January 11, 2023

Saint-Gobain Abrasive Grains releases its first Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)

Saint-Gobain Abrasive Grains, as a leader in designing, manufacturing and distributing ceramic abrasive materials, is committed towards sustainability and has been involved since 2021 in a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) strategy. Our objective is to assess all our products before 2025 and look for a better understanding of the environmental impact of our abrasive grains when they are used by our customers, as recently communicated in a third-party validated study.
We are now proud to share our first Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for our AZ25 grains, in line with our sustainability roadmap, structured around 4 pillars: 

  • Giving the impulse ​to lower our environmental footprint
  • Co-developing performing ​and sustainable ​products​
  • Nurturing ethical and trustful partnerships
  • Driving a positive workplace with shared values
Saint-Gobain Abrasive Grains is a pioneering leader in sustainability initiatives worldwide. The completion of our first Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a significant accomplishment for our business, as it aligns with our goal of making the industrial sector more sustainable.
Alumina zirconia abrasive grains with EPD verified logo

What is an LCA and EPD? 

A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a comprehensive method for evaluating the environmental effects of a product over its entire life cycle, adhering to the international standards ISO 14040 and 14044. An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a publicly available, standardized, and independently verified report that presents the results of an LCA. EPDs conform to the international standard ISO 14025.

What about AZ25 abrasive grains’ EPD ? 

AZ25 is a ceramic grain produced by electro-fusion of alumina and zirconia materials.  
The AZ25 EPD includes: 

  • Cradle-to-gate analysis: A cradle-to-gate analysis considers the environmental impact from the extraction of raw materials to the manufacturing stage. Since our products are intermediate goods that are utilized by numerous customers, a cradle-to-grave analysis primarily depends on downstream processing. Without specific data from the final stages of the supply chain, it is not currently feasible to make accurate assumptions.
  • Multi indicators: CO2 emissions, energy consumption, water consumption, air pollution, etc.
  • Third party verification: we are compliant with ISO 14040,14044,14025
  • Publishing on Environdec

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