Bilbao has become the first port in the world to obtain an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) based on a Life Cycle Assessment of its port services. The EPD International certificate is the result of collaboration among some fifty companies from the Bilbao port community—representing a wide range of sectors and handling various types of traffic and/or services—and documents the environmental impacts of the port's activities. It was developed with the advice of the research and technological development center Tecnalia.
The Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a type III eco-label, which consists of a document that provides information on the environmental impact of the life cycle of a product, process or service.
This information is compiled following a guide that specifies product category rules (PCR). One of the best-known programs for EPDs, which is the one the Port has implemented, is "The International EPD System," with more than 650 EPDs distributed across 32 countries.
The analysis is based on a mass and energy balance of the system under study. Through this, the relevant inputs and outputs are identified to assess its environmental impact.
The study began in 2016, using data from the entire 2015 fiscal year. The complexity of the project and the large amount of data analyzed meant that the study was completed in 2018 and the certificate was awarded in 2019.
The study included the following processes identified in the PCR: fuel production; raw materials; auxiliary materials; used water; construction of the port and of buildings, warehouses and lighthouses; dredging; maintenance of machinery, buildings and vehicles; fuel consumption in machinery and boilers; electricity consumption; transport of personnel; or collection and treatment of waste.
The conclusions established are that:
- Construction materials have the most significant impact.
- The impact of fuels is also significant in certain impact categories.
- Electricity is the process that contributes most to the overall impact.
- Certain emissions due to fuel consumption (CO2, NOX, the latter in particular) are important in certain categories.
- MARPOL V waste and hydrocarbon sludge are the most relevant environmental aspects.
With this diagnosed and controlled impact across all areas, the Port of Bilbao, in general, now has a tool to detect areas for improvement and, consequently, adopt measures that can reduce the environmental impact.
In this regard, and with respect to the Port Authority of Bilbao itself, this entity contributes to reducing the impact with measures to improve its services, such as:
- The renewal of the vehicle fleet so that they are powered by alternative fuels.
- Setting as its goal that the electricity it uses is from 100% renewable sources.
- Acting as a driving force to encourage other companies in the port to join these types of initiatives, through, among other things, agreements on good practices.
- Participating, as before, in European projects that promote the use of cleaner fuels for ships (biofuels, LNG, etc.)
- Improving air quality assessment and control systems.
- Moving forward with the project undertaken together with URA and the Water Consortium to minimize the Port's discharge points into the sea.
- Using 85% recycled construction materials and steelmaking aggregates in the construction of new docks.
