Supporting Business Success

At Sustainable Solutions Corporation (SSC), we specialize in delivering comprehensive Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) that accurately quantify and communicate the environmental impacts of your products. Our dedicated team works closely with clients to provide actionable insights, helping you enhance product sustainability, meet regulatory requirements, and gain a competitive edge in the marketplace.

life cycle assessments

SSC is a full-service company that acts as your trusted advisor. We not only use the results of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to develop an EPD, but we also use the results as part of developing a comprehensive sustainability program with mutually supporting initiatives such as product innovation and optimization.

LCA studies have several internal and external benefits, such as:

  • Identifying areas of improvement in processing and materials (and potential alternatives)

  • Identifying environmental hot spots in the lifecycle

  • Providing information to marketing and sales teams

  • Providing an effective response to customer information requests

  • Providing input to internal training and communication campaigns for employees.

Upon completion of the EPD, we also educate your team on how to use EPDs to optimize your competitive advantage and increase sales.

 

  • An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a single source of transparent, scientifically compelling information which discloses the environmental impact of a product from cradle-to-gate.

  • On average, the timeline for development can range from six to ten months. The timeline can depend on a range of factors including:

    • Complexity of the product.

    • Number of sites included in the scope.

    • Number of LCA reports and EPDs.

    • Duration of time required for the company to provide the LCA data.

    • Time required by the Program Operator (or critical reviewer) to conduct the third-party critical review.

  • Yes, EPDs are internally recognized. However, certain regions may require the study be developed using specific life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) methodologies (TRACI vs. CML) or specific standards (i.e., ISO 21930:2017 vs. EN 15804:2019+A2). Regarding LCIA, TRACI was developed by the EPA and is predominantly used in the North American market. CML is more so used globally.

    The European Union requires EPDs to use the EN 15804+A2 LCIA methodology. Ultimately, the standards used will be dictated by the Product Category Rule (PCR), if applicable and available. It is critical to understand which end markets may be requesting or using the EPD information.

 
 

Proven Process

In order to provide our clients with maximum value and efficiency in the process of creating an EPD, SSC follows our proven process. Specifically, the project timeline is contingent on the timely collection of data and prompt responses to questions from your organization.

SSC staff will proactively monitor the project from start to finish and alert you and other relevant contacts of any risks to the established schedule. SSC will provide regular updates and check-ins, via email or phone, to maintain communication and adherence to the schedule.

EPD process
 

Why Choose SSC?

SSC has over 23 years of experience and has developed and delivered valuable LCAs and EPDs based on international standards (ISO 14040/14044, ISO 14025, ISO 21930, and EN 15804) and market demands. SSC has a proven record of assisting companies to develop LCAs, EPDs, and sustainability programs, identify operational cost savings, develop marketing material, and provide sustainability training.

SSC is proud to support some of the world’s most sustainable companies by being their go-to partner for holistic sustainability strategies and individual initiatives throughout these programs. Furthermore, our staff includes LCA Certified Professionals (LCACPs). Achieving LCACP certification requires an LCA practitioner to demonstrate expertise in LCA practice and have a thorough understanding of the International Standards for Life Cycle Assessment, ISO 14040, and ISO 14044. Having an LCACP involved in your project will help ensure your model and assessment are conducted in accordance with International Standards.

 

Resources

 

Integrating LCA’s and EPD’s

In this document we discuss the transformative approaches in Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) and Environmental Product Declarations (EPD), outline the three types of LCA’s, provide a readiness assessment you should answer prior to engaging in a LCA study, and much more. Click the button below to download!

 

KEY TERMS & DEFINITIONS

Definitions of key terms and acronyms.

Podcast Episode

Deep Dive Into LCA,EPD, and PCF

LCA FAQs

Answers to 10 frequently asked questions.