EPD product environmental disclosure in Saudi Arabia: preparation and life cycle assessment

Become Environmental disclosure of EPD product in Saudi Arabia An important tool for factories and companies that want to provide reliable environmental data on their products, especially in the sectors of building materials, concrete, cement, iron, insulation, paints, glass, aluminum, Tiles, Ceramics, and products used in sustainable projects.

The competition between products no longer depends only on price, quality and production capacity, large markets and enterprises are also becoming interested in the plant's ability to demonstrate the environmental impact of its products in a quantitative, systematic and verifiable way. This is where EPD comes in as a structured technical document that displays the environmental impacts of a product during specific stages of its life cycle.

The environmental dimension company helps factories to understand the requirements of EPD file preparation, LCA life cycle assessment data processing, PCR product category rules review, and organize the necessary technical evidence before the independent verification, registration, and publication stage.

Table of Contents

• What is the environmental disclosure of the EPD product
• Why EPD has become important for factories and companies
• What information does the EPD report contain
• What is the difference between EPD, LCA and PCR
• EPD product environmental disclosure preparation steps
• Benefits of EPD for factories and companies
• Does EPD allow comparing products
• The main challenges when setting up EPD
• How does the environmental dimension company support the preparation of an EPD file
• Why the EPD journey starts early
• Trust and transparency information E-E-A-T
• Frequently Asked Questions

What is the environmental disclosure of the EPD product

Environmental disclosure of the product, known for short as EPD – Environmental Product Declaration, Is a technical document that presents quantitative and documented data on the environmental impacts associated with a product or service during specific stages of its life cycle.

EPD provides structured information on resource, energy and water consumption, emissions, waste, environmental indicators associated with the production, use or handling of the product at the end of its shelf life, depending on the scope of the study and the rules of the product category.

The environmental disclosure of the product is prepared according to a methodology based on the international standard ISO 14025, its data is based mainly on the results of the LCA life cycle assessment, and then the report is subject to independent third-party verification before it is registered and published through one of the recognized environmental disclosure drivers.

Important terms for understanding EPD

• EPD: Environmental Product Disclosure Document.
• LCA: A life cycle assessment study that is used to calculate the environmental impacts of a product.
• PCR: Product category rules that determine how to carry out LCA study and EPD preparation for similar products.
• Independent verification: Review the report by an independent and qualified third party.
• Registration and publication: Insert the approved report into the EPD driver.

Although the phrase “EPD certificate” is common in search marketing, a more accurate technical description is Environmental disclosure of the product Or Environmental advertising of the product, Because it displays documented environmental data and does not automatically give the product the status of”environmentally preferable".

Factories wishing to start this path can check the service
EPD preparation
From the environmental dimension company.

Why EPD has become important for factories and companies

Major projects, developers, consultants and procurement entities are becoming more interested in verifiable environmental data, especially when choosing materials and products used in sustainable buildings and projects. General phrases such as “environmentally friendly product” are therefore no longer sufficient to demonstrate environmental performance.

EPD helps the manufacturer to move from general marketing claims to systematic quantitative disclosure based on scientific methodology. It also gives customers, developers and consultants clearer information about the environmental impacts of the product, without implying that the product is automatically environmentally better than all alternatives.

The sectors that benefit most from EPD

• Factories of building and construction materials.
• Concrete, cement and iron plants.
• Insulation plants, paints, chemicals.
• Glass, aluminum and timber factories.
• Factories of Tiles, Ceramics, flooring.
• Suppliers of products used in sustainable projects.
• Companies that are aimed at expanding into international markets.
• Factories wishing to support the requirements of green procurement.
• Suppliers involved in projects that require product lifecycle data.

What information does the EPD report contain

The product environmental disclosure report includes a set of technical and organizational information. The level of detail varies by Product Type, PCR product category rules, and LCA lifecycle study limits.

1. Environmental disclosure program information

This section includes regulatory data indicating the program by which the EPD was registered, the validity of the report, the rules of the product category used, and data for independent verification.

• Name of the EPD driver.
• Disclosure registration number.
• Release date.
• The validity period of the report.
• The rules of the PCR product category used.
• The body or person who conducted the independent verification.
• Scope of review and verification.
• Update report data.

2. Product specific information

EPD should include a clear description of the product so that its results are not used outside the studied range. Therefore, the product, its intended use, its characteristics, the main raw materials, and manufacturing sites within the scope of the study should be determined.

