Opening sustainable salvo a success  

• Environmental declaration by large marine accessories producer
• Part of wider strategy to raise awareness of sustainable production

Vicinay Cadenas is the first company in the mooring sector to apply for an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for one of its products. The goal was to work out systematic ways to improve the company's sustainable production processes. Prior to registering the EPD, the Spanish headquartered company worked out a baseline for its environmental impact.

Vicinay Cadenas monitored the entire life cycle of its mooring chains. Special emphasis was put on the in-house production phase, over which the company has greater control than it does for supplier activities. The EPD monitoring and sensitivity analysis centred around the quantity and toxicity of the materials and processes used in its production.

Most of the environmental impact, it was discovered, stems from the chemical composition, tests for quality control, delivery method (dimensional requirements and packaging) and mechanical characteristics. There are no relevant environmental implications in the design of the product as only one material, steel alloy, is used. All of the steel used is obtained from recycled material.

Key results

The EPD forms part of the management’s strategic objective to strengthen its commitment to sustainability and raise public awareness about environmental impacts in the sector. Results primarily come from efforts towards sustainable consumption, minimisation of waste generation, respect for the environment and green thinking throughout the whole organisation.