Guidelines for the use of Product Category Rules (PCRs) by Eligible Program Operators developed by Non-Eligible Program Operators

PUBLIC NOTICE PRO-NT-118 Issued: 2015-4-28, Revision: 0

References PRO-NT-117: Rules Governing the Use/Misuse of the ANSI Eligibility Symbol by an Eligible Scheme Owner or Program Operator
PRO-PR-165-ISO 14025: Requirements/Process to determine Eligibility of a Type III Environmental Declaration Program
ISO 14020 Environmental labels and Declarations – General Principles
ISO 14025 Environmental labels and declarations —Type III environmental declarations —Principles and procedures
Contents
1Objective
1.1The objective of this Notice is to define the process for ANSI Eligible Program Operators to use Product Category Rules (PCRs) from Non-Eligible Program operators for a specific period of time.
2Definitions
None.
3Effective Date
April 28, 2015
4Notice
4.1Use of Product Category Rules (PCRs) that are not developed by the Eligible Program Operator
4.1.1When an ANSI eligible program operator adopts or adapts Product Category Rules (PCRs) from a Program Operator that is not eligible by ANSI, the following criteria shall be followed by the ANSI eligible Program Operator:
a)Confirm that the principles in ISO 14020 and the requirements in ISO 14025 (Clause 6.7) is performed during the process of development of such PCRs by the non-eligible Program Operator that developed the Product Category Rule (PCR);
b)Confirm that the ANSI eligible program operator has a General Program Instruction (GPI) for the category of product of the issued Product Category Rule (PCR);
c)Have evidence from the non-eligible Program Operator that the process used to develop the Product Category Rules (PCRs) and GPI complies with ISO 14020 and ISO 14025; and
d)The eligible Program Operator uses its own General Program Instruction (GPI).
4.1.2When an ANSI eligible Program Operator uses a Product Category Rule (PCR) from another Program Operator that is not eligible by ANSI but does not adapt and adopt the Product Category Rule (PCR), the following criteria shall be followed by the ANSI eligible Program Operator:
a)The ANSI eligible program operator uses the General Program Instruction (GPI) of the non-eligible Program Operator; and
b)The ANSI eligible Program Operator must document the elements used to confirm that the Product Category Rule (PCR) follows ISO 14025 and ISO 14020.
4.2Use of the ANSI Symbol
4.2.1The eligible Program Operator can use the ANSI eligibility symbol in the Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) if the requirements defined in 4.1.1 be demonstrated.
4.3Period of validity for this temporary process
4.3.1The period of duration of this process is three (3) years pending further analyses by the ANSI Accreditation Committee after review of the results of this approach.