• Product name.
• Intended use.
• Functional and technical characteristics.
• The main raw materials.
• Manufacturing location or locations.
• Production processes included.
• The declared unit or functional unit.
• The range of products or models covered by the report.

3. LCA life cycle assessment results

The life cycle assessment represents the scientific basis for the preparation of EPD. During the study, data related to materials, energy, water, emissions and waste are collected and analyzed during the life cycle phases included in the scope of the study.

• Consumption of raw materials.
• Power consumption.
• Water consumption.
• Emissions into the air.
• Waste from manufacturing.
• Possible impact on climate change.
• The use of renewable and non-renewable resources.
• Stages of Transportation.
• Packaging and packaging.
• Use and maintenance when inclusive.
• Processing, recycling or final disposal.

4. Additional environmental information

The report may include additional information that is not directly included in the LCA results, but helps the user to understand the environmental performance of the product or the way it is handled.

• Instructions for proper environmental use.
• Storage and transportation requirements.
• Percentages of recycled content.
• Recyclability.
• Waste management programs.
• Environmental management systems at the plant.
• Instructions for handling the product at the end of its life.
• Quality control procedures.

5. Verification Statement

It is not enough to prepare an LCA study or draft an internal report for a product to have a published EPD. The report should include clear information about the verification process, its scope, the party that carried it out, and the extent to which the disclosure complies with the applicable technical requirements.

After the independent auditor's feedback is closed, the report is recorded and published through the selected driver.

What is the difference between EPD, LCA and PCR

One of the most common mistakes is to use the terms EPD, LCA and PCR as if they mean the same thing, while each term has a different function within the product environmental disclosure process.

And in a simplified form: PCR defines the rules, LCA performs the study and calculations, and EPD displays the results after verification and registration.

EPD product environmental disclosure preparation steps

EPD preparation is a step-by-step technical process that begins with the identification of the product and the scope of the study, then data collection, LCA implementation, report preparation, independent verification, and then registration and publication.

First step: determine the product and scope of the project

The work begins with the identification of the product or group of products, manufacturing sites, production lines, the time period of the data, target markets, the expected driver, and the rules of the appropriate product category.

• Identify the product or group of products.
• Identify the manufacturing sites covered.
• Identify the production lines included in the study.
• Specify the time period of the data.
• Identify target markets or projects.
• Choose the expected EPD driver.
• Review the rules of the appropriate PCR product category.

Choosing the right PCR is one of the most important decisions, because the use of inappropriate rules may lead to Re-study or rejection of the report at the verification stage.

Step Two: analysis of data gaps

The readiness of the plant is checked in terms of the availability of data required for the preparation of a life cycle study. This stage is aimed at finding out the available data and the missing data before the start of modeling and calculation.

• Raw material data.
• Electricity and fuel consumption.
• Water consumption.
• Production volumes.
• Waste data.
• Emission data.
• Transport information.
• Packaging components.
• Supplier records.
• Accuracy of measurement systems.

Step three: collect factory data

Data is collected from several departments within the factory, such as production, procurement, warehousing, quality, maintenance, environment and safety, services and facilities, and transportation and logistics.

And the data should be traceable and supported by available registers, invoices, production reports and measurements, because undocumented figures may cause observations at the audit and verification stage.

Step four: implementation of LCA life cycle assessment

After reviewing the data, a life cycle model is built according to the approved PCR, and then the environmental impacts associated with the product are calculated.

This stage includes adjusting such elements as:

• The limits of the system.
• The functional unit or the declared unit.
• Distribution of consumption between products.
• Processing of by-products.
• Primary and secondary data sources.
• Distances and means of Transportation.
• Losses in operations.
• Usage and end-of-life scenarios when needed.

Step five: prepare an EPD report

LCA results are combined with product and factory data and Regulatory Information in the required disclosure form from the driver. The report must be clear, consistent, auditable, PCR compliant and free of unsubstantiated allegations.

Step six: verification by an independent party

The study and report are sent to a qualified independent auditor to verify the correctness of the methodology, compliance with PCR rules, data consistency, correctness of calculations, traceability of information, accuracy of EPD content.

The verification process may include technical notes that require explanations, modification of the form, or completion of evidence before approval.

Step seven: registration and publication

After closing the reviewer's feedback and obtaining approval, the report is submitted to the selected driver for recording and publication. EPD is not considered a publication within a specific program before this stage is completed.

