Cotton, carded or combed · 7. Allocation and Co-product Handling

7. Allocation and Co-product Handling

rule_id	applies_to	rule	source_ids
alloc_subdivide_first	multi_route_and_multi_fibre_production	Avoid allocation by subdividing carded and combed routes, materially different cotton fibre types/origins, and separately metered operations. Retain the disaggregated foreground records.	eu-pef-2021-2279
alloc_internal_return	internally_returned_fibre	Treat fibre returned to the same production system as an internal loop: subtract it from gross waste and do not create a second product or avoided-burden credit. Record loop mass and any additional processing energy.	eu-pef-2021-2279
alloc_noils_status	comber_noils_and_recovered_fibre	Determine and document product or waste status from the actual transaction, function, and destination. Use mutually exclusive inventory rows and do not count the same mass as both product and waste.	osha-1910-262-textiles; eu-pef-2021-2279
alloc_physical_then_economic	inseparable_coproducts	When subdivision cannot resolve burdens, use a documented physical relationship only when it reflects the causal process. Otherwise use economic allocation based on a consistent representative price period and disclose a sensitivity result. Never use an unexplained fixed split.	eu-pef-2021-2279
alloc_shared_services	electricity_hvac_dust_collection_and_packaging	Allocate shared services with causal drivers such as metered consumption, equipment power and runtime, airflow, processed mass, or packaging bill of materials. Production mass alone is allowed only when no better driver exists and its limitation is disclosed.	eu-pef-2021-2279; eu-jrc-txt-bref-2023
alloc_recycling_boundary	recovered_inputs_and_outputs	Record recovered cotton inputs and recovered outputs at the foreground boundary without an avoided-burden credit. A broader life-cycle study may apply its declared recycling method outside this gate-to-gate dataset, with no double counting.	eu-pef-2021-2279

8. Foreground Data Collection, Calculation, and Quality Rules

Data Collection Protocols

protocol_id	process_id	flow_role	record_type	raw_fields	collection_method	unit	frequency	temporal_coverage	site_scope	aggregation_rule	quality_evidence
cp_lot_mass_quality	receiving_conditioning	cotton feedstock and conditioned transfer	scale ticket; bale/lot record; moisture test; supplier/classing certificate	lot id; bale ids; route destination; fibre type/origin; virgin/recycled status; input presentation; gross/tare/net mass; moisture; commercial-mass rule; grade/specification; quality fields	calibrated scale plus documented sampling/testing method	kg; %; declared quality units	every received lot and transfer	same production period as reference output	all feedstock lots contributing to the dataset	retain lot-level strata; aggregate only within equivalent route/fibre-type/mass-basis strata	calibration; sampling plan; chain of custody; supplier/classing record; moisture method
cp_opening_route_records	opening_cleaning_blending	opened cotton and rejects	production order; feeder/scale record; waste ticket	lot ids; equipment line; fibre type/origin; destination route; input mass; opened output mass; reject mass; internal return; runtime	reconcile line records and calibrated mass measurements	kg; h	each lot or production order	same production period as reference output	every included opening/cleaning line	mass-weight only equivalent strata; keep carded/combed destinations and fibre types separate	calibration; route traceability; material reconciliation; waste destination
cp_carding_drawing_records	carding_drawing	carded output/intermediate and card waste	production order; can/sliver mass; machine record; waste ticket	lot id; card/drawing line; destination route; fibre type/origin; input; output; internal return; waste class; runtime; quality checks	calibrated mass records reconciled to machine/transfer records	kg; h; declared quality units	each lot or production order	same production period as reference output	all included carding and drawing lines	retain route/fibre-type strata; do not treat combing intermediate as a second final product	calibration; mass balance; line traceability; quality record
cp_combing_records	combing_preparation	combed output, recovered noils product, or noils waste	production order; lap/sliver records; scale ticket; destination document	originating card lot; fibre type/origin; input mass; combed output; noils; other rejects; product/waste status; destination; runtime; quality checks	reconcile combing-line mass and transfer records	kg; h; declared quality units	each combed lot	same production period as reference output	all included combing preparation, combing, and post-drawing equipment	no carded-route aggregation; recovered noils product and waste rows are mutually exclusive	calibration; lot linkage; mass balance; destination/status evidence; quality record
cp_energy_and_services	opening_cleaning_blending; carding_drawing; combing_preparation; site_services_packaging	equipment and shared energy	meter; invoice; equipment power/runtime; fuel record	meter id; carrier; start/end readings; losses; generation; grid/supplier mix; equipment power; runtime; served process; allocation driver	submeter preferred; otherwise documented causal engineering allocation	kWh; MJ; native fuel unit	continuous or shift readings; monthly invoice reconciliation	representative period aligned to product records	all equipment and shared services inside boundary	assign directly first; allocate residual shared use causally; keep route/fibre-type strata	meter calibration; invoice reconciliation; allocation worksheet; conversion factor source
cp_waste_and_dust_records	opening_cleaning_blending; carding_drawing	rejects, captured fibre, and dust	scale; collection-container log; waste transfer ticket	source process; material class; gross/tare/net mass; internal return; product recovery; waste destination; moisture basis	weigh each removal or representative container with reconciliation	kg	each removal or shift; monthly reconciliation	same production period as reference output	every included line and dust collector	internal returns netted once; external destinations kept separate	scale calibration; container tare; transfer documentation; material classification
cp_water_auxiliary_packaging	site_services_packaging	water, auxiliaries, product packaging, and packaging waste	meter; purchase record; formulation; bill of materials; shipment; waste ticket	water readings; auxiliary identity and mass; packaging material and mass; reusable cycles; shipped mass; packaging waste and destination	direct meter/weight or purchase-stock reconciliation	kg; m3; item count	per lot when possible; monthly reconciliation	representative period aligned to product records	all included utilities and packaging	material-specific balance; causal allocation to served routes/products	meter/scale calibration; invoice; stock balance; bill of materials; waste ticket
cp_environmental_dust_release	site_services_packaging	environmental particulate release	stack/fugitive test; airflow; collector record; maintenance log	release point; method; concentration; airflow; duration; capture efficiency; inlet/outlet loading; downtime; served process; occupational-monitoring flag	approved environmental emission method or documented mass balance; occupational samples retained separately	kg; mg/m3; m3/h; h	legally required interval and after material process/control change; otherwise representative campaign	same production period as reference output	all relevant release points and fugitive routes	calculate release by route/fibre-type operating share only with documented causal data	method report; calibration; detection limit; airflow record; collector inspection; explicit non-use of occupational PEL as emission factor

