EPA proposes PCR/EPD criteria to back new construction materials labeling

Sources: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; CP staff The Environmental Protection Agency invites comments through April 4 on “Criteria for Product Category Rules (PCRs) to Support the Label Program for Low Embodied Carbon Construction Materials.” Posted here, the 30-page document offers guidelines to improve PCRs by establishing consistent data quality and transparency requirements for Environmental Product Declarations (EPD). The proposed criteria…

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New Jersey tax measures mark first in EPDs, low carbon mix production

Sources: Office of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy; CP staff In a groundbreaking policy move, the State of New Jersey will provide corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for costs of preparing Environmental Product Declarations that assess concrete mixes’ global warming potential, expressed on EPDs as kg of carbon dioxide equivalent per cubic yard or meter. The just-signed…

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Life cycle assessment standards group revises PCR, EPD preparation

Sources: American Center for Life Cycle Assessment, Washington, D.C.; CP staff The “2022 ACLCA PCR Guidance – Process and Methods Toolkit: Creating standardized, consistent, and reliable PCRs & EPDs for transparency, procurement, and supply chain data” provides process checklists for each of the roles in product category rule (PCR) creation. A successor to charter 2013 guidance, the document features methods…

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IW EPD: Ready mixed producers shrink carbon footprint by one fifth

Sources: National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Alexandria, Va.; CP staff National Ready Mixed Concrete Association producers have lowered their carbon footprint by 21 percent in seven years, according to a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) report and Industry Wide Environmental Product Declaration (IW EPD) published earlier this month. NRMCA has tracked environmental impacts—carbon dioxide emissions, energy and water use, and waste…

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Concrete Product Category Rule factors new cement data

Sources: National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Alexandria, Va.; CP staff In collaboration with the Product Category Rule (PCR) Committee, Michigan auditor NSF International has revised the Concrete PCR to include new life cycle inventory data sources. The revisions inform individual plant or producer, or industry average, environmental product declarations (EPD) for ready mixed and manufactured concrete. 

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GCP expedites EPD delivery through Athena Institute partnership

Sources: GCP Applied Technologies, Cambridge, Mass.; CP staff A new partnership with Ottawa-based Athena Sustainable Materials Institute equips GCP Applied Technologies to provide concrete admixture customers with life cycle assessment (LCA) details critical to environmental product declarations (EPD). 

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PCA issues Industry-Wide EPD for ASTM C150, C595, C91 powders

Sources: Portland Cement Association, Washington, D.C.; CP staff New Industry-Wide Environment Product Declarations (IW-EPDs) for Portland Cement, Portland-Limestone Cement, Blended Hydraulic Cement and Masonry Cement offer stakeholders across private and public construction markets an exhaustive profile of material, fuel and energy factors attending production of the key ingredient in concrete, grout and mortar. The documents inform updates to companion EPD…

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Rule guides block, paver, veneer Environmental Product Declarations

An updated Product Category Rule (PCR) will inform new Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) for block, segmental retaining wall, segmental paving, manufactured stone veneer and other manufactured concrete units. A PCR provides an established methodology for preparing EPD and conducting a life cycle analysis. Submission of declarations increasingly influences specification of products or materials where project principals target environmental certification or…

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New rule steers block, paver, veneer stone Environmental Product Declarations

Sources: UL Environmental, Northbrook, Ill.; CP staff An updated Product Category Rule (PCR) will inform new Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) for block, segmental retaining wall, segmental paving, manufactured stone veneer and other manufactured concrete units. A PCR provides an established methodology for preparing EPD and conducting a life cycle analysis. Submission of declarations increasingly influences specification of products or materials…

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Lehigh issues first EPD based on Cement Product Category Rule 2.0

Lehigh Cement has published the industry’s premier Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) utilizing the new North American Product Category Rule for Portland, Blended, Masonry, Mortar, and Stucco Cements. The Cement PCR 2.0 document enables the flagship business of Texas-based Lehigh Hanson Inc., along with fellow Portland Cement Association and Cement Association of Canada members, to tailor EPD to sustainability and green…

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