The Relevance of EPDs in the Composites Industry

Description

The composites industry is vital in transitioning to a sustainable future, with applications ranging from renewable energy infrastructure to lightweight, fuel-efficient transportation. As the demand for environmentally friendly products and transparent sustainability reporting grows, Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) have become essential for composite manufacturers to showcase their products' environmental performance and meet customer and regulatory requirements.

This event explores the crucial importance of EPDs in the composites industry, focusing on the following topics presented by our Key Speakers:

Tom Bradley - Decerna, Director

"Lifecycle Insights: Exploring the importance of EPDs and LCA in Composite Materials"

• EPD Overview: Introduction to Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) in the composites sector.
• LCA Methodology: Background of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methods.
• Interactive Session: Example EPD document reviewed interactively.

Tom Craw – Elemy Ltd, Business Manager

“The EPD Journey of a Tees Valley based company”

• Support from Decerna: Elemy collaborated with Decerna to obtain an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD).
• Process Overview: The project involved assessing materials and production methods for environmental compliance.
• Benefits Realised: The EPD will help with Elemy’s marketability and customer trust in their sustainable practices.

Ali Aghababaei - ORE Catapult, R&D Engineer

“susWIND: Innovative design and Life Cycle Assessment of wind turbine rotor blades using sustainable materials: a feasibility study”

• Eco Blade Design: SusWIND enhanced a wind turbine blade with sustainable materials.
• Impact Review: The National Composites Centre assessed environmental impact through a Life Cycle Assessment.
• Sustainability Gains: The project reduces the environmental impacts of wind energy.

Gladys Castillo - Decerna, LCA Consultant

"Circular Thinking in Composites: Exploring Recycling Methods and Their LCA Implications"

• Recycling Methods: Overview of composite recycling methods available in the UK.
• Current Processes: Discussion on existing recycling processes for composites.
• LCA Challenges: Examination of challenges in recycling composites related to Life Cycle Assessment.

Why attend:

1. Understand the critical role of composites in the sustainable economy and the importance of EPDs in demonstrating their environmental performance.
2. Learn how to leverage EPDs to meet customer demands, comply with regulations, and differentiate your products.
3. Gain insights into the latest composite recycling technologies and how to communicate their circular economy benefits through EPDs.
4. Discover best practices for developing EPDs for composite products and integrating them into your sustainability strategy.
5. Network with industry experts, sustainability professionals, and composite manufacturers.

Who should attend:

1. Composite manufacturers and product developers.
2. Sustainability and environmental managers in the composites industry.
3. Marketing and sales professionals in the composites sector.
4. Researchers and academics focused on composite materials and sustainability.
5. Customers and end-users of composite products interested in sustainability performance.

Learning outcomes:

By attending this event, you will:

1. Gain a comprehensive understanding of the importance of EPDs in the composites industry and their role in supporting sustainability goals.
2. Learn how to develop and utilise EPDs for composite products effectively.
3. Discover innovative recycling technologies for composites and how to communicate their environmental benefits through EPDs/
4. Understand the importance of considering composite products' entire life cycle impact, from raw material extraction to end-of-life, as emphasised in the LCA4CCU project.
5. Identify opportunities to leverage EPDs to meet customer demands, comply with regulations, and gain a competitive advantage in the market.
6. Connect with a network of professionals and experts in the composites and sustainability fields.

Please note: This is for organisations based in the Tees Valley area (Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Darlington, Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton-on-Tees). This event is funded by the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) Net Zero programme, funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).