Paints and varnishes

1. Scope and Applicability

This PCR applies to factory production of liquid or powder paints, varnishes, lacquers, primers, woodstains, performance coatings, and related formulated coating products classified under CPC 3.0 code 35110. It covers water-borne, solvent-borne, powder, one-component, multi-component, and on-site cooked varnish routes when the route is declared.

The foreground system produces a packaged, saleable coating at the factory gate. It includes formulation, dispersion or milling, let-down and tinting, conditional thermal cooking, quality control and rework, filtration, filling, packaging, equipment cleaning, direct releases, and on-site waste handling. Printing and writing inks, artists' colours, adhesives and sealants, paint removers, coating-application services, cured coatings on substrates, and upstream manufacture of pigments or binders as separate products are outside this PCR.

The reference amount supports production inventory and cradle-to-gate datasets. Comparisons based on coating service shall additionally convert product mass to a declared covered area, performance, maintenance cycle, and study period; the factory-gate reference amount alone does not assert functional equivalence.

2. Product Category Identity

Field	Value
canonical_pcr_id	pcr.other-transportable-goods-except-metal-products-machinery-and-equipment.other-chemical-products-man-made-fibres.paints-and-varnishes
classification_refs	CPC 3.0: 35110, Paints and varnishes and related products
covered_products	Water-borne and solvent-borne paints, varnishes, lacquers, primers, woodstains, performance coatings, powder coatings, and related formulated coating products
excluded_products	Printing and writing inks; artists' colours; adhesives and sealants; paint removers; coating-application services; cured coatings or coated articles; separately produced upstream pigments and binders
representative_product	Packaged paint or varnish conforming to its declared formulation family and sale specification
production_route	Ingredient receipt and dosing; mixing and dispersion or milling; let-down, tinting, and filtration; conditional thermal cooking; quality control and rework; filling and packaging; cleaning and waste management
market_state	Net coating product packaged for sale at the factory gate

3. Reference Flow

Field	Value
What	Packaged paint or varnish at the factory gate
How much	1 kg net coating product; packaging is inventoried separately and is not part of the 1 kg net product mass
How well	Conforms to the declared product family, formulation route, solids content, density, VOC content, coverage or spreading-rate specification where relevant, and release quality criteria
How long or cycle	One production batch; no use-stage service life is represented
reference_flow_link	The quantitative reference output of filling_packaging is 1 kg net product linked to the selected Paint flow

Field	Value
Reference amount	1 kg net packaged coating product at factory gate
Reference product flow	Paint; UUID b2aa1a35-1823-4b13-96db-d5b89eda2db5
Reference flow property	Mass; UUID 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66
Reference unit group	Units of mass; UUID 93a60a57-a4c8-11da-a746-0800200c9a66
Reference unit	kg
Required qualifiers	formulation family; water-borne, solvent-borne, powder, one-component, or multi-component route; product subcategory and intended substrate; solids content; density; VOC content; packaging format and material; plant and geography; batch period; coverage or spreading rate and performance class when relevant

When constructing a foreground data package, the items listed in Required qualifiers must be declared in dataset metadata, process notes, reference flow comment, product description, or an equivalent data package field. Missing required qualifiers make the reference flow definition incomplete for that data package.

