DAP Consulting - Environmental Product Declaration
As a DAP consultancy, we develop Environmental Product Declarations in accordance with ISO 14025. With our help, these include:
- Defining the scope of the DAP. Determining the scope of the DAP by clearly identifying the product or service for which the DAP is to be developed. This includes determining the scope of the assessment, the life cycle stages to be considered (raw material extraction, production, distribution, use and final disposal) and the purpose of the declaration (internal improvement, communication with customers, regulatory compliance, etc.).
- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This involves quantitatively assessing the environmental impacts of the product throughout its life cycle, following the ISO 14044 standard. It involves:
- Life Cycle Inventory (LCI): This involves collecting data on inputs (raw materials, energy) and outputs (emissions, waste) at each stage of the product’s life cycle.
- Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA): Analysis of how inputs and outputs contribute to different categories of environmental impact, such as global warming, acidification, eutrophication, resource depletion and human toxicity.
- Implementing the requirements of ISO 14025 to develop the EPD. Ensure that the LCA and EPD are carried out in a consistent, comparable and transparent manner.
- Drafting of the EPD, in accordance with the Product Category Rules. It must include the results of the LCA, the interpretation of these results and any other relevant information about the product. The EPD is clear and understandable to stakeholders (customers, regulators, etc.).
- Review of the EPD. This review ensures that the methodology used is appropriate and that the data and results are reliable and accurate.
- Publication and communication of the EPD through appropriate channels.
- Verification of the EPD. This must be carried out by an independent third party that assesses whether the data and LCA comply with applicable standards and regulations.
Benefits of an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)
Improves the transparency and credibility of the company.
La DAP es una evaluación transparente y verificada del impacto ambiental de un producto a lo largo de su ciclo de vida, fomentando la sostenibilidad y competitividad del producto.
Facilitates access to markets that value sustainability.
Ayuda a los consumidores a tomar decisiones informadas y responsables, comparando productos en base a su desempeño ambiental. Facilitamos el diseño circular de nuevos productos.
Promotes the efficient use of resources and reduces environmental impact.
Aumenta la competitividad al diferenciar productos sostenibles a partir de información transparente y comparable.
Makes it easier to identify areas for continuous improvement.
Facilita identificar áreas de mejora continua, la eficacia y eficiencia de su certificado ISO 14001 o EMAS.
Complies with tender requirements or environmental regulations.
Cumplir con requisitos de licitación o normativas ambientales. Valorada en licitaciones y ayuda a cumplir las normativas ambientales y políticas de responsabilidad social.
FAQs Environmental Product Declaration
Ecolabels and EPDs
Ecolabels and environmental product declarations (EPDs) are classified into three types:
- Type I ecolabels. Labels or certificates that a company or external entity awards to a product to indicate that it is better (in that respect) than another product that does not have the ecolabel.
- Type II ecolabels are voluntary environmental claims made by manufacturers to promote environmentally friendly products without external certification.
- EPDs or Type III Ecolabels. These provide detailed, verifiable and comparable environmental information, facilitating more sustainable and transparent purchasing decisions.
An ecolabel is a seal or mark that indicates that a product meets certain established environmental criteria. An EPD is a detailed report that provides quantitative information on environmental impacts, but does not make value judgements about sustainability.
What is an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)?
A DAP is a report that communicates the environmental impact of a product, based on a life cycle assessment (LCA). It includes information such as carbon emissions, energy consumption, resource use, and other factors related to environmental impact.
What information does an EPD contain?
An EPD generally contains:
- Product description. This may include the environmental characteristics of the raw materials.
- Life cycle analysis results, including environmental impact categories (e.g. global warming, energy consumption).
- Statement on resource use (energy consumption, carbon footprint per use, water footprint, etc.).
- Product maintenance, to extend its useful life.
- Carbon emissions, GHG and other pollutants.
The Environmental Product Declaration for a product must contain the information required by the Product Category Rule. This facilitates the comparison of information between two EPDs (Environmental Product Declarations).