Abstract
This paper discusses the use and importance of EPDs in the viable and authorization of life cycle-based product environmental impacts. The role and purpose of EPDs, market acceptance of EPD schemes, costs of EPDs to start using this information tool. It also concludes with a look at potential developments regarding the use of EPDs in support of product environmental claims. Finally, manufacturers who use EPDs help to create a greater public awareness of the environmental impact aspects of products, thereby contributing to global sustainability efforts. Keywords: eco-labelling, environmental product declarations, life cycle assessment, costs.
Emergence of EPD’S
Keeping environment green is
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An EPD tells the lifecycle story of a product in a single, written report, provides a complete picture focusing on information about a products environmental impact, such as global warming, ozone depletion etc. It covers everything from fossil fuel depletion to effects on human health, and there’s already a growing list of industry organizations that recommend using the EPDs Existence of an EPD for a product does not indicate that environmental performance criteria have been met. EPDs are a declaration tool that helps purchasers better understand a products sustainable qualities and environmental results so they can make more informed product selections. EPDs can be developed after a product LCA is conducted, and are based on applicable PCRs. For architects and designers, EPDs helps in intensifying the sustainability of design and enable to create the best possible spaces. EPDs can also helps to get industry certifications and LEED credits. It is committed to diminish the carbon footprint &waste, building a bright sustainable future for all of us.
Process for developing an EPD LCA tool helps in promote transparency and full revelation of potential environmental impacts.
Potential uses for EPDs
• World-Wide – In Industry EPDs help ensure that wood products are not at risk for non‐tariff trade barriers.
• Manufacturers –
Blockbuster revolutionized the video rental industry. Founded in 1985, by David Cook, the company became the leader of the video chain industry by 1988 (Wooldridge, B. R., Matulich, E., & Riddick Jr., J. C. 2007; “First Blockbuster,” 2012). However, by September 2010, Blockbuster filed for section 11 bankruptcy (Ahmed, 2011). The external changes in the market forced Blockbuster to reassess its business model and ultimately lead to the bankruptcy decision. An analysis of Blockbuster’s organizational challenges identifies failure in risk response and planning, thereby impacting performance, process, growth, and personnel prior to implementing new business strategies.
Life cycle costing is a technique that is used to assess environmental impacts that are linked with the product life stages from manufacturing to consumption that is from raw material acquisition to processing or manufacture, distribution, consumption, maintenance and repair (Epstein & Buhovac, 2014). It shows and some of the environmental concerns associated with the product life (Koroluk, 2012).
In 2004 The Home Depot’s (THD) Eco Options program began in their Canadian locations and on Earth day of 2007 in the United States. The program was created to create environmentally friendly products to consumers that would support the environment while helping consumers save money on their monthly energy bills. The programs successful audience is a combination of two groups. The first group is involved in supporting the environment while living an ecofriendly lifestyle while the other group is mostly concerned about the money saving aspect of using the products. In contrast, there is a broad audience that THD EO’s program is not successfully reaching which is made up of mainstream consumers who care about the environment but don’t bother to inconvenience themselves with adjusting to using ecofriendly options. Consumers of the programs are middle aged people who are in the market for appliances. They need home improvement needs and appliances.
Afterwards, draft of Environmental Statement can be prepared and publicly consulted. Then final version of ES can be formed.
There are several obstacles for manufacturers attempting to employ changes in their processes for more sustainable practices. One problem that manufacturers will run into is the lack of direction. Knowing that change is needed is the easy part of reaching sustainability. Knowing what changes to make is a much more complicated challenge. The idea of sustainability is discussed often, yet broad scope ideas are traded without specific details and applications. Team B Consultants Inc. (TBCI), is the
Environmental impact assessment (EIA) play an essential role for sustainability establishing. As Anzecc (1991) mentioned that EIA producers would take a responsibility for issues like improving the efficiency of the contribution made by making sustainability and environmentally decision, which means the government responsible for EIA process which have the power to recommend environmental conditions.
meaningful and accurate environmental information and dialogue based on scientific evidence about our products, activities and services at corporate, market and product brand level;
The Life Cycle Assessment process comprises four main stages: goal and scope definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation [2,3].
