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PRESS RELEASE: PU Europe presented on May 20th, 2010, a generic Environmental Product Declaration for Polyurethane (PU) insulation boards to increase the transparency of construction products markets.

Background:An environmental product declaration (EPD) is a communication tool that provides quantified information on the potential environmental impacts of a product or process based on information from a life cycle assessment (LCA) over its entire lifetime or a part of it. An important advantage of using EPDs is the possibility to add LCA-based information in the supply chain. This feature makes EPDs particularly valuable for the building sector where the final building is based on a large number of materials, construction products, semi-manufactured products and processes. The EPD for PU was established through a third-party verified system based on the future CEN standard prEN 15804 and covers the cradle-to-gate phase of the product.

On behalf of PU Europe, Shpresa Kotaji (Huntsman Polyurethanes and PU Europe Life Cycle Assessment expert) commented, “With the publication of our EPD, we do not only respond to an increasing market need, we also want to pro-actively increase market transparency and facilitate sustainable material choices at the building level.”

It is indeed important to know that EPDs for construction products cannot simply be compared on the basis of a weight unit. Comparisons can only be performed at the level of the building so as to establish how much of a product is needed to meet certain design requirements and how material choices affect the overall building design in terms of ancillary materials, component weight and thickness, building footprint etc.

The PU industry will further step up its efforts to optimise production technologies and processes. “We can expect these efforts to lead to significant improvements in the overall environmental balance of PU insulation products over the next few years”, Kotaji concluded.

The environmental product declaration is available HERE

The Bathroom Manufacturers Association (BMA) is leading an initiative to raise awareness of those water efficient bathroom products which are the very best in reducing the consumption of water in homes and public buildings. This initiative– The Water Efficient Product Labelling Scheme (WEPLS) – supports Water Saving Week and is pushing forward the sustainability agenda in the water sector.

Details of the program can be found on the program website here:http://www.water-efficiencylabel.org.uk/default.asp

May 26, 2010 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM CDT

This free one-hour webinar introduces UL Environment’s services related to: Environmental Claims Validation, Sustainable Product Certification and Energy Efficiency Certification.   The webinar will assist customers with identifying the new and existing market drivers including regulations surrounding energy efficiency programs, recent consumer and market research in the green building environment, and coming trends.  It will also review the value of third-party certification.  The webinar is a sales pitch but should be of key interest to those looking for verification services related to the green marketing claims.

 The topics covered in this webinar are:

• An overview of key market drivers, including:
  • green building codes,
  • requirements to use green building programs,
  • shifts in the marketplace towards standards and key energy efficiency regulations in North America for High Tech,
  • Lighting,
  • HVAC and
  • Appliance Products
• How UL Environment’s services will streamline compliance with these regulations
• How to obtain the various, ECV, SPC and EEC Marks, and differences between them
• Bundling the new Marks with other UL and ULE Services
• The value of third-party certification

Objectives

• Identify UL Environment service offerings
• Recognize changes in energy efficiency regulations
• Analyze key trends in the sustainability marketplace
• Recognize the value of third-party certification

Target Audience -  Customers selling the following product types in North America:

• Roofing
• Insulation
• Suspended Ceiling Materials
• Drywall, Mineral board, Fiberboard
• Fenestration
• Masonry Products
• CFLs
• Dishwashers
• Refrigerators and Freezers
• TVs/Monitors
• Computers
• Servers
• External power supplies

To sign up for the webinar, visit the UL University Website HERE

Stratos and Industry Canada are pleased to announce the release of a study exploring innovative practices in communicating sustainability with consumers at the point of purchase.  The study demonstrates how innovators are linking performance and communication, engaging consumers to reduce lifecycle impacts, and ensuring the accuracy of sustainability claims.  

The research is based on the insights of seven innovators – Aveda, Boots, Canadian Tire, Marks & Spencer, Mountain Equipment Co-op, Procter & Gamble and Timberland.  A tool for companies reporting sustainability claims can be founds as well: – Green Marketing Gets Real helps companies with the “Why”, “What” and the “How” of sustainability communication.

The full report, case studies and the tool can be found here: http://www.stratos-sts.com/insights/sustainability-reporting-and-communication.html

The Singapore Environment Council (SEC) and the Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech), a research institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) inked an agreement to launch Singapore’s and South East Asia’s first carbon label.

This Carbon Label is a Singapore initiative to support the country’s transition to a recognised low carbon economy by measuring and communicating the carbon content of the products and services we consume and produce, raising the carbon consciousness of governments, businesses and consumers. The carbon label in quantifying and declaring the carbon content is an advancement of the Singapore Green Label.

With a formal launch planned for the fourth quarter of 2010, the Singapore Carbon Label will provide a unique set of tools to evaluate, quantify and report for the first time on the carbon footprint of products and services based on rigorous lifecycle analysis, from raw materials to production, from distribution to use.

The principal aims of the Singapore Carbon Label are to differentiate Singapore products and services and provide a new, compelling source of competitive advantage to industry and the economy. A “Singapore solution”, the label builds on international standards and best practices, including the UK’s PAS 2050 and the draft standard ISO 14067. The scheme partners will make available a stringent methodology and standards alongside ready-made tools that will deliver both immediate impacts and longer term emissions reductions for businesses. This will help local enterprises to boost the competitiveness of Singapore’s exports globally.