Calculation Rules

rule_id	Applies to	Formula or rule	Inputs	Output	source_ids
calc_reference_normalization	all foreground amounts	normalized amount = stratum amount / delivered reference-product mass on the same declared mass basis	route/fibre-type amount; delivered output mass; moisture/commercial-mass conversion	amount per 1 kg reference product	iso-6741-1-1989
calc_process_mass_balance	each material process	input cotton + other mass inputs = good transfer/output + externally transferred coproducts + wastes + measured releases + documented inventory change; report residual separately	calibrated input/output/waste masses; moisture basis; stock change	process residual and reconciliation percentage
calc_route_energy	equipment and shared energy	direct meter assignment first; residual shared energy = shared total × documented causal driver share	meter readings; runtime/power/airflow or other causal driver; output mass by stratum	kWh or MJ per route/fibre-type stratum	eu-pef-2021-2279; eu-jrc-txt-bref-2023
calc_noils_allocation	recovered noils product	after subdivision, allocated burden follows the documented physical causal relationship; if none is defensible, use consistent-period economic values and report sensitivity	process burdens; good output/noils masses; causal parameter or representative prices	allocated burden by product output	eu-pef-2021-2279
calc_particulate_release	direct cotton particulate to air	released mass = measured concentration × dry or actual airflow × operating time with method-consistent unit and condition corrections; alternatively use validated collector inlet/outlet mass balance	environmental concentration; airflow; duration; condition corrections; capture records	kg particulate released	osha-1910-1043-cotton-dust; eu-jrc-txt-bref-2023
calc_weighted_additional_view	optional portfolio result	additional weighted result = sum(disaggregated stratum inventory × stratum delivered mass) / total delivered mass for the stated period	separate carded/combed and fibre-type datasets; delivered masses; period	optional production-weighted view	eu-pef-2021-2279

