A ceramic tile environmental product declaration (EPD) is more useful when its product description and production evidence are clear. With EN 17160:2026 now available, manufacturers planning a declaration can use the occasion to check product coverage and prepare the inputs for life cycle assessment (LCA), which evaluates potential environmental impacts across a product’s life cycle.

Where the ceramic tile rules apply

The Polish Committee for Standardization catalogue records publication of PN-EN 17160:2026-09 on 22 September 2026. This Polish adoption is identical to EN 17160:2026 and replaces PN-EN 17160:2019-04.

The published scope covers extruded and dry-pressed ceramic tiles, mainly for interior and exterior floors and walls, including facade cladding. Its product category rules complement EN 15804:2012+A2:2019. They address life cycle stages, scenarios, inventory and impact assessment, data quality and conditions for comparability, with cradle-to-grave assessment and Module D, which reports benefits and loads beyond the system boundary.

The following preparation workflow is our practical recommendation. It is not a clause-by-clause account of changes from the previous edition.

Define the products before collecting averages

Start with a list of the tile ranges and production sites proposed for the declaration. Note differences in dimensions, thickness, composition, surface treatment and manufacturing route. Decide which differences need separate data and which might be represented within a supported group. Agree that coverage with the practitioner before relying on factory-wide averages.

Keep the declared unit visible throughout the work. If a declaration uses an area-based unit, record the corresponding mass per square metre and thickness. A customer needs that information to connect the declared results to the actual tile specification. Do not assume that two tiles with the same surface area have equivalent material quantities or performance.

Build a traceable production inventory

We recommend assembling a concise evidence pack around the following items:

  • Product quantities: record production area in m², mass in kg and the reporting period. Explain how the totals relate to the products covered.
  • Physical description: include thickness in mm and mass per unit area in kg/m² for the represented ranges.
  • Material inputs: gather records for raw materials, glazes, packaging and relevant intermediate products. Identify internal reuse separately from purchased inputs.
  • Energy and water: retain measured consumption and the basis for assigning shared processes, such as drying and firing, to products.
  • Scenarios: document assumptions for delivery, installation and end-of-life treatment, distinguishing factory evidence from modelled assumptions.

Review the figures together rather than as isolated spreadsheets. If production totals and energy records cover different periods or sites, resolve that mismatch before calculation. This practical check can prevent an apparently precise result from representing the wrong product range.

Confirm the basis for a new declaration

Ask the chosen EPD programme operator which edition and transition arrangements apply to the planned declaration. For an existing EPD, check its recorded status and applicable programme rules before deciding whether an update is needed.

When using other declarations as reference material, inspect their product descriptions, units and stated rules. The EPD search helps locate documents; comparable assessment conditions still need review. For publication enquiries, contact EPD Portal.

Frequently asked questions

Does EN 17160 cover every ceramic product?
Its published scope concerns extruded and dry-pressed ceramic tiles. Check the relevant rules separately for other ceramic construction products.
Does publication of the new edition cancel an existing EPD?
The edition date alone does not establish that. Confirm the declaration’s status and the programme operator’s transition arrangements.
Are product thickness and mass useful to customers?
Yes. They help customers identify the represented tile and convert its declared unit to the quantities in a project.