EPDs for Cugla’s excipients

In 2016, Cugla prepared an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for all of its admixtures for concrete. EPDs are environmental product declarations based on international standards. They reflect the environmental impact of a product during its entire life cycle. Special LCA (Life Cycle Analysis) methods are used for this, also called “cradle to grave analyses”. The environmental burden is expressed, among other things, in terms of emissions of CO2 and other harmful substances, and reflects the impact on the climate, for example, in terms of global warming, ozone depletion and acidification of land or water.

What is the purpose of EPDs?

For many companies, sustainability is now an integral part of business operations and strategy. EPDs help to express this sustainability in numbers and calculations. This gives companies insight into the environmental performance of their products and raw materials throughout the value chain. In turn, they can make this data available to companies that use their products. This creates a transparent overview of a product’s climate impact.

Who initiated the EPDs for concrete admixtures?

The EPDs for concrete admixtures are an initiative of EFCA, the European association for admixtures for mortar and concrete. On behalf of EFCA, model EPDs have been drawn up by the renowned agency Thinkstep. The independent German Institute for Building and Environment (IBU) has verified and published the model EPDs. EFCA is the owner of the EPD statement, the IBU is the programme holder.

Can anyone have EPDs for their auxiliaries?

No. Only companies that are members of national industry associations affiliated to EFCA can apply for and be granted EPDs for their products. Cugla is a member of the VHB, the Dutch trade association affiliated to the EFCA, and thus meets the criteria for awarding EPDs to its products after calculation and verification.

For which product groups do EPDs apply?

Model EPDs have been prepared for the following six categories of excipients:

• Plasticisers and superplasticisers
• Air bubble formers
• Water retention agents
• Hardening accelerators
• Binding accelerators
• Retainers

Which standards do model EPDs comply with?

The model EPDs have been prepared in accordance with EN 15804 and ISO 14025. EN 15804 covers “Sustainability of construction works – Environmental Product Declarations – core Rules for the product category of construction products” and ISO 14025 covers “Environmental labels and declarations – Type III environmental declarations – Principles and Procedures”.

What kind of information does an EPD contain?

In addition to general and technical product specifications, the EPD shows the calculation rules underlying the LCA of a product and the results of those calculations in the different phases of a product, such as the production phase, the construction phase, the use phase, the end phase and the reuse phase. In short, the environmental performance of the product in the various phases of its life cycle.

How does Cugla feel about all its excipients achieving EPD status?

Henriëtte Dikmans, Technical Director of Cugla and President of EFCA: Cugla considers sustainable entrepreneurship very important, and attaches importance to environmentally responsible production and transparency towards customers. In anticipation of legislation, we have therefore consciously chosen to actively participate in the development of environmental product declarations in the industry (EFCA-VHB). We are proud to have EPDs for all our auxiliary substances. We consider it essential that our customers know where they stand and can thus contribute to the sustainability assessment of building products and construction projects. The procedure was very intensive but we are very happy with the final result.

EPD  plasticiser and super plasticiser

EPD bubble forming

EPD water retention agent – VMAs

EPD binding accelerator

EPD verhardingsversnellers

EPD retainer