1. Environmental Product Declarations and Product Category Rules For Businesses Rita Schenck American Center for Life Cycle Assessment January 2010

2. In this presentation Who: Consumer What: Learn about LCA & EPD, look for EPD & ask for it Why: Disclosure of environmental performance Anti-greenwashing Link your purchase to a greener world When: soon Where: USA, EU, Japan and others How: to get started, click links

3. Environmental Product Declarations A label that discloses the life cycle environmental performance of products and services NOT a claim of environmental superiority Also Know As: – Type III Environmental Declarations – Type III Ecolabels 3

4. What’s in an EPD? Typical List recommended in the standards climate change (carbon footprint), depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer, acidification of land and water sources, eutrophication, formation of photochemical oxidants, depletion of fossil energy resources, and depletion of mineral resources. Other things may also be disclosed, e.g. recycled content EPD’s follow International LCA standards

5. EPD’s are Ecolabels based on LCA Conforming to the requirements of several ISO standards. Created within a program operator’s system, that develops and manages product category rules. All PCRs are relevant to only one functional unit, – e.g. one square meter of exterior paint for 5 years.

6. Life Cycle Assessment: The Holistic Yardstick of Environmental Performance Human Toxicity Ozone Depletion Ecotoxicity Fossil Fuel Depletion Photochemical Smog Eutrophication Acidification Climate Change Industrial System Raw Material Extraction Manufacturing, Production Distribution, Transportation Operations and Maintenance Recycle and Waste Management A Tool for Sustainability 6

7. Why You Should Care EPD shows the science Anti-greenwashing – Makes sure that making one environmental issue better does not make another worse. Drives producers to better environmental performance. A better world for everyone. GREE N WASH ING

8. To Learn More Websites