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EPDM has been used for premium level underhood soft parts (belts, hoses, gaskets) since the late 1960s. The application is nearly 50 years ongoing. Some economy hoses & belts (mfd in China, Korea, Mexico, Brazil) a few OEMs may still use Neoprene compounds, but most do not.
By the way, EPDM, vinyl, Neoprene, et. al., are classes or brand names of polymer compounds. There are different characteristics depending on the exact blend and manufacturing process.
To answer the original question, the same part (belt) in a different application (pulley radius, reverse bends) may have different lifespans and replacement recommendation.
Failure charts prove that age is still a huge factor. 5-6 years replacement of all cooling hoses and belts regardless of kilometers/mileage, unless the manufacturer states less, is a good rule to ensure unlikely failure. A 4 year schedule lowers it to nearly zero. Plastic coolant expansion tanks, tees, heater valves, and radiators should be replaced on 8-10 year intervals or sooner. Unfortunately, sudden coolant loss on a partial aluminum engine means almost certain cylinder head distortion and/or gasket damage.
If you are already doing a repair that involves removing coolant, belts or hoses on the early side of good replacement times, consider adding its cost to the job at hand and saving yourself from the second pass.
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