“Lean synchronization is the aim of achieving the flow of products and services which is able to deliver exactly what customers want, in exact quantities, exactly when needed, exactly where required at the lowest possible cost” (Slack et al, 2010) . Lean’s mandate to eliminate waste, this aspect makes it an ideal way for organisations to minimize their impact their products have on the environmental. The waste that has impact on the environment is: bad use of material, people management, inadequate process design, inefficient production etc. In this essay I will further elaborate what Lean synchronization is and how companies reduced their environmental impact on their products; I will also be illustrating this further by using two
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a technique used to quantify environmental outcomes- energy, materials used, and released wastes- assignable to a product. It assesses the environmental impacts of their supply chain activities as a whole. By looking at the full picture of the activities, a firm such as Procter and Gamble (P&G) could view the environmental tradeoffs of product innovation. In efforts to sustain competitive advantage with their popular-selling item, disposable diapers, the use of LCA aides in making decisions for producing greener products for its customers, and to reduce environmental footprint. The public is becoming widely concerned with the products effects on resources and the environment. “These effects occur at every stage in a product’s life cycle-from the extraction of the raw materials from the ground through the processing, manufacturing, and transportation phases, ending with use and disposal or recycling” (Le-van,1995, p.7,). The present study aims to evaluate the life cycle system of disposable diapers in efforts to assign understanding of the sustainability benefits of Life Cycle Assessment.
Every living being are directly or indirectly depend on natural environment. Sustainability helps to balance financial, social, and environmental factors to facilitate responsible business decision making over the immediate and long term. . Sustainability refers to meeting the needs of present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Oxford University press 1987, p.43). Sustainability is also being protective and aware of use of natural resources and development that meets the need of present and everything that is need for our survival and well being depends, directly or indirectly on our natural environment. According to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Sustainability is
Use phase of building is the largest stage that impacts environment during the life cycle, so require more attention in the field of energy saving of building. In the initial design stage of buildings, through LCA can help design decisions, such as the appropriate use of zero energy building techniques. To quantitatively assess the energy consumption and environmental impact among all above stages, LCA is undoubtedly the best choice that can full evaluate the impacts during extraction of raw materials, material creation, sale, maintenance, disposal or recycling, also global warming, air pollution, water pollution and other index. Thereby more effectively improving environmental performance is to achieve green building. LCA will provide the support of data on saving water, energy, material and other indicators. Based on LCA gradually promote the use of the Environment Product Declaration (EPD), this declaration will serve as a business and marketing communication product sustainability information, greatly enhance the green building(products) influence in the consumers. In today with increasing serious energy and environmental issues, using green building instead of traditional high-energy building has become a trend. Life cycle thinking and ways can facilitate the development of the green building process, and help us to make more environmentally friendly choices for building design and material selection, especially as consumers we need to follow.
In this section the proposed approach is applied to a case study. In the case study, environmental and social impacts of new and remanufactured diesel engines are assessed.
An EA conducted by the CEA Agency is initiated with the submission of a project description. If the submission is accepted, there is notice on the Registry internet site about the Agency considering the necessity of a federal EA, a summary of the project is also provided for the public comment period. While determining whether an EA is needed the Agency must consider the description of the designated project provided by the proponent, the likelihood that the designated project may cause adverse environmental effects, comments received from the public, and the result of any relevant regional studies. After the determination that an EA is required, the proponent must prepare an environmental impact
In such apprehensive condition, our firm is experiencing a serious issue being an environmental group is emphasizing non biodegradable materials of SafePack. There is an increased emphasis on sustainability of environment. The sustainability of environmental is completely associated with making better decision and performing corrective actions that are favorable in sustaining the nature of world, with particular emphasis on preserving the environment’s capability for the life of humans. Presently, it’s a significant topic, as it’s comprehended by businesses and individuals and has inclusive impact on the environment. The sustainability of environment is intimately associated with effective decision making with major objective