The first Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) platform in China's rare earth industry held its inaugural launch ceremony in Beijing on April 18, unveiling four EPD reports on rare earth products.

EPD, verified by third parties and based on a life cycle assessment, scientifically discloses the environmental impact information throughout the entire life cycle of a product or service in a comparable and internationally recognized manner, providing transparency to consumers and purchasers. EPD has become an internationally recognized "green ID card".

The rare earth EPD platform was jointly established by the China Rare Earth Society, Baotou-based Baogang Group, and other upstream and downstream enterprises in the rare earth industry. Baogang Group has conducted an extensive exploration of the rare earth EPD platform in order to better promote green products, green factories, green supply chains, and the implementation of rare earth life cycle assessments.

"Once operational, this rare earth EPD platform can help promote the response of China's rare earth industry to various international carbon tax systems. It can also help to guide foreign trade decisions and foreign trade activities, while also realizing international mutual recognition," said Zhao Guoqing, executive deputy director of the platform's secretariat and director of Baogang Group's Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Center. "It can also break through trade barriers in the rare earth industry and provide support for the green development of China's rare earth industry," he added.

Currently, four products from four national rare earth enterprises, including China North Rare Earth Group High-Tech Co, have passed third-party verification and technical committee review, thus their reports have been released on the rare earth EPD platform.

The rare earth EPD platform has established a complete organizational structure and management process, gathering industry professionals and experts from rare earth enterprises, universities, and research institutions.

Academicians Gan Yong and Li Wei, of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, will serve as the chief consultant of the platform's policy guidance committee and the director of the technical committee, respectively, ensuring the platform's professionalism and authority.