On this page, we describe the steps you need to take if, as a company, you want to submit category 1 data (product-specific data) or, as an industry, category 2 data (industry-average data) of your product(s) for inclusion in the Dutch Environmental Database (NMD).
To get an environmental declaration from a product, you first have a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) carried out.
In an LCA, you measure the effects of a product on the environment in its various life phases: from raw material extraction and production to use and processing after the product's end of life. This gives you insight into the environmental impact of your products and raw materials throughout the value chain.
It is determined on the basis of 19 categories of environmental impact. These include effects related to the depletion of our resources (use of raw materials, energy, water and land) and to the emission of harmful and hazardous substances (greenhouse gases, nitrogen and toxic substances). An LCA can only be prepared by an LCA practitioner.
The outcome of an LCA is a score list of environmental impacts and is referred to as the environmental profile of the product. Because some environmental data is ‘secret’, an LCA is converted into a public summary without sensitive information and is then called an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). The LCA report is only for the producer or supplier and can be used to see where an improvement in environmental quality is feasible and meaningful.
If you choose to have your construction product included in the NMD, you can engage a recognised LCA practitioner. If you do not wish to engage a recognised LCA practitioner, you can request a login account using the form below to submit the data yourself. By completing the form, you agree to the conditions and costs.
After completing the form, the LCA practitioner can have the environmental declaration (data) included in the environmental database. A recognised LCA assessor checks the data, after which it is published in the NMD. Please note that this process takes time. Therefore, start on time.
Click on the tabs at the top of the page to read more about the steps.
1. Company or sector asks an LCA practitioner to conduct a Life Cycle Analysis(LCA)
If an LCA has not yet been formulated for your product in accordance with the Assessment Method, the first step is to have this analysis conducted by the LCA expert of your choice.
For an overview of LCA experts, see www.vlca.nl
You can find more information about the LCA on the Environmental data page
2. Company or industry registers data entry with the NMD Foundation
When you register your data, you agree with the NMD Conditions of Use and General conditions. Costs are associated with registering data in the NMD. To ensure that invoicing runs smoothly, it is important that you send your invoicing details (company name, name of contact person, telephone number and e-mail address) via the form below before entering any data. It is also important that you indicate which LCA practitioner will enter the data so we can provide the login details for the entry platform.
3. LCA practitioner enters the environmental data and LCA file in the NMD entry platform
All LCA practitioners known to the NMD have access to the online input application via which data are added to the NMD. You can find more information on the LCA practitioner page. This system is also used to make changes and these can be made by data owners’ LCA practitioners (company or sector). If the LCA practitioner does not yet have login details, we will provide these as quickly as possible after registration. The data entry is completed as soon as the data and the file are registered for verification by a recognised LCA expert.
4. Recognised LCA expert verifies the data and the report
The verification of the entered environmental data must be carried out by a Stichting NMD recognised LCA reviewer. This LCA reviewer is responsible for entering and uploading the verification report in accordance with the NMD Verification protocol. You can find more information about the content of this verification on the Verification page.
If the data do not meet the NMD Verification protocol requirements, the LCA coordinator must ensure that the LCA report and data entry are in order before resubmitting these for verification, until the data do comply.
5. Data are published in the NMD
If the entered data and the LCA file comply with the NMD Verification protocol, the recognised LCA expert then gives the green light to publish the data. The data will be available for use in the calculation tool the next day. The database is updated every 24 hours. You can find more information about the NMD content on the Database page.
Having an LCA prepared costs money. You may be eligible for the special Filling the Gaps reimbursement scheme.
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Sign up now and receive our newsletter (in Dutch) 10 times a year!