Benefits of EPD for factories and companies

Setting up a product environmental disclosure is not just about meeting a specific customer or project request, it can help a manufacturer to better manage their environmental data and understand the impacts of their products more deeply.

1. Promoting environmental transparency

EPD helps to transform environmental data into a structured document that can be shared with customers, developers and consultants, rather than relying on generic, unverifiable marketing phrases.

2. Green procurement support

Some public and private entities use environmental disclosures in the evaluation of products and suppliers, especially when projects require the provision of documented data on the life cycle of materials.

3. Support for building assessment systems

Building materials possessing EPD can benefit from the requirements of some building evaluation systems, depending on the evaluation system, the type of project, the terms of issue, the scope of disclosure, and its validity.

The presence of an EPD does not mean that the product or building receives points automatically; rather, the requirements of the evaluation system and the project must be reviewed.

4. Export and market entry support

Having a structured and verified report helps to respond to the requirements of customers and markets that are interested in environmental data for products, especially when entering into supply chains that are more committed to sustainability.

5. Identify opportunities to reduce environmental impact

The benefit of LCA is not limited to EPD issuance; the study may reveal phases or inputs with a high environmental impact, helping the plant to improve resource efficiency and reduce emissions.

• A raw material with a high carbon footprint.
• High power consumption.
• Long transportation distances.
• Significant productivity loss.
• Unoptimized packaging.
• Poor waste recovery.

Does EPD allow comparing products

Environmental disclosures can be used in comparison,but not absolutely. It is not enough to compare the carbon footprint figure between two reports without making sure that the reports were prepared according to compatible rules, methodologies and limits.

Conditions for proper comparison of EPD reports

• Match or approximate the product category.
• Use the same PCR rules or compatible rules.
• Use the functional or declared module itself.
• Compatibility of system boundaries.
• Match the phases of the life cycle covered.
• Convergence of data quality.
• Clarity of assumptions and scenarios.
• Review the release date and validity.
• Observance of production sites and conditions.

EPD results should therefore be treated as technical data that needs to be systematically read, and not as marketing figures detached from the context of the study.

The main challenges facing factories when preparing EPD

Factories face several challenges when starting an EPD journey, and often the problem is not in writing the report itself, but in the quality of the data, the availability of evidence and determining the correct methodology.

1. Weak consumption data for the product

In some factories, electricity or water bills are available at the entire factory level, without an exact mechanism for distributing consumption to different production lines or products.

2. Incomplete supplier data

Insufficient information may be available on the origin of raw materials, transport distances, means of transportation, or technical characteristics of some inputs, which affects the accuracy of the life cycle model.

3. Choosing an unsuitable PCR

Choosing the rules of a product category that does not match the product or target market may lead to disruption of the verification process or the need to redo parts of the study.

4. Confusing setup, verification and registration

The consultant can support the preparation of the LCA and the formulation of the EPD, but it must be verified by an independent third party according to the requirements of the driver.

5. Collecting data without evidence

It is not enough to enter undocumented estimated figures. Data sources, their records and methods of calculation should be kept, so that they can be reviewed during verification.

6. EPD version without an update plan

Raw materials, energy sources, production and suppliers change over time, therefore EPD must be managed as a technical document that has validity and needs to be reviewed and updated according to the requirements of the program.

How does the environmental dimension company support the preparation of an EPD file

Environmental dimension environmental consulting company provides technical support to factories and companies wishing to study the requirements of environmental disclosure of products and raise the level of readiness of their environmental data.

The scope of consulting support includes:

• Hold a technical meeting to understand the product and product lines.
• Determine the product range and the sites covered.
• Review the available PCR product category rules.
• Perform analysis of factory data gaps.
• Preparation of data collection forms.
• Review of material, energy and water consumption.
• Organization of transport, packaging and waste data.
• Prepare a life cycle inventory.
• Support the implementation or preparation of an LCA study.
• Preparation of a draft environmental disclosure of the product.
• Review the consistency between LCA and EPD.
• Processing of directories and files required for verification.
• Technical coordination with references or driver.
• Support closing technical notes.
• Prepare a plan for future data updates and disclosure.

The scope of each project is determined independently, because EPD requirements vary by product, PCR, study limits, number of manufacturing sites, and data availability.

