental Product Declaration

English (en) svenska (sv)

Environmental Product Declaration are intended as a cross check list of supplier and customer, that is an aid for the supplier to ensure the customer of the environmental certainty of the product and finally so that the end user will for sure have an environmentally friendly product. They are thus suitable for use both for information to customers and the general public but also to assist in product development for the company itself. The main function is to be used as a basis for procurement and purchasing.

Internationally, the term Environmental Product Declaration, EPD is used. The origin of the EPD is from the ISO 14 040 standard that talks about lifecycle analysis and that says that LCA (lifecycle analysis) can be used to support an Environmental Product Declaration, EPD.

An EPD is classified as a so-called Type III label, (ISO standard 14025). Type I (14024) is a environment label and type II (14025) is a so-called environmental statement. The difference between an eco-labeling and environmental product declaration is that environmental data is open to all, it is addable, comparable and quality assured. The data is neutral and it is up to the user to make their own assessments of the content. So that is why EPDs and eco-labels also are used in another way.

• The system provides a built-in product environmental information.
• The system provides a sound basis for environmental key factors of production.
• The system is open to all product types. One does not expect or have to wait for any eco-labeling agency to develop criteria.
• The system connects to some of the templates that are already applied by some public purchasers in Sweden.
• The basis for eco-labels is to be produced by the company in the first place. This is consistent with that the manufacturer is responsible for providing information about the products environmental impact.

The information that is to be provided in EPDs makes great demands on the respondents. The more products / product groups, the higher the cost to develop EPDs.

Textile industries has developed an environmental friendly EPD specifically suited to textile products and the demands on the Swedish market. The EPD is intended as an aid to both sellers and buyers in their environmental efforts. The declaration handles a textile product's life cycle - from raw material to final disposal – and the data is structured according to the environmental requirements and recommendations that apply in Sweden. The manufacturer / supplier should fill in and sign the EPD while the receiver evaluates and uses it.

It contains information on:

• Products
• environmental efforts of the manufacturer / supplier
• production (raw materials, hazardous substances, use of resources)
• environmental impact of manufacturing
• recycling of waste
• packaging
• carriage
• final disposal of used product

The declaration can of course be supplemented with additional information and documentation.

• Textile Environmental Handbook
• Miljöstyrningsrådet

• [TEKO ]

• TEKO:s Environmental Product Declaration