FAQ ABOUT PCR DEVELOPMENT

DATE 2016-10-18

FAQ ABOUT PRODUCT CATEGORY RULES (PCR) AND

PCR DEVELOPMENT

1 INTRODUCTION
This document aims to answer some of the most common questions about Product Category Rules (PCR) and the

process to develop PCRs in the International EPD System.
The International EPD System (www.environdec.com) offers a programme for companies and other organisations to
declare the life-cycle environmental impact of their products based on the international standards for environmental
declarations (ISO 14025), life cycle assessment (ISO 14040/14044), EN 15804 (for construction products) and other
relevant standards.
If you have any further questions, not answered by this document, please contact the Secretariat at
pcr@environdec.com.

2 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

2.1 WHAT IS A PCR?

Product Category Rules (PCR) is a document that set up the calculation rules and format of the declaration of a type III
environmental declaration, often referred to as an EPD (Environmental Product Declaration).
PCRs are developed in the framework of a programme operating in accordance with ISO 14025, such as the

International EPD System (www.environdec.com).

2.2 WHO PREPARES THE PCR DOCUMENTS?

In the International EPD System, PCR documents shall be developed with the intention of publishing and enabling
publication of EPDs. The development shall be done in an internationally-accepted manner based on an open,
transparent and participatory process either by:
companies and organisations in co-operation with other parties, such as trade associations and interest
organisations,
institutions involving LCA/EPD experts in close cooperation with companies or trade associations and interest
organisations, or by
single companies or organisations in case they have the necessary in-house competence or choose to engage
outside LCA/EPD experts.
The overall management of the PCR development is the responsibility of the programme operator. The programme
operator also maintains the copyright of the document to ensure that it is possible to publish, update when necessary

and available to all companies to use to develop and register EPDs in the International EPD System. Participants in
PCR development are acknowledged in the document and on the website.

2.3 WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE FOR APPROVING PCR DOCUMENTS?

Prior to the final publication of PCR documents, they shall be subject for an open consultation procedure giving
stakeholders an opportunity to be informed about, to influence and to comment on the draft document.
The open consultation procedure can either be performed via the PCR Forum or have the form of a meeting, which
shall be arranged by the party/parties responsible for preparing the proposal for PCR. If the consultation is carried out
via the PCR Forum, a special Product Category Stakeholder Consultation Groups are formed and invited to comment
on the PCR proposal.
After consultation, the PCR Moderator and PCR Committee is responsible for the finalisation of the PCR proposal
taken into due consideration to the comments received during the open consultation procedure. A report shall be
FAQ ABOUT PCR DEVELOPMENT
DATE 2016-10-18

FAQ ABOUT PRODUCT CATEGORY RULES (PCR) AND PCR DEVELOPMENT

prepared including a short description of the open consultation process carried out, the parties participating in the
consultation, the main comments received and how these have been handled. In case certain comments have not
been considered, this has to be justified. Based on this report and the updated draft PCR, the Technical Committee will
review and formally approve the PCR document prior to publication.
The approval and publication phase normally takes about four to six weeks from the submission of a final draft by the
PCR Moderator to the Secretariat. This may be longer if there are significant review comments on the draft.

2.4 WHAT IS THE VALIDITY OF THE PCR DOCUMENTS?

A PCR document is valid for a pre-determined period of time, normally three to five years. When the PCR has expired,
the document must be updated before being used to produce new EPDs or to register an update of an existing EPD
with a prolonged validity.

2.5 HOW TO FIND EXISTING PCR DOCUMENTS?

The International EPD System provides a searchable database of available PCR documents within the framework of
the system including those under preparation, approved or subject for review and update. The PCR database is meant
to provide an overview of all available PCR documents and it is available in the PCR section of this website.
When starting up PCR development, it is important to also search for available PCR documents also in other

ISO 14025 compliant environmental declaration programmes. The International EPD System maintains the following
page to simplify this process: http://environdec.com/en/PCR/Global-PCR-harmonization/

2.6 HOW TO COMMENT ON EXISTING PCR DOCUMENTS?

An important element of the International EPD System is to enable all interested parties the possibility to comment on
all phases of the PCR development - during preparation, the consultation phase, well as under the review and update
of the documents.
Comments on PCRs may be given in the PCR Forum on this website (accessible on the page of each PCR) or sent
directly to the PCR Moderator.

2.7 WHERE CAN I FIND THE PCR TEMPLATE?

The PCR Basic Modules are intended to act as starting points and templates for PCR development. PCR Basic
Modules are available through the EPD Search, and are classified according to the two-digit level of the UN CPC
classification.
As an example, the PCR Basic Module for UN CPC division 22 (Dairy products and egg products) act as a template for
all groups (three digit), classes (four digit) and sub-classes (five digit) starting with 22 such as:
Group 222 Other dairy products
o Class 2225 Cheese, fresh or processed
Sub-class 22251 Cheese from milk of cattle, fresh or processed

2.8 WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PCR AND AN LCA GUIDANCE

DOCUMENT?
There is currently some market confusion regarding the difference between PCRs and LCA Guides as many LCA
consultants and industry associations are new to the world of environmental declarations.
Product Category Rules (PCR) define the calculation rules for life cycle assessment (LCA) and the declaration format
of a Type III Environmental Declaration based on this LCA study and additional information. A PCR is developed in the
auspices of a programme operator - as required in ISO 14025 according to the operator's publically-available PCR

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FAQ ABOUT PCR DEVELOPMENT
DATE 2016-10-18

FAQ ABOUT PRODUCT CATEGORY RULES (PCR) AND PCR DEVELOPMENT

process described in the General Programme Instructions. The International EPD System is one such programme
and publishes its PCR library and all PCRs under development at www.environdec.com.
An LCA Guidance document that provides calculation rules for LCA regardless of purpose of the study and without the
involvement of a programme operator is not a PCR. If such a document is developed by an industry association or
other stakeholders, it may provide input to PCR development, but it cannot be used directly as a PCR. LCA studies
performed based on such an LCA guidance documents are not type III environmental declarations (EPDs).

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FAQ ABOUT PCR DEVELOPMENT
DATE 2016-10-18

FAQ ABOUT PRODUCT CATEGORY RULES (PCR) AND PCR DEVELOPMENT

2016 THE INTERNATIONAL EPD SYSTEM

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