The first verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for four generic asphalt product types used on UK highways have been published by MPA Asphalt today (19^th August 2024).

The new ‘reference’ EPDs for asphalt road materials enable effective and reliable comparisons to be made on each product’s whole life environmental performance using consistent methodologies – providing much needed clarity on sustainability indicators such as a product’s carbon footprint.

Brian Kent, Chairman of MPA Asphalt, which represents UK asphalt producers, said: “Our industry is making significant strides as we collectively work towards net zero carbon. However, a key challenge for producers, their customers and end clients has been how to accurately and dependably measure our impacts and, importantly, progress.

“MPA members are increasingly asked for published and verified EPDs relating to the supply of asphalts. But, while we have been able to generate carbon calculations and verified EPDs, the burden of doing so for numerous individual product types from specific plants on a site-specific basis incurs significant additional expenditure. The introduction and adoption of these industry EPDs will mean costs won’t be passed on, benefiting all stakeholders.

“The MPA reference EPDs can immediately be used across the asphalt sector with confidence, including for benchmarking and project scoping and especially for evaluating the ‘Cradle-to-Gate’ life cycle stages.”

The new EPDs are derived from MPA member and generic industry data, calculated using the current (2024) OneClick Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tool. They are representative of the bulk of producers and production volumes in the UK. They have been developed to enable comparisons and recognition for delivering reductions and improvements.

Director of MPA Asphalt, Malcolm Simms added: “The outputs from these EPDs will hopefully prove to be invaluable for highways projects, but this is only the start. MPA Asphalt members will soon have shared access to the online tool so that they can calculate their own EPDs to directly compare against these verified reference figures. With more user data we will also be able to further refine our calculation assumptions and embedded datasets to be even more representative. Plus, members can consistently assess and compare their own progress at site or project level using their primary data.

“Looking ahead, it also means we are well placed to adapt to expected changes to the EPD landscape, including the revision of the Construction Products Regulations. We’ll continue to work to ensure that these EPD’s offer a transparent, verified and comprehensive breakdown of our sector’s products’ total environmental footprint.”

One anticipated stage in the evolution of the MPA Asphalt EPDs will come later this year with further refinements to bitumen LCI data as part of Eurobitume’s regular review. Director General of Eurobitume, Siobhan McKelvey said: “The MPA’s reference EPD approach is an important step towards a consistent approach. But, of course, we recognise that bitumen has, along with energy for asphalt production, the largest environmental impact on the calculated embodied (cradle to gate) carbon. So, our forthcoming LCI report will also support our asphalt customers in better evaluating their environmental footprint to the required level of accuracy, and evidence the collective decarbonisation efforts across our sector.”

Brian concluded: “We have already shared this important initiative with major clients and representative bodies, including National Highways, TfL, ADEPT and LCRIG as well as various Tier 1 organisations, who have all recognised and expressed their support. We now encourage all MPA Asphalt members and their clients to get on board as well and adopt these reference EPDs at the earliest opportunity.”

Asphalt is a unique and essential material that ensures safe and efficient transport and travel around the UK’s road network. For further information contact mpaasphalt@mineralproducts.org.

Ends.

About the Mineral Products Association:
The Mineral Products Association (MPA) is the trade association for the aggregates, asphalt, cement, concrete, dimension stone, lime, mortar and industrial sand industries. With affiliation of the British Association of Reinforcement (BAR), the British Calcium Carbonate Federation, the Cement Admixtures Association (CAA), CONSTRUCT, Eurobitume, MPA Northern Ireland, MPA Scotland and the UK Quality Ash Association (UKQAA), it has a growing membership of 520 companies and is the sectoral voice for mineral products. MPA membership is made up of the vast majority of independent SME quarrying companies throughout the UK, as well as the 9 major international and global companies. It covers 100% of UK cement and lime production, 90% of GB aggregates production, 95% of asphalt and over 70% of ready-mixed concrete and precast concrete production. In 2021, the industry supplied £22 billion worth of materials and services to the Economy. It is also the largest supplier to the construction industry, which had annual output valued at £178 billion. Industry production represents the largest materials flow in the UK economy and is also one of the largest manufacturing sectors.

For media enquiries, contact Robert McIlveen at: Robert.McIlveen@mineralproducts.org