Who chose EPDItaly tells its story: Centraltubi SpA

5 Questions to Alberto Mezzanotti, Technical Office Manager Centraltubi SpA – System Group, a leading company in the polyethylene pipe market.

What are the main motivations that pushed you toward voluntary EPD certification?

With a constant commitment to the research and development of sustainable solutions, at Centraltubi we aim to reduce the environmental impact of our products, thus responding to the needs of companies that prioritize sustainability in their projects, even in building contexts where the Minimum Environmental Criteria, introduced by Ministerial Decree No. 256 of June 23, 2022 and provided for in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, are a decisive factor.

We have activated a path of analysis and reporting of the environmental footprint of products, publishing our first EPD, with the aim of representing the impacts of each pipe in the range in order to also allow designers and technicians a timely, detailed and verified analysis of the life cycle associated with the design of a Centraltubi polyethylene piping system, from cradle to grave. The new green procurement guidelines promote projects where the use of materials and construction technologies with a low environmental impact along the life cycle is envisaged, and these must be verified through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodologies in accordance with EN ISO 15804.

Which product of your company has obtained EPD? What are its main characteristics?

The first EPD was obtained by Centraltubi S.p.A. for polyethylene pipes for fuel gas distribution and includes ten products from the range of pipes for transporting methane gas, LPG and hydrogen under pressure, made by extrusion of high-density PE100 and PE100 RC polyethylene, according to the UNI EN 1555-2 standard.

The company chose to report the impact of each diameter and thickness in the range to enable all users of the document to have a clear and immediate indication of the flows of materials, energy and the potential environmental impacts at various stages of the existence of the specific pipeline included in the project.

What are the main benefits gained from publishing the Environmental Product Declaration? What are the impacts on the end consumer?

The EPD contains information on the environmental impacts at the different life stages of a specific polyethylene pipeline, from the extraction of raw materials to its transformation into the finished product, contemplating transportation, installation, waste generation to the final disposal of the pipeline at the end of its activity.

A proper reading of the EPD makes it possible to identify the type of material that provides the best environmental performance, throughout its life cycle.

For Centraltubi, the EPD is used to plan actions and interventions to reduce the impact of its production cycles, to optimize the supply chain and logistics with a sustainability-focused approach.

It is a useful tool for the design of products and systems conceived to minimize environmental impact at all stages of their existence, up to decommissioning after a hundred years of guaranteed operation.

The EPD also raises users’ awareness of conscious product management even during installation, use and until the end of its useful life, promoting established recycling techniques that can indefinitely extend the life of the polyethylene used.

Do you think EPDItaly can contribute to spreading the culture of product sustainability?

EPDItaly is recognized as the reference Program Operator for the publication of Environmental Product Declarations by the Ministerial Decree introducing the Minimum Environmental Criteria for building interventions, so it is an absolutely important partner for promoting the environmental sustainability of Centraltubi products. Many of our main customers already take the EPDItaly program as a reference. This is why we consider this partnership fruitful and successful.

In your opinion, how important is the presence of Italian sustainable products within a Program Operator that makes international networking one of its strengths?

EPD Italy belongs to the ECO Platform circuit, an association that brings together the main European Program Operators in the construction industry who must all follow the same principles and verification guidelines. This guarantees the absolute credibility of Centraltubi EPDs even to foreign operators.

Centraltubi proudly represents Made in Italy and guarantees the origin of its products as an absolute added value, and with this in mind, it was natural to choose an Italian Program Operator that can guarantee and promote their quality and environmental performance according to metrics that comply with European standards, with a clear and recognizable national root.