4. Measurement and Unit Rules

rule_id	Applies to	Required property	Required unit	Rule
mu_reference_mass	Reference product output	Mass	kg	Normalize the packaged saleable product to 1 kg net coating, excluding packaging mass.
mu_material_inputs	Formulation ingredients, cleaning agents, packaging, wastes, and wastewater	Mass	kg	Record wet mass as received; additionally record dry matter, solids, or concentration when required to interpret the material.
mu_liquid_volume	Metered water, solvent, or liquid ingredients when mass is not directly measured	Volume and density	m3 and kg/m3	Convert volume to mass using a batch- and temperature-representative measured density; retain the raw volume and density.
mu_electricity	Purchased or generated electricity	Energy	kWh	Record meter or allocated electricity and identify voltage level and supply dataset.
mu_thermal_energy	Fuel or supplied heat used by a thermal cooking route	Net calorific value or energy	MJ	Report fuel mass or volume and net calorific value, or directly metered supplied heat; do not substitute electricity without disclosure.
mu_air_emissions	VOC and particulate releases	Mass	kg	Report pollutant-specific measured or calculated mass after control; identify capture and abatement assumptions.
mu_service_conversion	Comparative coating service	Area, performance, and time	m2 and year	Convert product mass using declared coverage or spreading rate, density where needed, applied fraction, maintenance multiplier, performance criterion, and study period.

5. System Boundary

Boundary Abstraction

Field	Value
declared_starting_condition	Receipt at the manufacturing site of coating ingredients, intermediates, packaging, fuels, and utilities
starting_condition_role	Foreground factory-gate start; upstream production and supplier-to-plant transport remain required background contributions for cradle-to-gate results
product_classification_scope	CPC 3.0 code 35110 products represented by the declared formulation family and production route
recursive_input_rule	Purchased paint, varnish, or intermediate coating used as an input shall be recorded as a visible technosphere input and shall not inherit this foreground process recursively
upstream_dataset_requirement	Use representative upstream datasets for pigments, fillers, binders, solvents, water, additives, packaging, fuels, electricity, transport, and waste treatment; disclose geography, technology, age, and substitutions
disclosure	Disclose excluded operations, outsourced steps, rework loops, cut-offs, abatement, allocation, data gaps, and whether application and end-of-life stages are outside the dataset

rule_id	Applies to	Rule	source_ids
sb_received_inputs	Foreground start	Include receipt, storage losses, and dosing of all ingredients, intermediates, packaging, fuels, and utilities; attach upstream datasets and supplier-to-plant transport when reporting cradle-to-gate impacts.	epd-international-pcr-2019-14-v2-0-1
sb_manufacturing_operations	Factory operations	Include mixing, dispersion or milling, let-down, tinting, filtration, conditional thermal cooking, quality control, rework, filling, packaging, equipment cleaning, direct releases, and on-site waste handling when present.	us-epa-ap42-6-4-1995
sb_direct_releases	Air, water, and waste releases	Record direct VOC, particulate, wastewater, coating residue, and other material releases after control, together with capture, abatement, and destination.	eu-commission-2025-2607, us-epa-ap42-6-4-1995
sb_use_end_of_life	Factory-gate profile	Exclude application, service, maintenance, removal, and final end-of-life from the factory-gate dataset; include them only in a separately declared expanded study.	jrc-145239-2026
sb_cutoff_disclosure	Completeness	Do not omit known hazardous constituents or direct releases solely because their mass is small; document every cut-off and apply the governing programme's completeness rules.	epd-international-pcr-2019-14-v2-0-1

6. Process Inventory Structure

Process Map

process_id	process_name	inclusion	inclusion_condition	role	quantitative_reference
formulation_dispersion	Formulation, dispersion, and finishing	required	All products	Converts ingredients into specification-conforming bulk coating	kg bulk coating released to filling
thermal_cooking	Thermal cooking of varnish or resin intermediate	conditional	Include only when cooking or reaction occurs at the reporting site	Produces a cooked intermediate and associated releases	kg cooked intermediate transferred to formulation
filling_packaging	Filling and packaging	required	All packaged products	Produces the factory-gate reference product	1 kg net packaged coating product
cleaning_waste_management	Equipment cleaning and on-site waste management	required	All products; record zero only with documented evidence	Records cleaning inputs, wastewater, residues, recovery, and releases	kg net packaged coating product supported

Process: Formulation, dispersion, and finishing (formulation_dispersion)

Inputs

Product flows

Binder or resin (fd_binder)

Record each binder or resin family separately using supplier mass records; no generic UUID is assigned until the actual chemistry is known.

