The updated version of the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is now available for download on the EPLF’s website.
EPDs provide information about a product’s ecological characteristics and are used by designers and architects to evaluate the sustainability of building components. The new EPD includes declared products of lower thickness (8mm instead of 9mm) and reduced weight. It also offers the option to calculate results based on different thicknesses. Furthermore, the EPD documents new optional impact categories such as toxicity, land use, particulate matter and ionizing radiation. It also declares the amount of carbon used for the product and its packaging. This year, a range of additional member companies were involved in the assessment process.
EPLF president Max von Tippelskirch (Swiss Krono Group) explained: “The updated version of the EPD reflects the continuous advancement of our sector by including more manufacturers in the assessment process than in 2015. We at EPLF welcome the broadened scope of the EPD which also considers the environmental impact of items related to our products such as their packaging.”
The updated EPD has been developed in close cooperation with the Technical Committee at the EPLF. Eberhard Herrmann, Chairman of the Committee, stated: “The updated EPD reflects changes in the flooring sector in the last couple of years and is now perfectly equipped to provide information about the sustainability of flooring products. We want to thank all companies who participated in the assessment process.”
EPDs for laminate flooring serve as a proof-point for the product’s positive life cycle assessment results. They include information on the use of energy and resources as well as the extent to which the product contributes to environment-harming processes as acidification, over fertilisation or the greenhouse effect. The first generic EPDs were published by the IBU (German Institute for Construction and the Environment) in 2009.