For more information visit the SEC website: http://www.sec.org.sg/

Press Release: The Wildegg-Brugg power plant is the first run-of-river power plant in Switzerland to receive an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) certified according to ISO 14025. The EPD is based on an environmental audit which identifies the full environmental impact of the power generation process for the entire lifecycle of the plant, including its construction and all the associated installed systems, the annual operations and its eventual dismantling.

The results of the environmental audit at the Wildegg-Brugg hydroelectric power plant were excellent. The plant produces greenhouse gas emissions of only 3.1g/CO2-equivalents per kWh, making it one of the most environmentally friendly energy systems yet. The average emissions value for the Swiss power mix is approximately 20g per kWh. This means that the Wildegg-Brugg power plant makes a significant contribution to climate friendly power production in Switzerland.

However, this energy system is not entirely CO2-free. Most CO2 emissions at the Wildegg-Brugg plant are the result of the construction process, especially the production of the cement used, but another factor was the transportation of materials by coal-fired steam engines. But the high initial input of materials and energy is paying dividends today. The Wildegg-Brugg hydroelectric power plant produces approximately 300 GWh of power annually, making it extremely efficient because most of the environmental impact factors measured per kWh are lower than for other power generation technologies.

The press release and original EPD can be found HERE

At this May 11th meeting, representatives of the French Government, US Government, UNEP and international retailers, and various industry experts will be in attendance.  

France plans to better inform the consumers about the carbon and environmental footprint of the products they buy. The goal is both to change the purchasing behaviours of consumers and to develop the producers eco-design approach. Key issues discussed and debated include: political ramifications, potential commerce barriers, and implementation hurdles.  

Speakers at this event include:  

Michèle Pappalardo, General Commissioner for Sustainable Development, France 

Pongvipa Lohsomboon, Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization, Thailand 

Rita Schenck, American Center for Life Cycle Assessment, USA 

Philippe Imbert, Retailer Group Casino (France) 

The common objective is that the consumer becomes a better informed and therefore more responsible player.

Defra has announced a proposed update of their Green Claims Guidance.  The update will make it easier for businesses to market their ‘green’ credentials in a fair and understandable way.

Environment Minister Dan Norris said:  “With so many products claiming to be environmentally friendly, it is difficult to tell which companies are really making big improvements. The updated Green Claims Guidance will help businesses with genuine ‘green’ credentials by providing clear practical guidance on how they should advertise. Importantly, it will protect consumers from misleading and confusing claims.

“The proposed new enforcement powers should build consumers’ confidence that legally binding minimum energy efficiency standards for products are being met and that energy labels are accurate, so they can make properly informed choices. This will make it easier for people to do the right thing by the environment.”

Referencing ISO 14021, the Green Claims Guidance represents good practice to be followed on a voluntary basis, and can be applied to any marketing and advertising that companies wish to make about their environmental performance. The guidance sets out the key principles that businesses should consider to ensure their claims are clear, accurate and relevant to consumers.  The update to the guidance strengthens the principles from the previous guidance and provides more practical information and advice relevant to the current market.

The consultation can be found on the Defra website here: http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/green-claims/20100322-green-claims-condoc.pdf

Seventy-eight companies nationwide have received Federal Trade Commission letters warning that they may be breaking the law by selling clothing and other textile products that are labeled and advertised as “bamboo,” but actually are made of manufactured rayon fiber. The letters, which the agency’s staff sent last week, make the retailers aware of the FTC’s concerns about possible mislabeling of rayon products as “bamboo,” so the companies can take corrective steps to avoid Commission action.

The full press release can be found HERE

The companies that received the warning letter from the FTC can be found HERE

Consumer NZ, a consumer watchdog e-zine based in New Zealand reports that several companies advertize misleading claims of green performance of the textile products made from bamboo.   The February edition of its magazine reported that most clothing sold in shops labeled as being made of bamboo was actually made out of rayon, or viscose. Rayon, or viscose, is a fiber made from plants and trees, including bamboo, through a chemical process that includes sodium hydroxide and carbon disulfide, both substances can result in high sulfur emissions.    

Consumer NZ states “Companies that label clothing as ‘made from bamboo’ are misleading consumers.  Most bamboo textiles are rayon and should be labeled as such.”    

Last year, the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released a statement saying, “Bamboo-based textiles, actually made of rayon, are not antimicrobial, made in an environmentally friendly manner, or biodegradable.”  The FTC charged four US companies with deceptively labeling and advertising textile items as made of bamboo, when they were made of rayon. It also noted “rayon does not retain any natural antimicrobial properties of the bamboo plant”. 

The FTC recommends “if you sell clothing, linens, or other textile products, you’re responsible for making truthful disclosures about the fiber content. If your product isn’t made directly of bamboo fiber — but is a manufactured fiber for which bamboo was the plant source — it should be labeled and advertised using the proper generic name for the fiber, such as rayon, or “rayon made from bamboo.”  Any claims a company makes about their textile products have to be true and cannot be misleading. As the seller, it must have substantiation for each and every claim — express and implied — that are made. 

The New Zealand Commerce Commission spokeswoman Felicity Connell was quoted saying that there was no specific legislation governing bamboo.  “The New Zealand regulations are not as specific as fiber derived from bamboo cellulose must be labeled as ‘rayon’.” 

The original article from Consumer NZ can be found here: http://www.consumer.org.nz/reports/bamboo-clothing/introduction