American Coatings Association released updated Product Category Rules (PCRs) for powder coatings and resinous floor coatings, establishing revised frameworks for evaluating environmental impacts and developing environmental product declarations.

The PCRs were developed in collaboration with Sustainable Minds and are available for free download on the association’s website. Product Category Rules define consistent criteria for conducting life-cycle assessments and, when applicable, publishing Environmental Product Declarations.

The updated PCRs address how environmental data should be assessed and reported for each coating type. For resinous floor coatings, the rules specify that environmental product declarations may be based on either single-layer product results or multilayer system results. For powder coatings, the PCR requires cradle-to-gate assessment and evaluation as a single-layer product.

The association noted that PCRs support manufacturers responding to sustainability programs and certification frameworks that recognize verified environmental product declarations. Life-cycle assessment results may also be used to evaluate durability and resource efficiency across the supply chain.

Both PCRs are valid for five years from their publication date.