Requirements for EPD’s (Environmental Product Declaration) From Polymers to Fibres Arturo Andreoni 52ND DORNBIRN MAN-MADE FIBERS CONGRESS

1. Requirements for EPD’s
(Environmental Product Declaration)
From Polymers to Fibres
Arturo Andreoni
52ND DORNBIRN
MAN-MADE FIBERS CONGRESS
11–13 Sept. 2013
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RADICIGROUP
RadiciGroup is one of the most active chemicals companies at
an international level. Its diversified businesses operate
worldwide and are focused on Chemicals, Plastics and
Synthetic Fibres.
RadiciGroup’s products are exported all over the world, and are
the starting-point for developments in the clothing, sport,
furnishings, automotive, electrical/electronic and appliances
sectors.

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RADICIGROUP KEY NUMBERS
3,200 Employees
Presence in Europe, Asia, North & South America

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RADICIGROUP: INSIDE YOUR WORLD
PRODUCTS FOR HOME
INTERIORS
Yarns for curtains, upholstery,
carpets and wall-to-wall
carpets.
Engineering plastics for
household appliances and the
electric-electronic sector.
PRODUCTS FOR APPAREL
Yarns for clothing, lingerie,
beachwear and sportswear.
PRODUCTS FOR THE
AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR
Engineering plastics for car
interiors and engine
components.
Yarns for car interiors
and airbags.

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RADICIGROUP & SUSTAINABILITY
sustainability
LCA
studies
R&D for
sustainable
products
PCR-EPD
approach
GRI Certified
Sustainability
Report

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RADICIGROUP & SUSTAINABILITY
Oureco-sustainableproducts

7. • Two main factors, one external and one
internal, have determined our strategy for
the communication of the environmental
performances of our products:
– The proliferation of “Green Labels”
– Our production chain
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RADICIGROUP & SUSTAINABILITY
PCR & EPD approach

8. “GREEN LABELS”: which one to choose?

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RADICIGROUP - THE PRODUCTION CHAIN

10. THE ENVIRONMENTAL LABELS (“Green Labels”):
RadiciGroup Project
At RadiciGroup choices have been
made :
 In a European context.
 Following firmly established and
internationally recognized
normative rules.
 In line with our corporate
sustainability model:
 ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS
18001, SA 8000, ISO 50001,
ISO 14064

11.  The ISO norms dedicated to the Environmental Labels are governed by
ISO 14000 standards.
 They are one of the voluntary tools of environmental management
designed to communicate the environmental performance of products or
services.
 3 types of labels are available:
I. ISO 14024: Product labels with third-party certification which can be
obtained only if required principles and procedures are followed. Example:
ECOLABEL (EU) and other similar labels at the national level.
II. ISO14021: Self-declared environmental claims made by the producers or
distributors/importers of the products for which no third-party certification is
required.
III. ISO14025: Environmental labels carrying information associated with well-
defined indicators that quantify the full life-cycle environmental
impact of the product (LCA). They must be verified and accredited
by a third party and submitted in a standard format so as to be
comparable (EPD).
THE ENVIRONMENTAL LABELS (“Green Labels”):
the ISO Standards

12.  The RadiciGroup Environmental Labels project is
based on Type III Environmental Declarations
(ISO14025) and pursues the following objective:
 How to proceed to achieve this purpose?
– We need calculation rules for the LCA and the
presentation format of EPD, i.e. we need
– If are not available for the products of interest, we have
to write them!
THE ENVIRONMENTAL LABELS (“Green Labels”):
RadiciGroup Project
To certify RadiciGroup products with
Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).
PCR - (Product Category Rules)

13. THE ENVIRONMENTAL LABELS (“Green Labels”):
RadiciGroup Project
• Why PCRs?
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EPD
PCR
ISO14025
ISO14040 - 44

14.  The first step was the choice of an organization, recognized by ISO
at an international level, to which to submit our PCRs (Program
Operator): The International EPD® System
http://www.environdec.com
 The production chain PCR project started in June 2012.
 Two workgroups have focused on the project:
 From the production of polymer (in its various forms) to man-made
fibres (yarns and staple) to recycling processes.
 Work ended on Dec. 2012 and 3 PCRs were presented for
discussion to the EPD® System Technical Committee.
 The approval and the publication by EPD® System completed
this year ( Apr. – July).
THE ENVIRONMENTAL LABELS (“Green Labels”):
RadiciGroup Project

