PCR Development
Product Category Rules (PCR) are documents that provide rules, requirements, and guidelines for developing an EPD for a specific product category. They are used as complements to the programme instructions, e.g. in terms of calculation rules, scenarios, and EPD contents.
A PCR should enable different practitioners using the PCR to generate consistent results when assessing products of the same product category. About 100 PCR are already available in the PCR library. A new PCR may be developed if there is none for a product category.
The PCR development shall be done in an internationally-accepted manner based on an open, transparent, and participatory process either by:
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Companies and organisations in co-operation with other parties, such as trade associations and interest organisations,
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Institutions involving LCA/EPD experts in close cooperation with companies or trade associations and interest organisations, or by
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Single companies or organisations in the event they have the necessary in-house competence or choose to engage outside LCA/EPD experts.
Reasonable efforts should be made to achieve consensus throughout the process.
Developing a PCR is a procedure consisting of the following phases:
After publication, a PCR may be updated and later de-registered if expired and no longer relevant. Detailed information about how to develop a PCR document in the International EPD System is given in the General Programme Instructions.