• Selected flow: Product-specific binder or resin flow; unresolved family UUID
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Sum batch issue mass and subtract documented returns, normalized by released bulk coating mass.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: kg bulk coating released to filling
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_batch_materials
• Sources: eu-commission-2025-2607, jrc-145239-2026
• Range: Provisional formulation guardrail
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0.05
  • Upper: 0.80
  • Unit: kg/kg bulk coating
  • Basis: Reasoned estimate spanning materially different coating families; replace with plant formulation data.
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)
  • Sources:

Pigments and fillers (fd_pigments_fillers)

Record pigment and filler ingredients separately where supplier datasets differ; titanium dioxide may use the confirmed selected flow.

• Selected flow: Titanium Dioxide; UUID 12525dde-1d7a-4024-9ea3-5b90912a48f8, plus product-specific pigment and filler flows
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Sum batch issue mass and subtract documented returns, normalized by released bulk coating mass.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: kg bulk coating released to filling
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_batch_materials
• Sources: jrc-145239-2026
• Range: Provisional formulation guardrail
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 0.80
  • Unit: kg/kg bulk coating
  • Basis: Reasoned estimate allowing clear varnishes and highly filled coatings; replace with plant formulation data.
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)
  • Sources:

Formulation water (fd_water)

Record water deliberately added to the formula, separate from cleaning water.

• Selected flow: Fresh water; UUID 021fbe67-2b7a-43b4-af09-4c3d62b83e3b
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Use metered mass or convert metered volume with measured density, normalized by released bulk coating mass.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: kg bulk coating released to filling
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_batch_materials
• Sources: eu-commission-2025-2607
• Range: Provisional formulation guardrail
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 0.80
  • Unit: kg/kg bulk coating
  • Basis: Reasoned estimate across solvent-borne, water-borne, and powder products; replace with plant formulation data.
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)
  • Sources:

Formulation solvent (fd_solvent)

Record each organic solvent by substance or supplier product where possible.

• Selected flow: Solvent, for coating, at plant; UUID db1ae0f8-e5fb-408a-a443-e5d837ec8767, or substance-specific solvent flow
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Sum batch issue mass and subtract documented returns, normalized by released bulk coating mass.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: kg bulk coating released to filling
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_batch_materials
• Sources: us-epa-ap42-6-4-1995, jrc-145239-2026
• Range: Provisional formulation guardrail
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 0.80
  • Unit: kg/kg bulk coating
  • Basis: Reasoned estimate across powder, water-borne, and high-solvent products; replace with plant formulation data.
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)
  • Sources:

Additives (fd_additives)

Record significant additives separately by chemistry and hazard relevance.

• Selected flow: Product-specific additive flow; unresolved family UUID
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Sum batch issue mass and subtract documented returns, normalized by released bulk coating mass.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: kg bulk coating released to filling
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_batch_materials
• Sources: eu-commission-2025-2607
• Range: Provisional formulation guardrail
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 0.20
  • Unit: kg/kg bulk coating
  • Basis: Reasoned estimate; replace with plant formulation and purchasing data.
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)
  • Sources:

Electricity (fd_electricity)

Include mixing, dispersion, milling, pumping, ventilation, filtration, and local quality-control electricity.

• Selected flow: Electricity, medium voltage, at plant GLO; UUID 00e13b1e-b38b-42bc-b5d9-22b1ff5d4355, replaced by a representative regional supply flow
• Flow property / unit: Net calorific value / kWh
• Amount rule: Use submetered electricity or allocate a reconciled site meter total by causal equipment runtime and load.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: kg bulk coating released to filling
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_formulation_energy
• Sources: eu-commission-2025-2607
• Range: Provisional process-energy guardrail
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0.005
  • Upper: 1.5
  • Unit: kWh/kg bulk coating
  • Basis: Reasoned estimate covering low-shear blending through intensive milling; replace with metered data.
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)
  • Sources:

Waste flows

Elementary flows

Outputs

Product flows

Bulk coating released to filling (fd_bulk_output)

This intermediate closes the formulation process and transfers to filling.

