Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) provide quantified environmental information about a product based on Life Cycle Assessment. They are structured according to programme instructions and product category rules, with the aim of communicating results in a transparent and verifiable way.
Unlike a broad claim that a product is “green” or “eco-friendly”, an EPD reports indicators and environmental information defined by the applicable rules. An EPD is not, by itself, a certification that a product performs better than another. Comparisons require products to be assessed using compatible rules, functional units, system boundaries and assumptions.
EPDs can help manufacturers understand the impacts associated with their products, identify improvement opportunities and respond to requests from customers, specifiers and supply chains. In the construction sector, for example, product category rules are particularly important to ensure that declared information is consistent and comparable under the conditions they establish.
Since the original article was published, EPD standards and programmes have continued to evolve. In 2026, ISO published a new edition of ISO 14025 for EPD programmes and declarations, retaining the link to the ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 Life Cycle Assessment standards. For construction products in Europe, EN 15804 continues to provide core product category rules, supplemented by the rules of the applicable programme.
A credible EPD therefore depends on a technically consistent LCA, the application of relevant product category rules, transparent data and assumptions, and the verification procedures required by the programme. Its value lies in providing structured environmental information to support decisions—not in replacing critical interpretation of the results.