Environmental impact has now become a critical design cornerstone in mechanical engineering. Ensuring that a design has the smallest possible environmental impact, that it has supply chain transparency and that the entire system has a mapped out ‘cradle-to-grave’ life cycle, is the responsibility of contract manufacturing companies and the purpose of an environmental product declaration.

 

What Is An Environmental Product Declaration?

An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a standardized way of quantifying the environmental impact of a product or system.  It accounts for the entire life cycle of the product and how each phase of its life affects the environment. The declarations in the Environmental Product Declaration include:

  • Environmental impact of the raw material acquisition
  • Energy use and efficiency
  • Content of material
  • Soil, air and water emissions
  • Waste generation
  • Product and Company information

With this information, a full profile of environmental impact can be generated for every product that contract manufacturing companies produce.

 

When to use EPDs?

Environmental Product Declarations are product specific – meaning each product will have its own standardised way of declaring its environmental impact. This means that a process such as steel fabrication won’t have an EPD, but will be a point in the declaration for a specific product such as a cold-formed stud.

 

Why are EPDs Important?

There has been a steadily growing emphasis on green building transparency. Contract manufacturing companies can help to contribute to green credits in many building systems (especially in Europe). Having an EPD for your product provides the building contractors with metrics to compare the eco-sustainability of the various contract manufacturing companies.

 

Rider Tool and Manufacturing Co.

With over 45 years in the industry, Rider Tool and Manufacturing Co. is the number one source for machining tools in Oshawa. As a contract manufacturing company serving most sectors of heavy industry, you can always expect the best quality in fabrication and machining from Rider Tool. For more information, contact us today.