At the Concrete Sustainability Council (CSC), we continuously strive to ensure that our Technical Manual remains robust, accurate, and reflective of the latest industry standards. We have made several key updates and corrections based on the valuable feedback, remarks, and suggestions we receive from our stakeholders and certified plants. These updates have been carefully discussed and reviewed by our Technical Committee to ensure they meet our high standards.
These changes aim to improve the clarity and accuracy of our criteria, further enhancing the credibility and effectiveness of the CSC certification system.
Here are the detailed updates:
Updates and Corrections:
1. E5.07 Water Treatment
Correction: Water treatment is now correctly categorized as a plant criterion. The criterion type was previously incorrect.
2. E1.04 Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)
Correction: The release of EPDs at the plant level is now correctly identified as a plant criterion. The criterion type was inaccurately entered in the CSC Toolbox.
3. S2.01 Product Risks and Safety Information
Clarification: Precast producers, who do not handle hazardous mixtures, are exempt from publishing safety data sheets. This criterion is achieved by default for precast concrete products, similar to S2.01.
4. E1.03 Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)
Clarification: Companies must release at least one EPD that follows international or national standards and is third-party verified. Using generic EPDs from associations is not permitted.
5.C6 Weight Adjustment
Change: The weight of criterion C6 has been reduced from 10% to 5%.
Manual Updates:
Chapter 1.1 and Chapter 2.2: Updated images, text, and example calculations.
Weighting adjustments: Reflect updated criteria weights.
Annex:
1.Italian Adaptations
Edits and updates specific to the Italian context.
2.M2.02 Environmental Management System (EMS)
Added: Verification by a third party earns 2 points. Evidence required is an assurance report from a qualified third party.
3.E1.03/E1.04 Environmental Product Declarations
Added:
Global: ORIS (for aggregates only)
Germany: Climate Earth EPD Generator Holcim Germany (for ready-mixed concrete and cement only)
United Kingdom: Climate Earth EPD Generator Aggregate Industries UK (for aggregates only)
4.E3.04 Verification Standards
Added: Accepted verification standards now include:
ISAE 3000 (revised; limited assurance)
ISO 14064-1 in conjunction with ISO 14064-3
These updates reflect our dedication to maintaining high standards and addressing the evolving needs of our industry. By incorporating stakeholder feedback, we ensure that the CSC certification remains a trusted mark of sustainability, safety, and quality in the concrete sector.
You can find all new documents on our ressources page here