• Selected flow: Product-specific bulk paint or varnish intermediate
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Measure released batch mass; calculate from filled mass plus retained samples and documented downstream losses when direct weighing is unavailable.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: total formulation inputs
• Basis kind: Material input (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_batch_outputs
• Sources: mass-balance-identity
• Range: Provisional batch-yield guardrail
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0.90
  • Upper: 1.00
  • Unit: kg/kg total formulation inputs
  • Basis: Reasoned estimate used only to flag unreconciled losses; replace with site-specific yield history.
  • Basis kind: Material input (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)
  • Sources:

Waste flows

Off-specification coating and retained residue (fd_waste_paint)

Separate material internally reworked from material sent to recovery, treatment, or disposal.

• Selected flow: Waste paint; UUID 877e5a04-76c8-4c5b-ac4c-062f5beeb2bd
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Sum weighed residues and rejected batches leaving the process, excluding documented closed-loop rework.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: kg bulk coating released to filling
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_batch_outputs
• Sources: mass-balance-identity
• Range: Provisional waste guardrail
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 0.10
  • Unit: kg/kg bulk coating
  • Basis: Reasoned estimate; investigate values outside the range rather than clipping them.
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)
  • Sources:

Elementary flows

Volatile organic compounds to air (fd_voc_air)

Record measured VOC or a documented substance-level mass balance after capture and control.

• Selected flow: VOC, volatile organic compounds, unspecified origin; UUID 08a91e70-3ddc-11dd-9155-0050c2490048
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Use monitored release or solvent balance; report control efficiency and avoid double counting retained solvent.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: kg solvent charged
• Basis kind: Material input (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Calculated value (calculated_from_collection)
• Collection protocol: cp_process_emissions
• Sources: us-epa-ap42-6-4-1995
• Range: Historical uncontrolled manufacturing-loss check
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0.01
  • Upper: 0.02
  • Unit: kg VOC/kg solvent charged
  • Basis: Historical AP-42 statement for solvent loss from paint and varnish manufacturing; not a current default or regulatory factor.
  • Basis kind: Material input (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: External source (external_source)
  • Sources: us-epa-ap42-6-4-1995

Particulate matter to air (fd_pm_air)

Record pigment and powder handling releases after capture and control.

• Selected flow: Particulate matter; UUID 0418b561-ecf8-33c8-9c81-225789f15bd3
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Use monitored release or dry-material balance adjusted for documented capture and control.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: kg dry pigment and filler handled
• Basis kind: Material input (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Calculated value (calculated_from_collection)
• Collection protocol: cp_process_emissions
• Sources: us-epa-ap42-6-4-1995
• Range: Historical uncontrolled dry-pigment handling check
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0.005
  • Upper: 0.01
  • Unit: kg particulate/kg dry pigment handled
  • Basis: Historical AP-42 estimate for uncontrolled particulate emissions; not a current default or regulatory factor.
  • Basis kind: Material input (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: External source (external_source)
  • Sources: us-epa-ap42-6-4-1995

Process: Thermal cooking of varnish or resin intermediate (thermal_cooking)

Inputs

Product flows

Varnish or resin precursors (tc_precursors)

Include only ingredients entering the on-site cooked intermediate.

• Selected flow: Chemistry-specific precursor flows
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Sum batch issue mass and subtract documented returns.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: kg cooked intermediate
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_thermal_batch
• Sources: us-epa-ap42-6-4-1995

Thermal energy (tc_thermal_energy)

Record fuel and heat carriers separately; the flow UUID remains route-specific.

