JFE Steel Corporation announced today that it has acquired EcoLeaf, the Japan EPD Program by SuMPO, from the Sustainable Management Promotion Organization (SuMPO) in Japan for three products: tinplate, JFE Universal Brite (laminated steel sheet) and tin-free steel. This marks the first time that JFE Steel has acquired the EcoLeaf or any product.

EcoLeaf is a Type III environmental labeling system created in Japan for disclosing environmental information about products across all stages using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. The system enables customers to quantitatively and objectively evaluate the environmental impact of products based on manufacturer data that has been confirmed fairly and reliably through third-party examinations and verifications.

Data visualization enabled by EcoLeaf will increase the transparency of environmental impact of JFE products. JFE Steel’s tinplate, laminated steel sheets, tin-free steel sheets, including those for beverage and food cans, are essential materials that support everyday life in diverse settings. Moreover, they offer excellent recyclability of as high as 94% for steel cans,^* allowing their steel material to be reused over and over in other products. In addition, the per-unit environmental impact of steel in manufacturing is extremely lower than that of other materials ^**, and thus steel is an essential material for the realization of a sustainable society. Moving forward, JFE Steel intends to utilize EcoLeaf certification of its various products to promote global environmental conservation initiatives by customers as well as to strengthen transparent communications with customers.

^*According to figures published by the Japan Steel Can Recycling Association in FY2020
^**According to JFE GROUP CSR REPORT 2021

In May 2021, parent company JFE introduced its JFE Group Environmental Vision for 2050. As part of a broad-based initiative to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, the group is actively expanding its initiatives to reduce CO₂ emissions through more eco-friendly products. JFE Steel, in addition to reducing its own direct CO₂ emissions, is committed to contributing to a more sustainable world by supplying high-quality, eco-friendly steel products.

EcoLeaf, the Japan EPD Program by SuMPO
https://ecoleaf-label.jp/english/
(Supplementary information about the Japan EPD Program by SuMPO)

EcoLeaf is a Type III environmental product declaration (EPD¹) managed by the Sustainable Management Promotion Organization (SuMPO). It is used for quantitative disclosure of the environmental impact of products and services over their entire life cycles, from raw material procurement to disposal and recycling. The EcoLeaf label complies with the ISO 14025:2006 standard (Environmental labels and declarations – Type III environmental declarations – Principles and procedures). For more on the Sustainable Management Promotion Organization, Environmental Label Program, see https://ecoleaf-label.jp/english/

To support the EcoLeaf environmental labeling program, the Japan Iron and Steel Federation developed the Product Category Rule (PCR¹) for calculating the environmental impact of products, for which it received authorization in August 2019. The PCR complies with the ISO 20915 and JIS Q 20915 standards, both of which account for recycling capacity when determining the quantitative environmental impact of steel products. Based on this rationale, JFE Steel will now use EcoLeaf labeling to disclose the detailed environmental impact of its products. For more, see the following Japan Iron and Steel Federation press release on the formulation of the Product Category Rule for calculating environmental impact:
https://www.jisf.or.jp/news/topics/190822.html (Japanese only).

¹ A basic rule pertaining to the methods for calculating and disclosing environmental impact values for each product type with respect to the EPD and EcoLeaf label. Regarding steel products, a PCR for screw-joint rebar was developed in 2018 and in August of that year it was expanded to all steel products. A similar PCR conforming to JIS Q 20915 also has been formulated.

About JFE Steel Corporation

JFE Steel Corporation, one of the world’s leading integrated steel producers, was established through the consolidation of NKK Corporation and Kawasaki Steel Corporation in 2003. The company operates several steelworks in Japan and numerous branch offices and affiliates throughout the world. JFE Steel leverages world-class technologies and know-how to produce a wide range of products based on its “Only One, Number One” strategy of focusing on unique and best-in-class products. The company reported consolidated sales of 2,255 billion yen and consolidated crude steel output of 23.96 million tons in the fiscal year ended March 2021.

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