W. CONSHOHOCKEN, PA - ASTM International has a new initiative, Program Operator for Product Category Rules (PCRs) and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), which will provide a platform for developing PCRs and verifying EPDs.

As green and sustainability become more prevalent terms, and measurement systems and labels more common, the need is growing to understand the real environmental impact of products, from raw material extraction to disposal and recycling. The program will provide quantifiable information about product parameters such as resource consumption and ozone depletion.

PCRs will detail rules and guidelines for developing environmental declarations for products that can fulfill equivalent functions. EPDs will be verified to ensure their adherence to the ISO 14040 standards as well as to ensure that lifecycle assessment data accurately describes the environmental aspects of a product.

Inquiries about developing new PCRs and verifying EPDs are welcome. Contact ASTM's Certification and Declarations Department at cert@astm.org or visit www.astm.org/EPDs for more information about the program.