Pultron gains EPD for Fibreglass Infrastructure Solutions
A significant milestone has been reached with the publication of our Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for Mateenbar™ Fibreglass Rebars, Dowels, Rockbolts and Form Ties – marking a major step forward in validating sustainable infrastructure materials.
What is an Environmental Product Declaration?
An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is essentially a "nutrition label" for construction materials. It provides scientifically verified information about the environmental impact of the manufacturing of a product, from raw material extraction, transport, through manufacturing up to the point at which it leaves the factory. Our EPD follows the rigorous ISO 14025 and EN 15804 standards, ensuring complete transparency and credibility.
For infrastructure in marine environments, de-icing salt exposure, or chemical processing facilities, GFRP's corrosion resistance delivers both performance and environmental benefits that traditional materials simply cannot match.
EPDs undergo independent third-party verification, making them the gold standard for environmental reporting in the construction industry. Our EPD was performed by EPD Australia Ltd (the regional programme operator of EPD International) and verified by Dr. Hüdai Kara from Metsims Sustainability Consulting, and is valid until June 17, 2030.
The Journey to EPD Certification
Obtaining an EPD is no small undertaking. The process typically takes 6-12 months and involves comprehensive data collection, life cycle assessment (LCA) modelling, and rigorous third-party verification. For Pultron, this meant analysing every aspect of our manufacturing process at our Gisborne facility, from the fibreglass roving and resin inputs to our pultrusion process, product finishing processes, covering energy consumption, water use, and even includes packaging materials.
The assessment covered our complete product range including Mateenbar™ GFRP rebars (46 GPa and 60 GPa variants), Greenbar2X® series, rockbolts, soil nails, form tie rods, and dowels – all manufactured using the same pultrusion process.
Providing Value for Governments, Engineers, and Asset Owners
For government bodies and infrastructure planners, EPDs provide the verified environmental data needed to meet increasingly stringent sustainability requirements and climate commitments. Our EPD shows a low global warming potential of 2.48 kg CO₂ equivalent per kilogram of product – critical data for carbon accounting in major projects.
Engineers benefit from having comprehensive environmental data alongside technical specifications, enabling truly informed design decisions. With our products meeting standards including ASTM D7957, ASTM D8505, AS 5204:2023, engineers can now balance performance requirements with environmental responsibility.
Asset owners gain confidence knowing their infrastructure investments support long-term sustainability goals while delivering the corrosion resistance and 100-year design life that GFRP solutions provide. This is particularly valuable for marine, coastal, and chemically aggressive environments where traditional steel reinforcement fails prematurely.
The Environmental Advantage of GFRP Over Traditional Steel
The true environmental value of GFRP becomes clear when pushing beyond the boundaries of the EPD criteria and considering the complete asset lifecycle. Whilst traditional steel reinforcement may also appear to have low upfront environmental impact, it requires replacement every 20-30 years in aggressive environments due to corrosion-induced concrete spalling. Our GFRP products are designed for 100-year service life, eliminating these costly and carbon-intensive replacement cycles.
This durability translates into substantial environmental savings over time. Each avoided maintenance intervention prevents additional concrete removal, steel production, transportation, and construction activities.
For infrastructure in marine environments, de-icing salt exposure, or chemical processing facilities, GFRP's corrosion resistance delivers both performance and environmental benefits that traditional materials simply cannot match. The avoided carbon emissions from eliminated maintenance cycles often outweigh any initial differences in production impact.
Most importantly, there is a significant reduction in carbon impact from the manufacture of cement for concrete if the lifespan of the structure is three or four times longer than it may otherwise have been.
The Lightweight Advantage of GFRP Rebar
Mateenbar GFRP rebar is notable for being just one-quarter the weight of steel, delivering a substantial advantage in terms of transport. It also makes onsite handling easier. Contractors can move and position GFRP with ease, enabling faster installation and reducing the need for forklifts, cranes, or heavy lifting equipment, all of which typically burn fossil fuels.
Derek Watson from Richie Civil worked with Mateenbar™ on the Eastland Port upgrade and said, “the difference between handling steel bar versus Mateenbar is like chalk and cheese, one person can pick up and lay a 9m, 25mm diameter bar. How good is that!"
Leading Sustainable Infrastructure with GFRP Technology
Our EPD certification demonstrates that high-performance infrastructure materials and environmental responsibility aren't mutually exclusive. As the construction industry evolves toward materials that demand both excellent performance and environmental accountability, our GFRP solutions provide a proven path forward.
With verified environmental credentials now backing our technical performance, professionals have the comprehensive information required to make decisions that support both structural integrity and sustainability goals.
At Pultron, we remain committed to ensuring engineers and project professionals have access to the most comprehensive and reliable data available to make truly informed decisions for their projects. GFRP Composites are the future for longer lasting infrastructure.
Contact Us
To learn more about our infrastructure solutions range or to view our EPD, reach out to our team.