Sustainability certification for fibre materials in construction

Anyone applying fibre reinforcement in a tender or sustainability report will encounter various forms of certification and substantiation. This article gives an overview of the main certifications and declarations relevant to the purchasing and application of fibre materials.

ATG approval (attestation with product certificate)

For steel fibres and other reinforcement fibres, an ATG approval (attestation with product certificate) is an important quality safeguard. This approval guarantees that the delivered fibre meets the specified technical specifications (tensile strength, dimensions, bond behaviour), which is essential for structural applications where the fibre's performance is factored into a strength calculation.

Environmental declarations and the National Environmental Database (NMD)

For the environmental performance of construction materials — including fibre reinforced concrete and asphalt mixtures — the National Environmental Database (NMD) is the Dutch standard. Products can be included in it with an environmental declaration (EPD, Environmental Product Declaration), divided into categories that indicate the degree of independent verification. A category 1 environmental declaration, based on a brand-specific, independently verified life cycle analysis, offers the highest degree of certainty and is directly usable in MPG calculations (MPG: Environmental Performance of Buildings, the Dutch statutory environmental score).

For asphalt, the PCR Asphalt guideline specifically applies (with the 2026 version as the most recent update) as the product category rule within this system, which sets out how environmental profiles of asphalt mixtures — including fibre reinforced variants — must be calculated.

EPDs for fibre materials themselves

Besides an environmental declaration for the end product (the asphalt or concrete mixture), it is relevant to also have insight into the environmental impact of the fibre itself. Manufacturers of fibre materials are therefore encouraged to develop Environmental Product Declarations that document the production impact of their fibre — a step that is essential to facilitate market access for new fibre types.

Quality assurance at the concrete plant

Besides product certification of the fibre itself, the way in which a concrete plant or asphalt plant processes the fibre is relevant to the final quality. Homogeneous distribution, correct dosage and no balling during mixing are practical aspects that are not laid down in a product certificate, but are decisive for the end result — which is why the experience and reference projects of the processing party are at least as important as the certificate of the fibre itself.

Normative substantiation: fib Bulletin 105

For fibre reinforced concrete in (semi-)structural applications, fib Bulletin 105 (see our in-depth article on this) provides the internationally recognised normative basis on which design choices can be founded — relevant for structural engineers who need approval from supervisory bodies.

What should you best request from your supplier?

• ATG approval (or equivalent) for steel fibres in structural applications.

• EPD or environmental declaration of both the final mixture and, if available, the fibre itself.

• Reference projects in which the relevant fibre has previously been successfully processed by the asphalt or concrete plant.

• Substantiation in accordance with the applicable PCR (for asphalt) for environmental performance claims.

In conclusion

Sustainability certification of fibre materials consists of a combination of product certification (such as ATG approval), environmental declarations within the NMD, and normative substantiation such as fib Bulletin 105. For a well-founded choice, it is wise to request all these aspects from your supplier, rather than relying on a single certification mark.