Caltrans Senior Engineer Jacquelyn Wong discusses the use of Environmental Product Declarations on Caltrans asphalt pavement projects. Presentation delivered at the CalAPA Spring Asphalt Pavement Conference, held March 20-21, 2019 in Ontario, CA.

1. EPD IMPLEMENTATION
ON CALTRANS PROJECTS
Jacquelyn Wong
EPD Implementation Project Manager
Caltrans Materials Engineering and Testing Services
California Asphalt Pavement Association
Spring Asphalt Pavement Conference
March 20, 2019

2. Why We’re Here Today
What is an EPD
Why is Caltrans Interested
Stakeholders
Implementation
What is your role
2

3. What Is An EPD?
3
Type III environmental declarations present quantified environmental
information on the life cycle of a product to enable comparisons between
products fulfilling the same function.
International Organization of Standards (ISO)14025-2006

4.  Data Collection for Benchmarking
 Department Goals and Policy
 Legislation
Why Is Caltrans Interested in
Collecting EPDs?

5.  Benchmark and Inform
 Life Cycle Assessment
 Strategize on lowering
our greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions
Potential Uses for EPDs
Supplier EPDs for materials

6. Flat
Glass
Carbon
Steel
Rebar
Mineral
wool
board
insulation
Structural
Steel
Buy Clean California Act (Public Contract Code § 3500 et seq.)
AB 262 approved October 2017, amended by AB 1817 approved June 2018
Timeline Requirement
Jan 1, 2019 – Dec 31, 2019 Request existing EPDs
On and after Jan 1, 2020 Require EPDs
By Jan 1, 2021 DGS establish GWP Baseline
On and after Jul 1, 2021 Required EPDs with materials <
GWP Baseline prior to installation
Asphalt Concrete  Eligible Material

7. Pilot Projects
• Caltrans also interested in Concrete,
Asphalt Concrete and Aggregates
• Will require facility-specific EPDs for all
seven materials
• Goal: Advertise 20 EPD pilot projects in 2019
• Purpose: Collect data, refine methodology,
outreach

8. Roadmap to EPD Implementation
BUY CLEAN CALIFORNIA ACT
Eligible Materials:
Carbon Steel Reinforcing Bar,
Structural Steel, Flat Glass &
Mineral Wool Board Insulation
PHASE 1
Develop
Methodology
PHASE 2
Request EPDs
(Jan 1 2019)
PHASE 3
Require EPDs
(Jan 1, 2020)
PHASE 4
DGS* Establish
Maximum Global
Warming
Potential
(Jan 1, 2021)
PHASE 5
Administer
Contracts per
Buy Clean
California Act
(July 1, 2021)
Concrete & Asphalt
PHASE 1
Develop
Methodology
PHASE 2
Administer
Pilot Projects
PHASE 3
Lessons Learned,
Implement
Standard
Specification, &
Collect EPDs
Aggregate, Base & Sub-base
PHASE 1
Develop
Methodology
PHASE 2
Administer
Pilot Projects
PHASE 3
Lessons Learned,
Implement
Standard
Specification, &
Collect EPDs
EPDs

9. Legal
Legislative Affairs
Pavement Program
Transportation
Architecture
Many
Stakeholders
9
EPD Implementation
Steering Committee

10.  Specifications will include EPD requirements for both Buy Clean
California Act (BCCA) and pilot project materials.
 Bid item list will have LUMP SUM item for EPDs
 Section 6 “Control of Materials”
How Will Caltrans Collect EPDs?
Pilot projects only:

11. Visit The METS Website
dot.ca.gov/mets

12. Resources to Navigate EPDs

13. Collecting EPD Information via
dime.dot.ca.gov

14.  When required, prepare to develop your
plant-specific EPDs
 Work with your Program Operator
 Submit EPD data for projects to RE and on
What is The Contractor’s Role?

15.  Pilots inform statewide implementation
 Improve EPD data collection and
management
 Pilots advertising, more coming
 Navigate EPDs for Caltrans from the
METS website
Summary and Takeaways
Thank you for your time today
jacquelyn.wong@dot.ca.gov