Specialist support for the drafting of product EPDs

Founded in 1977, M.M. is an established European player in the supply of GFRP solutions, ranging from gratings and profiles to structural components such as walkways, railings, ladders, work platforms, fences, and gates. All products are designed to meet the requirements of complex applications across various sectors, including industrial and infrastructure.

In line with an industrial strategy that has long integrated environmental considerations into its decision-making processes, the company chose to develop an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for a selection of pultruded profiles, entrusting Gesteco with the technical and scientific support for the study.

M.M. embarked on this pioneering journey at a time when LCA studies and EPDs applied to GFRP materials were still rarely adopted in the sector.

The initial steps involved carbon footprint studies, also carried out with the support of Gesteco, which allowed the company to become familiar with measuring environmental impacts and to develop a preliminary system for data collection and management.

This first approach enabled the company to gradually build a new environmental awareness, improving internal data management and production processes.

In a context where environmental requirements are increasingly present in technical specifications, tenders, and evaluation systems, M.M. needed to:

• provide its clients with transparent and verifiable environmental data;
• comply with recognised regulations and technical standards;
• build a solid knowledge base to support future design and industrial decisions.

The EPD thus became not only a tool for transparent and technical communication, but also a practical asset to position the company credibly in increasingly regulated markets.

The Environmental Product Declaration was developed in accordance with EN 15804:2012+A2:2019 (core product category rules for construction products) and ISO 14025:2006 (Type III environmental labelling).

The methodology used, LCA (Life Cycle Assessment), makes it possible to evaluate the environmental impacts of a product throughout its entire life cycle, adopting a systemic and integrated view of industrial activities.

Regulatory references

The methodological framework is primarily based on the following standards:

• UNI EN ISO 14040:2021 (Environmental management – Life cycle assessment – Principles and framework)
• UNI EN ISO 14044:2021 (Environmental management – Life cycle assessment – Requirements and guidelines).

Unlike the traditional approach, which only considers individual phases, LCA analyzes all transformations from raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal.

Client support phases

Gesteco supported M.M. in the following phases:

• definition of objectives and system boundaries;
• collection and organization of environmental data;
• LCA modelling;
• preparation of documentation;
• management of the verification process, entrusted to DNV Business Assurance Italy S.r.l., an accredited third-party body.

Tools and methodology

For the LCA study, specific tools were used such as the SimaPro software (version 9.6.0.1) and the Ecoinvent 3.10 database (allocation, cut-off by classification), complemented by spreadsheets developed internally by Gesteco for inventory data management.

The LCA analysis was conducted following the EN 15804 + A2 methodology, using the Environmental Footprint 3.1 characterization factors developed by the European Commission.

The final outcome of the study was the definition of an environmental profile referring to the functional unit of 1 kg of pultruded GFRP profile, with the quantification—across the various life cycle stages—of multiple environmental indicators, such as:

• Climate change (GWP total, GWP fossil, GWP biogenic, GWP luluc, GWP-GHG)
• Ozone depletion potential (ODP)
• Acidification (AP) and eutrophication (EP) – freshwater, marine, terrestrial –
• Photochemical ozone formation (POCP)
• Use of fossil resources, minerals, and metals (ADP)
• Water consumption (WDP and FW)
• Renewable and non-renewable primary energy (PERE, PENRE, etc.)
• Hazardous and non-hazardous waste (HWD, NHWD)
• Output flows such as recycling, recovery, and reuse
• Additional indicators such as human toxicity, ecotoxicity, and particulate matter.

The analysis of the results enabled M.M. to carry out a detailed technical assessment of the different stages and processes composing the profile’s life cycle, clearly identifying which contribute most to environmental impacts and which are less significant.

This interpretative phase, an integral part of the LCA method according to the reference standards (ISO 14040 and ISO 14044), was a crucial moment for guiding the company’s reflections.

The information obtained was used to pinpoint areas for specific intervention, with the aim of undertaking technically sound environmental improvement actions capable of producing measurable and lasting effects on reducing the product’s overall environmental impact.

The project required significant reconstruction of primary data, particularly from certain suppliers involved in the upstream production stages. Collecting reliable environmental information consistent with the EPD system rules was one of the most delicate and strategic phases of the process.

One of the main challenges encountered during the study was the lack of reliable reference datasets for the pultrusion process. With no consolidated data or sector studies available in the literature, validating the collected information proved particularly complex.

For the model development, primary data were therefore gathered directly from trusted suppliers.

A thorough research effort was then necessary—drawing from both scientific and industry sources—to build a solid foundation for structuring the life cycle inventory. This was a crucial step to ensure the robustness and transparency of the developed model.

Moreover, modelling the end-of-life phase of GFRP, in the absence of a consolidated recycling chain at the European level, required careful documentation and methodological alignment, in accordance with category rules.

Thanks to this certification, M.M. now has a structured, compliant, and verified information base that enables:

• access to tenders and technical specifications,
• greater credibility in communication with designers and clients,
• an objective understanding of the environmental performance of its pultruded profiles.

The adoption of the EPD strengthens the company’s ability to operate in advanced technical contexts, where environmental documentation is increasingly a prerequisite for participation or qualification.

The EPD is now published on the international EPD International portal.

We managed the entire EPD project with an integrated approach, based on established methodologies, continuous regulatory updates, and the ability to adapt to real industrial dynamics.

Thanks to the presence of solid expertise in the construction sector among our internal skills, we are able to understand the specific requirements of products intended for these contexts and provide support aligned with the regulatory and performance expectations of the industry.

Moreover, our laboratory often plays a strategic role: it allows us to thoroughly understand the characteristics of the materials and to contribute effectively to the collection of the necessary technical data.

Our contribution went beyond environmental modelling, including the organization of information flow, coordination between departments, and technical interpretation of standards—making the process robust, transparent, and replicable.

For M.M., the EPD is not an end point. It is an operational reference from which to start planning actions, qualifying the technical offering, and approaching markets with greater preparedness. Above all, it is an analytical foundation for strategic reflection: understanding the environmental impact of their products means being able to methodically evaluate opportunities for optimization in processes, raw materials, or the supply chain, with the goal of reducing environmental pressures over time.