Data Quality Requirements

requirement_id	Applies to	Requirement	Evidence
dq_identity	reference product	Confirm product is cotton, carded or combed, prepared for spinning, and not yarn, blend, cotton waste, or garnetted stock; declare presentation and market classification.	product specification; invoice; classification review; lot photograph or inspection record
dq_route	production route	Retain a process map and production records that distinguish carded and combed routes and show every conditional operation actually performed.	production order; equipment list; route diagram; line record
dq_fibre_type	cotton feedstock and output	Identify fibre type/origin and keep materially different Upland, extra-long-staple/Pima, virgin, and reclaimed/recycled strata separate.	supplier/classing certificate; bale/lot identity; recovered-content chain of custody
dq_measurement	mass, energy, water, waste, and emissions	Use calibrated instruments or documented reconciliation; retain raw readings, detection limits, conversion factors, and mass basis.	calibration certificate; meter/scale records; laboratory or emission report; calculation worksheet
dq_temporal	foreground activity data	Use a representative continuous production period or enough lots to cover routine variability; disclose start/end dates, shutdowns, abnormal events, and sample coverage.	production calendar; lot list; meter coverage; exception log
dq_completeness	process and flow coverage	Reconcile cotton mass through every included process and account for energy, water/auxiliaries when used, packaging, recovered products, wastes, captured dust, and direct releases.	mass balance; utility reconciliation; waste tickets; emission inventory; completeness checklist
dq_geography_technology	upstream and foreground data	Match facility geography, grid/fuel supply, carding/combing technology, dust control, and fibre type; disclose all proxies and their limitations.	site metadata; equipment list; supplier data; dataset metadata; proxy justification
dq_range_replacement	provisional reasoned estimates	Treat every reasoned_estimate range only as a temporary screen. Replace it when reviewed route/fibre-type foreground lots, audited supplier data, or a stronger official/peer-reviewed quantitative source becomes available; retain the former range only in review history.	review record; replacement source; version diff; representative lot analysis
dq_source_limits	external evidence	Preserve source scope: CPC supports classification only; BREF supports descriptive process candidates and environmental relevance but not a CPC-specific BAT claim; OSHA supports equipment/dust controls and occupational monitoring but not environmental emission factors; USDA fields are quality descriptors, not universal product limits.	source-use matrix; modelling notes; reviewer sign-off
dq_atomic_flows	process inventory	Confirm that no inventory row combines multiple energy carriers, waters, chemicals, packaging materials, products, wastes, wastewaters, residues, or emissions. Every applicable onsite fuel, steam/heat carrier, named auxiliary, refrigerant makeup, wastewater stream, and packaging material omitted from this generic PCR must be added as its own conditional foreground row before conformance is claimed.	atomic-flow audit; flow mapping register; collection protocol; UUID status register

9. Validation Rules

rule_id	applies_to	rule	source_ids
val_reference_uuid	reference_flow	Confirm product flow UUID 93976740-418a-40e3-8901-dbc34f0acdc6, Mass UUID 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66, Units of mass UUID 93a60a57-a4c8-11da-a746-0800200c9a66, and unit kg; fail if substituted or version text is stored as part of a UUID.
val_required_qualifiers	dataset_identity	Fail completeness when route, presentation, fibre type/origin, moisture/mass basis, site, technology, period, or product/waste status is missing.	un-cpc-3-2025; usda-ams-cotton-classing; iso-6741-1-1989
val_route_separation	process_inventory	Confirm combing processes, energy, and noils appear only for route=combed; confirm carded and combed records are not unconditionally averaged.	eu-jrc-txt-bref-2023; osha-1910-262-textiles
val_fibre_separation	process_inventory	Confirm materially different cotton fibre types/origins are separate or that a documented materiality assessment justifies aggregation; a generic category average without retained strata fails.	usda-ams-cotton-classing; eu-pef-2021-2279
val_mass_basis	mass_inventory	Confirm all cotton, noils, and waste masses use one declared moisture/commercial-mass basis or carry traceable conversions.	iso-6741-1-1989
val_mass_balance	each_process_and_total	Reconcile each process and total route; report residual and investigate material imbalance instead of forcing it to zero by changing the reference output.
val_energy_no_double_count	energy_inventory	Confirm equipment electricity and shared services cover the same production period and are not double counted; retain causal allocation evidence.	eu-pef-2021-2279; eu-jrc-txt-bref-2023
val_noils_exclusivity	coproduct_and_waste_inventory	Confirm comber noils mass is reported as recovered product or waste, not both, and that any allocation method follows the declared hierarchy.	eu-pef-2021-2279; osha-1910-262-textiles
val_dust_evidence	cotton_dust_and_particulate	Confirm captured dust and direct releases are separately reported. Reject conversion of occupational concentration or PEL into environmental emission mass without airflow, duration, and release-point evidence.	osha-1910-1043-cotton-dust
val_reasoned_estimates	quantitative_ranges	Confirm every reasoned estimate is labelled provisional, is not treated as an allowed or typical industry interval, is applied only to its stated route/fibre-type stratum, and has a replacement trigger.
val_source_scope	modelling_claims	Confirm no source is used beyond its stated purpose and limitation and that source ids resolve to the Data Sources table.
val_atomic_flows	process_inventory	Fail when an inventory row is a collection or category pseudo-flow, including combined energy carriers, water-and-chemicals, wastewater-and-residues, generic packaging, or grouped emissions. Confirm every row has one flow name, direction, flow type, quantity basis, unit, value/formula/rule, range/uncertainty statement, collection protocol or data source id, source/status, and confirmed or unresolved UUID status.	eu-pef-2021-2279

