The Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute (CRSI) has released an industry-wide Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for Fabricated Steel Reinforcement Bar used in reinforced concrete construction. The EPD updates CRSI’s previous EPD published in 2017 and is available for download here or on the CRSI website.
Aware of the increasing interest in transparent reporting of a product’s cradle-to-gate environmental performance, CRSI desires to demonstrate their sustainability leadership and leverage business value. To accomplish this, the Institute evaluated the environmental profile of fabricated steel reinforcing bar by conducting a cradle-to-gate Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of fabricated reinforcing steel that resulted in the new version of the CRSI EPD.
The analysis was conducted according to the UL Environment’s Product Category Rules (PCR) Part A: Life Cycle Assessment Calculation Rules and Report Requirements and Part B: Designated Steel Construction Product EPD Requirements (UL Environment, 2018; UL Environment, 2020) and covers fabricated steel reinforcing bar defined by the following standards:
- ASTM A615/A615M Standard Specification for Deformed and Plain Carbon-Steel Bars for Concrete Reinforcement
- ASTM A706/A706M Standard Specification for Deformed and Plain Low-Alloy Steel Bars for Concrete Reinforcement
Steel is the most recycled material in the world, with U.S. producers recycling more than 70 million tons of scrap each year. In reinforced concrete, the steel reinforcing bars consist of over 97% recycled material produced at U.S. mills.
About the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute
Founded in 1924, the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute (CRSI) is a technical institute and Standards Developing Organization (SDO) that stands as the authoritative resource for steel reinforced concrete construction. Among the Nation’s oldest trade associations, CRSI offers many industry-trusted technical publications, standards documents, design aids, reference materials and educational opportunities.
CRSI’s members represent over 80% of the U.S. manufacturers, fabricators and placers of steel reinforcing bar and related products with over 600 locations in 49 states, and with over 15,000 employees. Members produce, fabricate and install approximately 9 million ton of reinforcing steel per year using scrap steel in efficient manufacturing operations. It is estimated that the industry impacts over 75,000 people in steel transportation and placement in North America.
The CRSI membership also includes professionals across the country who are involved in the research, design, and construction of steel reinforced concrete. CRSI staff comprises a nationwide region network of industry professionals.