• Selected flow: Route-specific fuel or supplied heat flow; unresolved thermal-energy UUID
• Flow property / unit: Net calorific value / MJ
• Amount rule: Use metered fuel or heat and measured net calorific value; allocate shared heat by causal duty.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: kg cooked intermediate
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_thermal_energy
• Sources: us-epa-ap42-6-4-1995
• Range: Provisional thermal-energy guardrail
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 10
  • Unit: MJ/kg cooked intermediate
  • Basis: Reasoned estimate; replace with metered route-specific data.
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)
  • Sources:

Waste flows

Elementary flows

Outputs

Product flows

Cooked varnish or resin intermediate (tc_intermediate)

Transfer the measured intermediate to formulation without assigning a final-product reference flow.

• Selected flow: Product-specific cooked intermediate
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Use measured batch output reconciled with precursor inputs and recorded releases.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: total precursor mass
• Basis kind: Material input (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_thermal_batch
• Sources: mass-balance-identity

Waste flows

Elementary flows

Thermal-route VOC to air (tc_voc_air)

Record route-specific VOC separately from formulation emissions before aggregation.

• Selected flow: VOC, volatile organic compounds, unspecified origin; UUID 08a91e70-3ddc-11dd-9155-0050c2490048
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Use monitored release or a documented batch mass balance after capture and control.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: kg cooked intermediate
• Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Calculated value (calculated_from_collection)
• Collection protocol: cp_thermal_emissions
• Sources: us-epa-ap42-6-4-1995

Process: Filling and packaging (filling_packaging)

Inputs

Product flows

Bulk coating (fp_bulk_input)

Transfer the released bulk coating from formulation.

• Selected flow: Product-specific bulk paint or varnish intermediate
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Use transferred or reconciled batch mass.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: kg net packaged product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow）
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_packaging_records
• Sources: mass-balance-identity

Packaging materials (fp_packaging)

Record containers, closures, liners, labels, cartons, pallets, and other non-reusable packaging separately.

• Selected flow: Material-specific packaging flows; unresolved packaging-material UUIDs
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Use bill-of-material quantity reconciled with issues, returns, and packaging scrap.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: kg net packaged product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow）
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_packaging_records
• Sources: eu-commission-2025-2607
• Range: Provisional packaging guardrail
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0.01
  • Upper: 0.30
  • Unit: kg packaging/kg net product
  • Basis: Reasoned estimate spanning bulk and small-container formats; replace with the packaging bill of materials.
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow）
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)
  • Sources:

Waste flows

Elementary flows

Outputs

Product flows

Packaged paint or varnish (fp_reference_product)

This is the quantitative reference output.

• Selected flow: Paint; UUID b2aa1a35-1823-4b13-96db-d5b89eda2db5
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Set to exactly 1 kg net coating after normalizing measured saleable batch output; inventory packaging separately.
• Value mode: Fixed constant (fixed_value)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: reference product output
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow）
• Evidence kind: Method formula (method_formula)
• Collection protocol:
• Sources: mass-balance-identity
• Range: Reference amount identity
  • Range role: Expected range (allowed_range)
  • Lower: 1
  • Upper: 1
  • Unit: kg
  • Basis: Defined reference amount.
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow）
  • Evidence kind: Method formula (method_formula)
  • Sources: mass-balance-identity

Waste flows

Packaging scrap (fp_packaging_waste)

Record material-specific packaging scrap sent to recovery, treatment, or disposal.

• Selected flow: Material-specific packaging waste flows
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Weigh or reconcile issued packaging against packaged units, returns, and stock.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: kg net packaged product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow）
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_packaging_records
• Sources: mass-balance-identity
• Range: Provisional packaging-waste guardrail
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 0.05
  • Unit: kg/kg net product
  • Basis: Reasoned estimate; replace with packaging reconciliation.
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow）
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)
  • Sources:

Elementary flows

Process: Equipment cleaning and on-site waste management (cleaning_waste_management)

Inputs

Product flows

Cleaning water (cw_water)

Record cleaning water separately from formulation water.