10. Published Dataset Profile

Field	Value
dataset_role	route-, fibre-type-, technology-, site-, and period-specific foreground production dataset for cotton, carded or combed
downstream_use	may be published as a secondary_dataset or background_dataset after methodology review, UUID completion, source review, representative foreground collection, and independent quality checks
allowed_use	supply-chain and life-cycle models needing prepared cotton fibre at the spinning-mill gate; scenario comparison within the same declared route, fibre type/origin, mass basis, geography, technology, allocation, and boundary
excluded_use	unconditional global or category average; proxy for raw/ginned cotton, cotton waste, blended staple fibre, yarn, fabric, or finished textiles; comparison across unmatched moisture bases or fibre types; legal compliance claim; environmental claim based only on occupational dust data
required_metadata	canonical PCR id; product UUID; CPC context; route; presentation; fibre type/origin; recycled-content method; quality specification; moisture/commercial-mass basis; site/geography; technology; period; process coverage; allocation; upstream datasets/proxies; packaging; dust-control configuration; product/co-product/waste status
required_quality_disclosure	lot and production coverage; meter/scale coverage and calibration; mass-balance residuals; route/fibre-type stratification; allocation drivers; source limitations; unresolved UUIDs; proxy use; provisional reasoned estimates and replacement status; environmental versus occupational dust evidence
update_trigger	change in product identity or classification; carded/combed route or equipment; cotton fibre type/origin mix; recycled-feedstock preparation; moisture/mass convention; material yield; energy or dust-control system; allocation or product/waste status; packaging; representative period; Tiangong UUID; or availability of stronger quantitative evidence

11. Data Sources

Source id	Type	Reference	Used for
un-cpc-3-2025	official_guidance	United Nations Statistics Division, Central Product Classification (CPC) Version 3.0, Explanatory Notes, 30 June 2025, https://unstats.un.org/unsd/classifications/Econ/Download/In%20Text/CPC_Ver_3.0_Exp_Notes_30Jun2025.pdf (retrieved 2026-08-12)	official category title and hierarchy: section 26, group 261, subclass 26160; it supplies no route-level inventory quantities
eu-jrc-txt-bref-2023	official_guidance	European Commission Joint Research Centre, Roth et al., Best Available Techniques (BAT) Reference Document for the Textiles Industry, EUR 31392 EN, 2023, https://bureau-industrial-transformation.jrc.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2023-01/TXT_BREF_2023_for_publishing%20ISSN%201831-9424_final_1_revised.pdf (retrieved 2026-08-12)	descriptive cotton fibre preparation and spinning sequence; opening/cleaning, carding, combing, drawing, energy and dust-control relevance; BAT scope is not a CPC 26160 product PCR
osha-1910-262-textiles	standard	U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 29 CFR 1910.262, Textiles, https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.262 (retrieved 2026-08-12)	official equipment definitions for card, comber, combing machinery, lap preparation, openers/pickers, and garnetting; not quantitative LCA evidence
osha-1910-1043-cotton-dust	standard	U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 29 CFR 1910.1043, Cotton dust, https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.1043 (retrieved 2026-08-12)	cotton-dust relevance from opening through yarn manufacture, waste-processing definition, monitoring and control records; occupational limits are not environmental emission factors
usda-ams-cotton-classing	official_guidance	U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service, Cotton Classing Services, https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grading/cotton-classing (retrieved 2026-08-12)	candidate lot-quality fields: cotton class, colour, trash/foreign matter, micronaire, length, uniformity, and strength; U.S. classing fields are descriptors, not universal conformance limits
iso-6741-1-1989	standard	ISO 6741-1:1989, Textiles — Fibres and yarns — Determination of commercial mass of consignments — Part 1: Mass determination and calculations, https://www.iso.org/standard/13199.html (retrieved 2026-08-12)	declared commercial-mass measurement and calculation for homogeneous single-generic-species consignments; the standard excludes fibre blends and does not supply a universal cotton regain in this PCR
eu-pef-2021-2279	official_guidance	European Commission Recommendation (EU) 2021/2279 of 15 December 2021 on Environmental Footprint methods, consolidated official text including Annex I, http://data.europa.eu/eli/reco/2021/2279/oj (retrieved 2026-08-12)	functional-unit/reference-flow structure, life-cycle inventory completeness, primary data, allocation hierarchy, representative strata, data quality, electricity and recycling disclosure; generic method, not product-specific quantitative evidence