Mitsubishi Takes Lead With Issuing Of PTDs For ALPOLIC® MCM
Chesapeake, VA – Mitsubishi Plastics Composites America Inc. has announced the availability of downloadable Product Transparency Declarations (PTDs) for its polyethylene and fire-resistive-cored ALPOLIC® metal composite materials (MCM).
ALPOLIC® MCM Product Transparency Declarations (PTDs) now available for download at http://alpolic-americas.com/en/company/sustainable-architecture.
“Only in the last few years has our industry begun to move definitively toward creating uniform standards for building materials,” notes the company in a press release about the new PTDs. “Today’s industry-wide standards include the MCM Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) introduced in 2011 by the Metal Construction Association (MCA), and the Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) developed by MCA in collaboration with UL and introduced in 2013. While EPDs and LCAs provide general environmental information they do not provide detailed information about the manufacturing processes, ingredients, life cycle and health impacts of building materials. That’s why we developed our Product Transparency Declarations (PTDs) – an industry first with a strong potential to become the next new industry standard."
The advantage of PTDs, Mitsubishi contends, is that they provide transparency for specific products, not just typical industry practices. PTDs provide a standard template that lists:
• The material and manufacturer, including full contact information,
• Product ingredients in order of percentage by weight,
• Whether or not each ingredient is listed by:
- The Impact Assessment Research Centre
- The National Toxicology Program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- The California Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm
- The EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) list of substances of very high concern
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Toxic Release Inventory Program for persistent bioaccumulative toxic chemicals
• Any health hazard warnings required under the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard or California Proposition 65,
• Compliance with emission/content standards for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) under a variety of California rules governing architectural material ingredients,
• Pre- and post-consumer recycled content,
• Additional sustainability and environmental certifications for the product.
PTDs contain the information architects and project owners need to make an informed decision about the products they choose and their potential impact on building inhabitants and the environment. Full disclosure also provides an incentive for the building products industry to move toward healthier, more sustainable processes and products.
“We’re currently participating on a committee working to formalize PTDs as an industry standard governed by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Until that goal becomes a reality, we’re offering PTDs as a voluntary disclosure for our most popular metal composite materials,” states the company.
The following PTDs are currently available for direct download.
ALPOLIC®/fr 4/6mm fire retardant ACM with 10/20/30 year exterior stock colors
ALPOLIC® PE 3mm polyethylene core ACM with 10/20/30 year exterior stock colors
ALPOLIC® PE 4/6mm polyethylene core ACM with 10/20/30 year exterior stock colors
Also available for download is the company’s Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for metal composite materials as manufactured and used across the building materials industry in North America. This industry-wide EPD was prepared by MCA in accordance with ISO 14025 and provides a wealth of information on the performance standards and “cradle to gate” life cycle impacts of MCM panels.
“These are just a few of the many technical resources we provide on our website to help you make the best product and finish choices for your unique project,” the press release continues. “We’re proud to offer the industry’s first product-specific PTDs, and to help move the entire industry toward full disclosure as a standard practice. And, we’re proud to be demonstrating our commitment to the health and safety of our communities and the future of our planet with virtually everything we do.”
About Mitsubishi Chemical America - ALPOLIC Division
ALPOLIC® Metal Composite Materials (MCM) have been manufactured since 1991 at Mitsubishi Chemical America’s Chesapeake, VA location. Part of the Mitsubishi Chemical Group’s vast array of products and services, ALPOLIC® MCM is among the most versatile and useful architectural materials available, and the company's manufacturing, distribution and support capabilities extend worldwide. ALPOLIC® offers the rigidity of heavy-gauge architectural metals in a lightweight composite material, with a standard polyethylene or fire-resistant core available in an unmatched selection of colors and finishes. For more information about ALPOLIC® visit www.ALPOLIC-Americas.com or call 800-422-7270.