• Selected flow: Fresh water; UUID 021fbe67-2b7a-43b4-af09-4c3d62b83e3b
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Use metered mass or volume converted with measured density and allocate by documented cleaning event.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: kg net packaged product supported
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow）
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_cleaning_inputs
• Sources: eu-commission-2025-2607
• Range: Provisional cleaning-water guardrail
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 2
  • Unit: kg/kg net product
  • Basis: Reasoned estimate; replace with cleaning-event records.
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow）
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)
  • Sources:

Cleaning solvent (cw_solvent)

Record fresh and recovered cleaning solvents separately.

• Selected flow: Solvent, for coating, at plant; UUID db1ae0f8-e5fb-408a-a443-e5d837ec8767, or substance-specific solvent flow
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Reconcile issued, recovered, returned, emitted, and discarded solvent by cleaning event.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: kg net packaged product supported
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow）
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_cleaning_inputs
• Sources: us-epa-ap42-6-4-1995
• Range: Provisional cleaning-solvent guardrail
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 0.5
  • Unit: kg/kg net product
  • Basis: Reasoned estimate; replace with cleaning-event solvent balances.
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow）
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)
  • Sources:

Waste flows

Elementary flows

Outputs

Product flows

Waste flows

Wastewater (cw_wastewater)

Characterize wastewater solids, organic content, and destination where data permit.

• Selected flow: Wastewater; UUID bc2cd1d5-69d5-42d7-818f-38a69ebb18ef
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Use discharge meter or cleaning-event water balance, net of documented recovered water.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: kg net packaged product supported
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow）
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_cleaning_outputs
• Sources: eu-commission-2025-2607
• Range: Provisional wastewater guardrail
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 2
  • Unit: kg/kg net product
  • Basis: Reasoned estimate; replace with discharge data or cleaning-event balance.
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow）
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)
  • Sources:

Cleaning residue and waste paint (cw_residue)

Record recovered coating separately from residue leaving for treatment or disposal.

• Selected flow: Waste paint; UUID 877e5a04-76c8-4c5b-ac4c-062f5beeb2bd
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Weigh residue containers and subtract documented internal recovery.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: kg net packaged product supported
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow）
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_cleaning_outputs
• Sources: mass-balance-identity
• Range: Provisional cleaning-residue guardrail
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 0.20
  • Unit: kg/kg net product
  • Basis: Reasoned estimate; replace with residue shipment and recovery records.
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow）
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)
  • Sources:

Elementary flows

Cleaning VOC to air (cw_voc_air)

Record cleaning-solvent emissions separately before aggregation.

• Selected flow: VOC, volatile organic compounds, unspecified origin; UUID 08a91e70-3ddc-11dd-9155-0050c2490048
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Calculate from the cleaning-solvent balance after recovery, waste shipment, and control, or use monitored release.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: kg cleaning solvent issued
• Basis kind: Material input (process_output)
• Evidence kind: Calculated value (calculated_from_collection)
• Collection protocol: cp_cleaning_outputs
• Sources: us-epa-ap42-6-4-1995
• Range: Provisional cleaning-solvent mass-balance guardrail
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 1
  • Unit: kg VOC/kg cleaning solvent issued
  • Basis: Reasoned mass-conservation bound; replace with monitored release or a reconciled event-specific solvent balance.
  • Basis kind: Process output (process_output)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)
  • Sources:

7. Allocation and Co-product Handling

rule_id	Applies to	Rule	source_ids
al_avoid	Shared operations and utilities	First avoid allocation through batch segregation, submetering, or process subdivision.	iso-14044-2006
al_internal_rework	In-specification closed-loop rework	Keep internal rework inside the foreground system; do not create a co-product credit, and reconcile its mass without double counting fresh input.	mass-balance-identity
al_saleable_coproduct	Multiple saleable outputs	Use a documented physical causal relationship where it represents resource use; use economic allocation only when no defensible physical relationship exists and disclose prices, period, and sensitivity.	iso-14044-2006
al_waste_recovery	Waste, recovered solvent, and recovered packaging	Model treatment burdens and any credits under the governing programme; disclose system expansion, substitution, or cut-off and never treat avoided waste as negative foreground input.	iso-14044-2006, epd-international-pcr-2019-14-v2-0-1
al_shared_site_energy	Shared site electricity and heat	Allocate by metered equipment consumption or causal runtime and load; mass allocation is allowed only with justification and sensitivity for materially different routes.	iso-14044-2006

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_batch_materials	formulation_dispersion	formulation ingredients	batch issue and return record	material ID, lot, gross issue, return, density, solids	ERP issue and calibrated scale; volume conversion only with measured density	kg	each batch	representative reporting year	reporting plant	sum net issues by material and product family	purchase ledger, batch sheet, scale calibration
cp_formulation_energy	formulation_dispersion	electricity	meter and equipment log	meter start, meter end, runtime, load, product family	submeter; otherwise reconciled site meter with causal allocation	kWh	batch or monthly	representative reporting year	reporting plant	sum direct readings; allocate documented shared remainder	meter calibration, energy reconciliation
cp_batch_outputs	formulation_dispersion	bulk output and residue	batch yield record	released mass, retained sample, rework, residue, stock change	calibrated scale and batch reconciliation	kg	each batch	representative reporting year	reporting plant	mass-weighted aggregate by product family	release record, waste record, mass balance
cp_process_emissions	formulation_dispersion	VOC and particulate release	monitoring and material balance	solvent charged, solvent retained, recovery, waste, capture, control, measured concentration, gas flow	compliant monitoring or documented mass balance	kg	campaign and reporting period	representative reporting year	reporting plant and emission point	sum pollutant mass after control; keep routes separate	monitoring report, control log, balance reconciliation
cp_thermal_batch	thermal_cooking	precursors and cooked intermediate	batch record	precursor issue, return, intermediate output, residue	calibrated scale and batch reconciliation	kg	each thermal batch	representative reporting year	reporting plant	sum net input and output by route	batch sheet, scale calibration, mass balance
cp_thermal_energy	thermal_cooking	fuel and heat	meter and fuel record	fuel mass or volume, net calorific value, heat meter, runtime	calibrated meter and supplier fuel specification	MJ	each batch or monthly	representative reporting year	reporting plant	convert with recorded net calorific value and sum by route	meter calibration, fuel certificate
cp_thermal_emissions	thermal_cooking	route VOC	monitoring and batch balance	volatile input, retained mass, condensate, recovery, control, measured release	compliant monitoring or documented mass balance	kg	campaign and reporting period	representative reporting year	reporting plant and emission point	sum release after control by route	monitoring report, batch balance
cp_packaging_records	filling_packaging	bulk input, product output, and packaging	filling and bill-of-material record	bulk transfer, filled net mass, unit count, packaging issue, return, scrap	calibrated filler or scale plus inventory reconciliation	kg	each batch	representative reporting year	reporting plant	normalize saleable net output to 1 kg and sum packaging by material	fill check, bill of materials, scale calibration
cp_cleaning_inputs	cleaning_waste_management	water and solvent input	cleaning-event record	equipment, water, fresh solvent, recovered solvent, return	meter, weighed issue, and solvent log	kg	each cleaning event	representative reporting year	reporting plant	assign directly to product campaign or documented shared cleaning driver	cleaning log, meter calibration
cp_cleaning_outputs	cleaning_waste_management	wastewater, residue, and VOC	discharge, shipment, and balance record	wastewater, solids, residue, recovery, solvent issued, solvent returned, VOC control	discharge meter, weighed shipment, and solvent balance	kg	each event and reporting period	representative reporting year	reporting plant	sum by destination and product family; reconcile recovery	manifests, discharge report, solvent balance

