1. What is an EPD? Environmental Product Declarations Explained

An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a standardised document that presents quantified environmental impact data for a product across its entire life cycle. Unlike marketing claims or simplified eco-labels, EPDs provide comprehensive, independently verified data based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).

Think of an EPD as a product’s environmental nutrition label. Just as food packaging lists calories, fat, and protein, an EPD lists carbon emissions, water consumption, acidification potential, and multiple other environmental impacts. The crucial difference is that EPDs must follow strict international standards and undergo independent verification before publication.

Why EPDs Exist: The Credibility Problem#

Environmental marketing created a credibility crisis. Companies made competing claims using different metrics, boundaries, and methodologies. One product claimed ‘carbon neutral’ while another boasted ‘30% lower emissions’ but nobody could verify whether these claims were comparable or even accurate.

EPDs emerged to solve this problem. Instead of allowing each manufacturer to define their own environmental story, EPDs impose standardised rules. Every EPD for concrete follows the same methodology, reports the same impact categories, and undergoes the same verification process. This standardisation makes meaningful comparison possible.

The system works through ISO 14025, the international standard that establishes how EPD programmes operate, who verifies declarations, and what rules apply. ISO 14025 is the governance framework that transforms scattered environmental data into credible, comparable information.

What Makes EPDs Different from Other Environmental Labels#

Environmental labels fall into three types defined by the ISO 14020 series:

Type I labels award a mark to products meeting specific criteria. The EU Ecolabel or Nordic Swan tell you a product passed their requirements, but they don’t tell you the actual environmental data behind that decision. These labels make judgments: this product meets our standards therefore it earns our mark.

Type II labels are self-declared environmental claims. A manufacturer states their product contains recycled content or uses renewable energy. These claims may be accurate but they’re not independently verified and they often highlight favourable attributes while ignoring less flattering impacts.

Type III labels are EPDs. They present comprehensive quantified environmental data without making judgments about whether impacts are acceptable. An EPD doesn’t say your product is environmentally good or bad. It says your product generates X kg of CO₂, Y kg of NOₓ emissions, and Z litres of water consumption across specified life cycle stages. The user interprets what those numbers mean for their context.

This objectivity creates both EPDs’ power and their limitation. Technical audiences can use EPD data to make informed decisions comparing products fairly. Consumers without technical background may struggle to interpret whether 45 kg CO₂e per square metre is good, bad, or indifferent.

The Basic Structure: What You’ll Find in an EPD#

EPDs organise environmental data into life cycle modules labelled A through D. Module A covers raw material extraction and manufacturing. Module B addresses the use stage. Module C handles end of life. Module D captures potential benefits from recycling beyond the system boundary. We explain this modular structure in detail in our guide on EPD modules.

Within each module, EPDs report multiple impact categories. Climate change gets the most attention, but EPDs also quantify acidification, eutrophication, ozone depletion, resource depletion, water consumption, and various toxicity impacts. Our article on understanding EPD impact categories explains what these numbers mean and why they matter.

The Three Pillars That Make EPDs Work#

Three interconnected systems give EPDs their credibility:

Programme operators run the EPD system. They establish rules, maintain registries, and ensure quality. Every EPD comes from a programme operator like the International EPD System, IBU in Germany, or regional operators worldwide. Choosing an EPD programme operator explains how these organisations work and which might suit your needs.

Product Category Rules (PCRs) define the specific methodology for each product type. The PCR for insulation differs from the PCR for concrete because the products have different manufacturing processes, use patterns, and environmental issues. PCRs ensure all EPDs for a product category use the same rules, making comparison meaningful. Our guide to PCRs covers how these rules develop and why they matter.

Independent verification checks that the EPD follows the rules. A qualified verifier reviews the underlying LCA data, checks calculations, and confirms the declaration accurately represents the product’s environmental performance. EPD verification explains what verifiers check and why this oversight creates credibility.

What EPDs Actually Look Like#

A typical EPD runs 10 to 20 pages. The document identifies the manufacturer and product, specifies what unit of product the data describes (one square metre, one tonne, one item), lists the product’s composition, and presents environmental impact results in standardised tables.

