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“EPDs are communication tools that bring complex LCAs into a more user-friendly format by streamlining the information presented and enforcing as much consistency as possible.”
— John Jewell, senior consultant, thinkstep, Boston
Environmental Product Declarations, or EPDs, are a way for manufacturers to take comprehensive, third-party-verified LCAs, which are quite complex, and turn them into standardized declaration labels for their products.
An EPD will have certain characteristics:
EPDs are Type III environmental declarations (following ISO 14025; see definition in glossary) that communicate standardized environmental information about the life cycle impact of a product. EPDs are independently verified and registered documents based on industry standard product category rules, or PCRs, but having an EPD does not imply that the declared product is environmentally superior to alternatives. An EPD reports a specific set of environmental results, which can only be created after a full LCA is conducted. Common impact categories include: global warming potential, or GWP, ozone depletion potential, acidification potential, eutrophication potential, smog formation potential, and primary energy use.
EPDs are more comprehensive than single-attribute product declarations and more reliable than non-standard life cycle claims. Although the ISO framework and PCRs are internationally coordinated, registries of EPDs are maintained by country-specific Program Operators. In the United States, these include (but are not limited to) ASTM International, NSF International, The Sustainability Consortium, UL Environment, etc. Note that the International EPD System® is operated by a company called EPD International AB. However, legitimate EPDs used in the United States need not be registered with the International EPD System.
Learn more about how to get an EPD.
You might use EPDs to compare different flooring material options you are considering for your project, such as Vinyl tile [PDF] and Ceramic tile [PDF].
You might use EPDs to compare specific suppliers for the same product type such as steel rebar, such as Reinforcing steel #1 [PDF] and Reinforcing steel #2 [PDF].
| Evaluation variable | Unit per metric ton | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Primary energy non-renewable | MJ | 13,200 |
| Primary energy, renewable | MJ | 868 |
| Global warming potential | metric ton CO2 eq. | 0.964 |
| Ozone depletion potential | metric ton CFC-11 eq. | 6.53E-11 |
| Acidification potential | metric ton SO2 eq. | 3.74E-03 |
| Eutrophication potential | metric ton N eq. | 1.94E-04 |
| Photochemical oxidant formation potential | metric ton O3 eq. | 0.0444 |
| Abiotic depletion potential, elements | metric ton Sb eq. | 1.55E-07 |
| Abiotic depletion potential, fossil | MJ | 11,800 |
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Rates for Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. territories and possessions are set by the Department of Defense.
Rates for foreign countries are set by the Department of State.
Rates are available between 10/1/2023 and 09/30/2026.
The End Date of your trip can not occur before the Start Date.
Traveler reimbursement is based on the location of the work activities and not the accommodations, unless lodging is not available at the work activity, then the agency may authorize the rate where lodging is obtained.
Unless otherwise specified, the per diem locality is defined as "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city, including independent entities located within those boundaries."
Per diem localities with county definitions shall include"all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city as well as the boundaries of the listed counties, including independent entities located within the boundaries of the key city and the listed counties (unless otherwise listed separately)."
When a military installation or Government - related facility(whether or not specifically named) is located partially within more than one city or county boundary, the applicable per diem rate for the entire installation or facility is the higher of the rates which apply to the cities and / or counties, even though part(s) of such activities may be located outside the defined per diem locality.
U.S. General Services Administration
