Environmental Footprints
Environmental Footprint, Carbon Footprint, Water Footprint
The Environmental Footprint Institute verifies life cycle assessments of products, services and organizations referred to one of the following environmental indicators: carbon footprint, water footprint or environmental footprint. The LCA has to be developed under the ISO 14025 ecolabel normative, and following the ISO 14040, ISO 14046, ISO 14067 or EN-15804 normative. The Environmental Product Declarations to be registered in the EFI program has to comply with the appropriate Product Category Rule.
Environmental footprint
This is the most complex and complete environmental indicator. All main environmental impacts related to the full life cycle of a product or service are included and calculated in the environmental footprint indicator (air pollution, water pollution and soil pollution). The environmental footprint includes the water footprint and carbon footprint calculation. This indicator also analyses the energy and resources consumptions and the waste treatment in the life cycle of a product.
Water footprint
In this indicator all the environmental impacts on water in the life cycle of a product are calculated and analysed, including water consumption and water pollution. The indicator has to be developed using the international normative ISO 14067 and the life cycle assessment methodology. It is a really useful indicator when it is referred to agricultural and cattle raising systems.
Carbon footprint
The carbon footprint indicator allows the evaluation of climate change affection of the life cycle of a product, a service, or the activities of an organisation during a full year. It is a very well-known environmental indicator that reflex the total green gas emissions to air in carbon dioxide equivalent mass units. This indicator has to be calculated following the normative: ISO 14064, ISO 14067, GHG Protocol or PAS 2050.
Create and register a footprint
Any organization or company with enough knowledge on life cycle assessment methodology can develop and environmental footprint calculation and register de corresponding Environmental Product Declaration in the EFI Program. These are the steps to follow before registration:
- Step 1: Identify to what sector the product or organization analysed belongs to.
- Step 2: Develop the LCA and the environmental impacts calculation following the correct Product Cathegory Rule. If there is not a PCR in the EFI Program or any of the other compatible Programs, Ask the EFI Technical Committee to star the developing process of the corresponding PCR. It is possible to develop an Environmental Product Declaration at the same time that the corresponding Product Category Rule is developed.
- Step 3:Develope the Environmental Product Declaration following the Product Cathegory Rule.
- Step 4:Developed an independent verification of the EPD by the Environmental Footprint Institute or any certified authorized by the Environmental footprint Institute.
- Step 5:Ask for the registration of the EPD in the Environmental Footprint Institute Program and receive the Environmental Quality Certification.
Footprints verification
The Secretariat and the Technical Committee of the Institute are in charge of qualifying individuals or entities as authorized verifiers of the Program.
The Secretariat and the Technical Committee of the Institute are in charge of qualifying individuals or entities as authorized verifiers of the Program.
If you have accredited experience in Life Cycle Assessment, or you already verify for other programs or environmental assessment standards and you want to be an official verifier of the DAP Acodea Program, contact us for a personal interview.