The tables show numerical results for each life cycle module and each impact category. You might see that Module A1-A3 (production) generates 450 kg CO₂e per tonne of product, while Module C (end of life) adds 25 kg CO₂e, and Module D (recycling benefits) credits 180 kg CO₂e.

EPDs also document methodology, data sources, assumptions, and limitations. They identify the PCR used, the programme operator, the verifier, and the validity period. Most EPDs remain valid for five years unless the product changes significantly. How to read an EPD walks through interpreting these documents.

When Products Can Actually Be Compared#

EPD standardisation enables comparison, but not all EPDs are comparable. Products must be in the same category, follow compatible PCRs, use the same life cycle modules, and meet other specific requirements before meaningful comparison is valid.

A construction product EPD from one programme operator might use different databases and impact assessment methods than an EPD from another programme, making direct comparison misleading despite both following ISO 14025. Our article on when you can compare EPDs explains these nuances.

For construction products specifically, EN 15804 establishes that comparison must happen in a building context, not in isolation. You can’t just compare two insulation products’ carbon numbers. You must consider how they perform in an actual building with real thermal requirements. Our EN 15804 guide covers these construction-specific rules.

The Difference Between EPDs and Carbon Footprints#

You might wonder how EPDs differ from product carbon footprints under ISO 14067. Both involve LCA, both quantify environmental impacts, but they serve different purposes with different requirements.

Carbon footprints focus exclusively on climate change impacts. EPDs cover multiple impact categories. Carbon footprints can be self-declared with no verification. EPDs require independent verification. Carbon footprints offer flexibility in methodology. EPDs mandate standardised rules through PCRs.

For many applications, carbon footprints provide adequate information more quickly and cheaply. For others, particularly in regulated construction markets or where comprehensive impact assessment matters, EPDs are necessary. EPD vs Carbon Footprint vs LCA details when each approach makes sense.

Why Businesses Actually Get EPDs#

Manufacturers don’t create EPDs for fun. They respond to specific market drivers.

Regulations increasingly mandate environmental declarations. The EU Construction Products Regulation requires them. Public procurement policies reference them. If regulations demand EPDs, alternative environmental information won’t satisfy requirements.

Green building certification creates demand. LEED, BREEAM, and similar schemes award credits for using products with EPDs. For building product manufacturers, EPDs become market access requirements. Projects pursuing certification need materials with proper declarations.

Competitive advantage motivates some manufacturers. When multiple suppliers make environmental claims, the one with independently verified EPDs has credibility others lack. B2B buyers recognise the difference between marketing and verified data.

Corporate sustainability reporting drives EPD adoption. Companies committed to measuring and reducing supply chain impacts need supplier data. EPDs provide that data in a standardised, credible format. Why your business needs an EPD explores these drivers in detail.

What EPDs Don’t Tell You#

EPDs provide environmental transparency but they’re not complete product assessments. They don’t cover social impacts like labour conditions or community effects. They don’t address animal welfare. They may not capture emerging issues like microplastic pollution unless those fall within existing impact categories.

An EPD doesn’t certify that a product is environmentally good. It quantifies impacts and lets users judge what matters for their context. Two products with EPDs might both have significant environmental impacts. The EPD provides data, not recommendations.

Geographic and temporal scope matters. An EPD might reflect European manufacturing with European energy mixes but the product sells globally. Production might have changed since the EPD was created five years ago. Users must understand what the EPD represents and what it doesn’t cover.

Starting Your EPD Journey#

If you’re reading EPDs to specify products, learning how to read an EPD and spot quality declarations will help you use the information effectively.

If you’re considering creating an EPD, understanding the complete process, data requirements, and costs involved helps you plan realistic timelines and budgets.

If you’re evaluating whether EPDs matter for your business, consider why businesses need EPDs and how they fit into broader sustainability strategy.

EPDs transform environmental performance from marketing claims into documented, comparable data. They’re not perfect, but they’re currently the most credible standardised approach for communicating product environmental impacts across industries and markets.