An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a standardised document that discloses the environmental impact of a product across its entire life cycle.
Why do companies need to prepare EPDs?
European Union regulations
- The Construction Products Regulation, applicable from 2025, makes EPDs mandatory for all construction products seeking to compete on the EU market. Unlike its predecessor, the new regulation requires that all EPD indicator results — not just Global Warming Potential (GWP) — be declared in the performance and compliance declaration.
- The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), applicable from 2024, introduces digital product passports, which are prepared on the basis of a life cycle assessment or environmental declaration combined with a product circularity analysis.
- EPDs provide a recognised means of substantiating a product’s environmental performance in procurement processes and sustainability reporting.
Estonian context
- Estonia’s national green transition objectives favour EPD-certified, environmentally friendly products in the construction sector.
- EPDs are increasingly required in both public and private sector procurement processes.
- EPDs confer a competitive advantage for manufacturers by enabling objective, indicator-based comparison of products.