Volvo Offers First-of-its-Kind Environmental Product Declaration
25 February 1999
Volvo Offers First-of-its-Kind Environmental Product DeclarationROCKLEIGH, N.J., Feb. 24 -- No one doubts that it is important for cars to be as safe as possible, but what good are safety features if a car poisons the air we breathe and the water we drink? A new offering from Volvo provides consumers with specific information on the environmental impact of its new S80 sedan in every phase of the life cycle: design, production, use and recycling. For example, Volvo indicates the amount of energy used in the production of each car, the amount of carbon monoxide emitted through the exhaust pipe during the operation of each vehicle, and the labeling of plastics in each vehicle for easy recycling. Then, a bar graph depicts how "green" those activities can be considered. For the Volvo S80, energy use receives a score of 46, carbon monoxide emissions score 93, and plastics labeling earns a perfect score of 100. All information has been certified by Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance (LRQA), an independent organization most known for its certification process connected with international quality standard ISO 9000. The information, packaged in a consumer-friendly brochure known as the Environmental Product Declaration, is also certified by Lloyd's as the first of its kind in any industry. "Volvo expects other companies throughout the business world will realize the importance of educating its consumers, and follow suit with their own product declarations," according to Hans-Olov Olsson, President and CEO of Volvo Cars of North America. The brochure becomes available to the North American market both on-line (http://www.volvocars.com) and on paper in late March. Volvo's environmental care officially began in 1972 when the company was the first in the automotive industry to declare its commitment during the first United Nations Conference on the Environment. Since then, Volvo introduced the 3-way catalytic converter and the revolutionary Lambda Sond(R) sensor, eliminated all asbestos and harmful CFCs from vehicles, created an environmental education web site for high school science teachers (http://www.environment.volvocars.com), trained employees and earned acclaim for its efforts worldwide. Last month, Volvo entered a unique environmental education partnership with Columbia University and further initiatives are in the works.