The EPD setting can also be linked to other services such as
EPD preparation
And
Setting up HPD
And
Carbon footprint calculation
As per factory need or project requirement.

Why the EPD journey starts early

Postponing the preparation of environmental data until requested by the customer may put the factory in front of a short deadline that is not enough to collect accurate production data or complete the life cycle study, verification and registration.

Therefore, it is preferable for factories to start assessing data readiness early, especially if they are targeting sustainable projects or markets that require documented environmental data for products.

Early preparation steps

• Identify priority products.
• Processing of consumption databases.
• Standardization of production records.
• Organization of supplier information.
• Separate the consumption of production lines.
• Documentation of waste and methods of its management.
• Improve the quality of meters and measurements.
• Identify target markets and projects.

The more structured the factory data is, the lower the likelihood of delays and rework during LCA setup and EPD verification.

Trust and transparency information E-E-A-T

This article has been prepared to clarify the concept of EPD product environmental disclosure, the steps of its preparation and its relationship with LCA life cycle assessment and PCR product category rules. The content is indicative and does not dispense with a review of the requirements for the selected driver or the rules of the appropriate product category for each case.

• Experience: The article focuses on practical challenges facing factories such as data collection, product classification, PCR selection, and processing of evidence for verification.
• Jurisdiction: The article shows the relationship between EPD, LCA and PCR, distinguishes between Report preparation, independent verification and registration.
• Reliability: The article does not include any claim that EPD automatically makes the product environmentally better, or that the consultant performs the role of independent verification.
• Transparency: The role of the environmental dimension company is technical and consulting support, data organization and file preparation according to the scope of service, while verification is carried out by a qualified independent party according to the requirements of the driver.

Frequently asked questions about EPD product environmental disclosure

Is EPD a certificate that proves that the product is environmentally friendly

No.no. Environmental disclosure of a product displays documented data on the environmental impact of a product, but it does not automatically mean that the product is environmentally better than all others.

Can EPD be issued for any product

In principle, EPD can be prepared for a wide range of goods and services, provided that there are appropriate technical rules and the possibility of collecting the required data depending on the scope of the study.

Is the LCA study alone enough to issue an EPD

No.no. The LCA study is the computational basis, but the EPD publication requires the preparation of the report according to PCR, independent verification, and then registration in the selected driver.

Who checks the EPD report

Verification is carried out by an independent and qualified third party according to the requirements of the driver used, to ensure the correctness of the methodology, data, calculations and consistency of the report.

Can the manufacturer prepare the report internally

The manufacturer can participate in data collection and project management, but the preparation of LCA and EPD requires technical expertise in life cycle assessment, product category rules and EPD software requirements.

How long does the EPD setup process take

The duration depends on the readiness of the factory data, the number of products, the number of sites, the complexity of operations, the availability of PCR, the speed of closing verification notes, and the actions of the registration program.

Can EPD cover more than one product

This may be possible in some cases depending on the degree of similarity of the products, the requirements of the PCR, the driver, and the way the results are represented within the report.

Are the results of all EPD reports comparable

No.no. You must first make sure that compatible rules, limits, modules and methodologies are used before making any comparison between different products or reports.

What is the first step to start setting up EPD

The first step starts with identifying the product, the scope of the study and the manufacturing sites, then reviewing the appropriate PCR rules and analyzing the factory data gaps.

How does the environmental dimension company help in the preparation of EPD

Environmental dimension assists in data readiness assessment, PCR review, data collection forms preparation, LCA support, EPD draft preparation, and processing of evidence required for independent verification and registration.

Conclusion

Represents Environmental disclosure of EPD product in Saudi Arabia An important tool for factories that want to provide clear and documented environmental data on their products, especially in sectors related to building materials, sustainable projects and green procurement.

EPD preparation does not start from the design of the report, but from building a reliable database on raw materials, energy, water, transport, production and waste, and then carrying out the LCA life cycle assessment according to the rules of the PCR product category, preparing the report, independent verification, registration and publication.

The environmental dimension company helps factories to assess readiness, systematize data, identify gaps, prepare the appropriate technical route, and support access to a clear and verifiable EPD report, while maintaining professional separation between File preparation, independent verification and registration.

Does your product need EPD environmental disclosure Contact the environmental dimension company to request a preliminary assessment of the readiness of the plant data and find out the requirements for Life Cycle Assessment and product category rules before starting the verification and registration procedures.