Why packaging EPDs vary by material

Packaging spans materials as different as corrugated cardboard, flexible plastic film, and molded pulp — each manufactured through an unrelated process and, where a PCR exists at all, typically covered by its own document rather than a single generic "packaging" standard. Corrugated cardboard is the most established category, with a PCR that's been in active use for over a decade through the International EPD System.

Key materials typically covered

"Packaging" EPDs span several distinct material types, generally declared separately:

  • Corrugated cardboard and paperboard — the most widely declared packaging material, under a dedicated PCR
  • Protective and flexible plastic packaging — film, wrap, and related products
  • Packaging bags — a distinct product definition from flexible film in general
  • Molded pulp — a smaller but growing category, especially for protective packaging

Key standards and PCRs

The International EPD System's PCR 2013:07, Corrugated paper and paperboard, is the most established packaging PCR and has been in active use for over a decade. Other packaging material types — flexible plastic film, packaging bags, molded pulp — are covered by separate, less standardized PCRs, often facilitated by NSF International or other general-purpose program operators rather than a dedicated packaging body.

Top EPD program operators for Packaging

Packaging EPDs concentrate around a smaller set of operators than construction categories:

  • EPD International (the International EPD System) — hosts the dedicated PCR for corrugated paper and paperboard and verifies EPDs built against it
  • NSF International — also active for other packaging material types
  • Regional systems such as EPD-Global and Germany's Institut Bauen und Umwelt (IBU) publish some packaging-adjacent EPDs, though packaging is not their primary focus

Notable producers of Packaging

Major packaging suppliers — particularly in corrugated cardboard — have published EPDs increasingly in response to retail and e-commerce customers' Scope 3 emissions reporting needs. Coverage varies significantly by material type and region; check a specific supplier's own published EPDs rather than assuming coverage.

Sample EPDs for Packaging

To see what an actual packaging EPD looks like, the International EPD System's public library publishes full documents — for example, Sada Packaging's EPD for corrugated cardboard packaging produced at its Italian facilities, searchable by EPD number.

How to Get a Packaging EPD: Step-by-Step

Getting an EPD for a corrugated or other packaging product follows the same core process as any other product: choosing the applicable PCR (the International EPD System's corrugated paperboard PCR, or another packaging-specific one), collecting primary production data, building the LCA, and having it independently verified before publication. See How to Get an EPD: Step-by-Step for the full process.

Frequently asked questions

Why isn't packaging covered by the same registries as construction products?

Packaging isn't a construction material, so it's more commonly declared through the International EPD System's own PCR catalog or NSF's broader product listings rather than the construction-specific PCR catalogs used elsewhere in this directory.

Is corrugated cardboard the only packaging material with a dedicated PCR?

No, but it's among the most established — the International EPD System's PCR for corrugated paper and paperboard has been in active use for over a decade. Other materials, like flexible plastic film and molded pulp, are covered by separate, less standardized PCRs.

Does recycled fiber content change a corrugated packaging EPD?

Yes — virgin versus recycled fiber content is a major factor disclosed in a corrugated packaging EPD, similar to how recycled content is disclosed for other material categories on this site.

Who verifies packaging EPDs?

EPD International (the International EPD System) verifies EPDs built against its corrugated paperboard PCR; other packaging material types are verified by NSF International and other operators depending on the specific product.

Is a product's own packaging included in its EPD?

Not automatically — packaging is typically excluded from a construction product's own EPD system boundary unless explicitly stated, so check the specific EPD's scope section rather than assuming packaging impacts are included.

Where can I see an example of a real packaging EPD?

Public EPD registries such as the International EPD System publish full packaging EPD documents — see Sample EPDs below for a specific example.

Sources

  • International EPD System, PCR 2013:07, Corrugated paper and paperboard
  • ISO 14025:2006, Environmental labels and declarations — Type III environmental declarations — Principles and procedures