Product Category Rules (PCR) are a set of specific criteria that establish how the environmental impact of a product within a given category should be assessed. These rules are fundamental to the preparation of a Product Environmental Declaration (PED) or Type III eco-labels, as they ensure comparability and consistency in life cycle assessments.
PCRs define aspects such as system boundaries, assessment methodologies, environmental impact categories and the specific data to be used. As they are standardised, they enable manufacturers and consumers to compare products objectively and on the basis of uniform environmental criteria.
The creation of a GCP follows a structured process involving various stakeholders, such as manufacturers, certification bodies and sustainability experts. Furthermore, they must comply with standards such as ISO 14025 and ISO 14044, which regulate the methodologies for conducting Life Cycle Assessments (LCA).
Product category rules published
Construction products
General construction products: This includes products such as concrete, masonry and structural steel. These categories are detailed in the ICC-ES Product Category Rules Directory.
UNE-EN 15804: This standard sets out the basic rules for the preparation of EPDs for construction products. It is widely used in Europe to ensure consistency in the environmental assessments of these products. Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
AFNOR GlobalEPD RCP 008: Developed by AENOR, this standard focuses on fired clay products used in construction, such as bricks and tiles. It complies with the international standards ISO 14025 and UNE-EN 15804+A2.
Food and drink
This includes products such as malt-based beer, green coffee, bakery products and bottled water. The RCPs for these products are available on the Digeca website.
Consumer electronics
For further information, please consult the EPD PCR Library Directory or the CPR Directory.