Earthsure® is the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) program developed and managed by IERE. It was the first EPD program in North America, and remains a trusted source of transparent, third-party verified environmental information about products.
What is an EPD?
Environmental Product Declarations (EPD’s) are ecolabels that disclose the environmental performance of products based on a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Unlike most environmental labels that signify “green” performance, EPD’s merely disclose environmental impacts in much the same way a nutrition label discloses nutritional values.
Because of its holistic approach, LCA permits a whole-system optimization. The life cycle approach provides a high-level look at all direct and indirect environmental issues at once, and is especially powerful when evaluating alternatives. Type III EPD’s provide the consumer with a way to evaluate their everyday choices.
Why get an EPD?
Your commitment to go through the process of obtaining an EPD will show consumers, especially B-to-B customers what they want to know about the sustainability of your product. They will appreciate that you are taking a science-based, measurable action, not greenwashing.
What does an EPD show?
Much like a nutrition label the EPD shows some or all of the following impacts:
- Climate change
- Depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer
- Acidification of land and water sources
- Eutrophication
- Formation of photochemical oxidants
- Depletion of fossil energy resources
- Depletion of mineral resources
- Any harmful contents of the product
It also addresses any other issues raised in the Product Category Rule developed specifically for the life cycle of a particular product system.
How It Works: The EPD Process
Steps to getting an EPD if there is no existing PCR:
- Select a program operator (like IERE)
- Publish general program instructions, a list of all published PCR documents within the program, relevant EPD documents, all supporting materials as specified in the International Standard, and any open comments/calls to participate
- Find or commission a life cycle assessment study of your product type
- Develop a PCR committee (IERE prefers open invitations as well as focused ones)
- Make all relevant PCR decisions in committee
- Have your draft PCR reviewed by a team of at least three experts (IERE also has an open comment period)
- Publish the corrected PCR
- Conduct your LCA and draft the EPD
- Have the EPD reviewed by an expert
- Publish your reviewed EPD
Steps to getting an EPD if there is an existing PCR:
- Select a program operator/reviewer
- Publish general program instructions, a list of all published PCR documents within the program, relevant EPD documents, all supporting materials as specified in the International Standard
- Perform an LCA and draft the EPD in accordance with the PCR
- Have the EPD externally reviewed
- Publish the approved EPD
Product Category Rules (PCRs)
EPDs have to meet and comply with specific and strict methodological prerequisites, known as Product Category Rules, to to ensure that similar procedures are used when creating EPDs.
Other Information
EPD and PCR fee structures, open calls for EPD pilot studies, and other relevant information.