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Initiation Preparation
Open
consultation
Technical
verification
PUBLICATION
THE ENVIRONMENTAL LABELS (“Green Labels”):
RadiciGroup Project
• The PCR system how it works:
Industry Stakeholders The EPD® System

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THE ENVIRONMENTAL LABELS (“Green Labels”):
RadiciGroup Project
• PCR content:
– Definition of the product group
• According to UN CPC (Central Product Classification) system
– Declared unit
– Content of materials
– The process boundaries:
• Upstream
• Core
• Downstream
– The allocation rules
– Environmental performance related information
– Content of the EPD

17. monomers polymers
• filament tow
• staple fibre
• mono/multi
filament yarn
textile
use as
chemicals
use as
raw
materials
• technological
use
• industrial use
• textile use
PCR
CPC
341
Polymerisation
Spinning and
finishing
processes
• sewing thread
• multiple/cabled
yarn
• yarn of staple
fibres
Cabling Weaving
CPC Division 34
Basic chemicals
CPC Division 35
Other chemical
products; man-made
fibres
CPC Division 26
Yarn and thread; woven and
tufted textile fabrics
textile use
PCR
CPC
26
PCR
CPC
263/264
PCR
CPC
355
PCR
CPC
347
UN
classification
scheme CPC

18. Waste
(post consumer)
Waste
(pre consumer)
RAW
MATERIALS
Other RAW
MATERIALS
Finished
Products
CPC 347
Plastics in
primary forms
CPC 8942
Non metal waste
and scrap recovery
(recycling) services
CPC 355
Man made fibres
(filament or staple)
CPC 263-264
Textile yarn and thread
of natural and man
made filaments or staple
fibres
PCR’s for the production chain from polymers to fibres

19. THE ENVIRONMENTAL LABELS (“Green Labels”):
RadiciGroup Project
• PCR – the boundaries (Life Cycle Stages):
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Upstream
processes
• Extraction and
production of
raw materials
Core
processes
• Manufacturing
Downstream
processes
• Usage
• Recycling
/landfill

20. THE ENVIRONMENTAL LABELS (“Green Labels”):
RadiciGroup Project
• PCR – the EPD content
Reporting data organized according to a modular structure:
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UPSTREAM CORE DOWNSTREAM Processes
A1-3 A4-5 B1-7 C1-4 D
Product Construction Usage End of life Recycling
CRADLE TO GATE
CRADLE TO GRAVE
CRADLE TO CRADLE

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THE ENVIRONMENTAL LABELS (“Green Labels”):
RadiciGroup Project
• EPD – the LCA information needs
 Use of resources:
– Primary and secondary energy (from renewable and non-
renewable sources) (GER) [MJ]
– Water consumption [m3]
 Environmental impact:
– Global Warming Potential (GWP) [kg CO2 equiv.
“Greenhouse gases” ]
– Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) [kg CFC equiv.:
“Chlorofluorocarbons”]
– Acidification Potential (AP) [kg SO2 equiv.: “Sulfur dioxide” ]
– Eutrophication Potential (EP) [kg PO4(3-) equiv.:
“Phosphates” ]
– Photochemical Oxidant Potential (POCP) [kg “Ethylene”
equiv.]

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THE ENVIRONMENTAL LABELS (“Green Labels”):
RadiciGroup Project
• PCR – the approved documents:
CPC 347
PLASTICS IN PRIMARY
FORMS
Approved: 01-12-2012
Expiry: 15-12-2017
CPC 355
MAN MADE FIBRES -
SYNTHETIC
Approved: 22-04-2013
Expiry: 22-04-2018
CPC 8942
PLASTIC WASTE AND
SCRAP RECOVERY
(RECYCLING) SERVICES
Approved: 04-07-2013
Expiry: 04-07-2016
http://www.environdec.com/en/Product-Category-Rules/

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THE ENVIRONMENTAL LABELS (“Green Labels”):
RadiciGroup Project
• EPD – it makes sense in order to:
– Compare environmental performances.
– Reflect continuous environmental improvement.
– Communicate environmental performance.
– Provide reliable LCA data based on the principles of
international ISO standards.
CO2

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Acknowledgements
•The International EPD® System (Sweden)
http://www.environdec.com
• QUOTA SETTE srl (Italy)
Dr. Anna Bortoluzzi
Dr. Ing. Paolo Simon Ostan (PCR’s moderator)
info@quotasette.it

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Thank you!