Environmental Product Declarations Type III
So what exactly is a Type III environmental product declaration?
A Type III EPD is a set of quantified environmental data consisting of pre-set
categories of parameters based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) according to
the ISO 14040 series of standards, with at least a minimum set of parameters
for a/each product group. There is a requirement for presenting a minimum
of inventory data together with interpretation, and the information should be
critically reviewed.
The declaration should be imbedded in a Type III programme, which can be
established and administrated by any organisation i.e. governmental, sectoral,
private, etc. The programme should include input from interested parties and
be based on an open consultation process.
The programme and the declaration should be in compliance with ISO 14020.
Quality assurance should, where applicable, be in compliance with the
ISO14040 series of standards on LCA. Declarations aimed at consumers are
recommended to include a third party certification, a common format within
a/each product group, a full life cycle approach and interested party input.
Environmental Labels Type I, Environmental Claims Type II and
Environmental Declarations Type III should not be merged together. However
the use of other labels or claims separately is not excluded. Type III
Environmental Declarations and non-confidential information shall be made
publicly available.
In order to avoid confusion between the different descriptions of
environmental product declarations in use, the following definitions are used
within the context of this report:
Type III Environmental Declaration
Quantified environmental data for a product with pre-set categories of
parameters based on the ISO 14040 series of standards, but not excluding
additional environmental information provided within a Type III
environmental declaration programme1 (ISO TR 14025).

1 There is a note to this definition, which keeps an option open for alternative methodologies aside from LCA studies as a
basis for the categories of parameters to be quantified. However, in the latest meeting of TC207/SC3 in 2001 in Kuala
Lumpur it was decided that for a Type III Environmental Declaration within the ISO 14020 series, the categories of
parameters to be quantified should be based only on the ISO 14040 series. The additional information, as long as it is not
LCA information, may be based on other methods, e.g. risk assessment for toxicology data. This decision is documented in
the resolutions. ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT EUROPEAN COMMISSION, DG ENVIRONMENT
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Type III Environmental Declaration Programme
Voluntary process by which an industrial sector or independent body
develops a Type III environmental declaration, including setting minimum
requirements, selecting categories of parameters, defining the involvement of
third parties and the format of external communications (ISO TR 14025).
EPD
The acronym ‘EPD’ is a Type III Environmental Declaration under the
Swedish Type III Environmental Declaration scheme. ‘EPD’ is a registered
trademark.
Whenever in this report the terms EPD or Type III Environmental Declaration
are used, they shall mean declarations according to ISO TR 14025.
EPD-like
Given the fact that not many existing schemes are ‘true’ EPD schemes, this
report uses the term EPD-like for those schemes that are not strictly in
compliance with ISO TR 14025 but comply with the selection criteria as
defined in this study.
Product Specific Requirements (PSRs)
All of the specific contents that must be considered to identify the
requirements necessary for carrying out the LCA study and for publishing the
EPD for each product or group of products.
1.2.2 Other relevant definitions
Throughout this report several other phrases are used, definitions of which
are given below:
Life Cycle
The consecutive and interlinked stages of a product system, from raw
materials acquisition or generation of natural resources to the final disposal.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
The compilation and evaluation of the inputs, outputs and the potential
environmental impacts of a product system throughout its life cycle.
Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA)
The phase of life cycle assessment aimed at understanding and evaluating the
magnitude and significance of the potential environmental impacts of a
product system. ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT EUROPEAN COMMISSION, DG ENVIRONMENT
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Life Cycle Interpretation (LCI)
The phase of life cycle assessment in which the findings of either the life cycle
inventory analysis or the impact assessment, or both are combined consistent
with the defined goal and scope in order to reach conclusions and
recommendations.
Type I environmental labelling
A voluntary, multi-criteria-based third party programme that awards a licence
which authorizes the use of environmental labels on products indicating
overall environmental preferability of a product within a particular product
category based on life cycle considerations.
Type II environmental labelling – self-declared environmental claims
An environmental claim is a statement, symbol, or graphic that indicates an
environmental aspect of a product, a component or packaging.
1.3 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
As per the technical annex and project team’s proposal to the Commission, the
following table gives an overview of the countries and sectors to be evaluated
in this study.
Table 1.1 Overview of countries and industry sectors to be evaluated