What are EPDs?

An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a verified report summarizing the environmental impacts of a product. The industry wide EPDs below were developed by collecting manufacturing data directly from wood product mills, aggregating the data at a regional or national level, and conducting Life Cycle Assessments to analyze the data and determine environmental impacts. The EPDs comply with ISO 21930 and the PCR for Structural and Architectural Wood Products and have been third-party verified by ASTM International.

What are LCAs?

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a method used to analyze the effects a product or process might have on the environment. An LCA study evaluates a product’s life cycle by identifying and quantifying energy and materials consumed and wastes released to the environment, and assessing the environmental impact of those energy and material uses and releases. An LCA can evaluate a full product life cycle (“cradle-to-grave”), or evaluate only the production portion of a product’s life cycle (“cradle-to-gate”). The studies found below are cradle-to-gate in scope, as they include forestry operations through production of the product ready for shipment.

End of Life Instructions

In recognition of the role AWC’s members play in environmental stewardship, and the sustainability benefits of a circularity economy, we have produced the Reuse Wood Directory to instruct users on where to bring or buy used wood products at the end of life and expand wood products recovery, reuse and recycling. The directory is a resource for those seeking used wood products for repurposing. Businesses willing to accept used wood products can create a directory listing. The site also has a Sustainable Wood Guide with other end-of-life options when recycling or reuse is unavailable. Visit the website here.