Clearview 238 - September 2021 | Page 65

HARDWARE an increased demand for information on the environmental impact that construction products have , and with that we ’ ve seen a rise in institutes and initiatives that can now help manufacturers provide that necessary product transparency .
“ ISO 14001 for example , is the most recognised international standard for environmental management systems and is designed to improve resource management and overall environmental performance throught the product life cycle . By following this standard - of which is compatible with other recognised standards - manufacturers can better their environmental standing and take the first step in providing visible and detailed evidence for consumers that now seek this as part of their purchasing decision .
“ Decision makers can also choose to enrol in further programmes that focus on sustainability . One of which is the Environmental Product Declaration ( EPD ), a complete mapping of a product ’ s environmental footprint and a standardised way to communicate the environmental impact of a product . An EPD reports on the environmental data of your product - everything from material acquisition to waste generation - and in accordance with the international standard ISO 14025 , now sets the benchmarks that products should meet . For an EPD to be awarded , a Life Cycle Assessment ( LCA ) must also be undertaken on a product and this must meet Product Category Rules ( PCR ) to be issued an EPD , and therefore be declared as acceptable in building rating schemes such as BREEAM .
“ We ’ re honoured to be part of the EPD programme at Allegion UK , and although it ’ s not currently mandatory for manufacturers in the UK , we urge others to consider the importance of EPDs in ironmongery . The significance of sustainability is growing quickly , and it ’ s key for decision makers - whether at manufacturing stage or end users - to pull together and recognize this if we want to make a difference . By stepping up , decision makers can continue raising standards across all areas of the product life cycle , from manufacturing to recycling , and thus create better building environments for the future .”
HOW ALLEGION UK IS DRIVING CHANGE
Allegion UK is committed to supporting sustainability in construction . We are proud to be helping create a more transparent and sustainable global industry by proactively participating in the EPD programme , with full EPD documentation available for download from the Allegion website on Briton products in their respective categories , based on ISO 14025 and EN 15804 environmental declarations .
In addition , with Plastic Tax and the Extended Producer Responsibility coming into effect in 2022 and 2023 respectively , we are excited to be proactively aiming for 100 % sustainable packaging for our products . We continue to focus on making regular improvements in sustainability management systems and focus on enhancing product life cycles through the reduction in usage of natural resources and the improved recycling and reuse of materials , all in a bid to help minimise our environmental impact as a manufacturer .
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