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Using life cycle thinking to analyze environmental labeling: the case of appearance wood products

  • WOOD AND OTHER RENEWABLE RESOURCES
  • Published:
The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Growing public concern about the current state of our planet led to the creation of numerous regulations, standards, and certifications for the protection of humans and the environment. Ecolabels were defined for products such as cleaning products, paints, and many others. Wood building products are no exception. The objective of this study is to analyze the existing ecolabelling programs for appearance wood products in nonresidential applications and to evaluate them relatively to their effective role in environment protection or reduction of environment footprint.

Methods

The research was conducted on the most common International Organization for Standardization (ISO) type I ecolabels in North America, the European Union, and Japan. Certification schemes applicable to appearance wood products for nonresidential applications were considered. In a life cycle assessment perspective, certification criteria were compared regarding their ability to consider and integrate environment impacts.

Results and discussion

A wide range of ecolabels can apply to appearance wood products, from indoor air quality to wood from sustainable forest management. Moreover, it has been found that among all certification schemes studied, those integrating the whole life cycle were the most relevant.

Conclusions

The remaining limitation of ISO type I ecolabels is the lack of environmental information enabling the differentiation between products bearing the same ecolabel. This can be overcome by ISO type III environmental product declarations. Thus, allowing a better understanding of the implications related with the use of wood products compared to other materials in the nonresidential building sector.

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Notes

  1. The California Air Resources Board has been created in 1967 and the Airborne Toxic Control Measure for composite wood products has been approved in April 2008.

  2. The Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as, the Washington Convention (1975).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Wood Sciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada

    Aline Cobut

  2. Faculté de Foresterie, de Géomatique et de Géographie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada

    Robert Beauregard

  3. Department of Secondary Manufacturing, FPInnovations, Québec, QC, G1P 4R4, Canada

    Pierre Blanchet

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  1. Aline Cobut
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  3. Pierre Blanchet
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Correspondence to Pierre Blanchet.

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Cobut, A., Beauregard, R. & Blanchet, P. Using life cycle thinking to analyze environmental labeling: the case of appearance wood products. Int J Life Cycle Assess 18, 722–742 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-012-0505-9

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