Calculation Rules

rule_id	Applies to	Formula or rule	Inputs	Output	source_ids
calc_normalize	All foreground exchanges	normalized amount = reporting-period amount / net saleable coating mass	exchange amount, net saleable coating mass	amount per kg net product	mass-balance-identity
calc_material_balance	Each production route	closure gap = total mass inputs - saleable output - transferred intermediates - recorded wastes - recorded releases - justified stock change	wet-mass inputs, outputs, wastes, releases, stock change	absolute and percentage closure gap	mass-balance-identity
calc_voc_balance	VOC release	VOC release = volatile input - VOC retained in product - recovered solvent - solvent in shipped waste - destroyed or captured mass - justified stock change	solvent and volatile-component balance	kg VOC after control	us-epa-ap42-6-4-1995, mass-balance-identity
calc_pm_release	Particulate release	released particulate = dry material handled × measured or justified loss fraction × one minus capture efficiency × one minus control efficiency	dry pigment and filler handled, loss, capture, control	kg particulate release	us-epa-ap42-6-4-1995
calc_shared_energy	Shared energy	allocate reconciled shared energy by metered runtime and load or another documented causal driver; test material alternatives	meter total, direct readings, driver quantities	process and product energy	iso-14044-2006
calc_service_conversion	Comparative service	required product mass = declared area × application-specific mass per area × applied fraction × maintenance multiplier for the declared study period	area, coverage or spreading rate, density where needed, applied fraction, maintenance cycle, study period	kg product for equivalent declared service	jrc-145239-2026

Data Quality Requirements

requirement_id	Applies to	Requirement	Evidence
dq_technology	Foreground route	Data shall represent the declared water-borne, solvent-borne, powder, one-component, multi-component, or thermal route and its actual control technology.	process description, formulation family, equipment and control records
dq_time	Foreground data	Use a representative continuous twelve-month period where available; explain shutdowns, campaigns, abnormal batches, and extrapolation.	dated batch, meter, purchase, waste, and production records
dq_geography	All datasets	Identify plant country or region and use representative electricity, fuel, transport, water, and waste-treatment datasets.	dataset metadata and supplier or utility records
dq_completeness	Material and emission inventory	Reconcile mass and energy, list omissions and cut-offs, and retain hazardous or environmentally significant constituents and releases.	balance checks, omission register, monitoring reports
dq_source_priority	Secondary data	Prefer official standards, PCRs, regulations, official datasets and institutional reports, then peer-reviewed literature, then industry documents; label reasoned estimates as provisional.	source register and estimate flags
dq_uncertainty	Estimates and allocation	Quantify or qualitatively assess uncertainty for provisional estimates, secondary substitutions, allocation, and service conversion.	sensitivity results and data-quality notes

9. Validation Rules

rule_id	Applies to	Rule	source_ids
val_reference_identity	Reference flow	Confirm Paint UUID b2aa1a35-1823-4b13-96db-d5b89eda2db5, Mass UUID 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66, unit-group UUID 93a60a57-a4c8-11da-a746-0800200c9a66, kg unit, and exactly 1 kg net product excluding packaging.	mass-balance-identity
val_qualifiers	Dataset metadata	Reject an incomplete reference definition when any required qualifier is absent or ambiguous.	eu-commission-2025-2607, jrc-145239-2026
val_route_coverage	Process map	Require formulation_dispersion, filling_packaging, and cleaning_waste_management; require thermal_cooking only when on-site cooking or reaction occurs and otherwise record it as not applicable.	us-epa-ap42-6-4-1995
val_mass_closure	Foreground processes	Calculate route and site mass-balance closure, report the gap and threshold, and investigate rather than clip unexplained losses.	mass-balance-identity
val_records	Collected values	Confirm temporal coverage, site scope, units, calibration, aggregation, and traceability to the named collection protocol.	epd-international-pcr-2019-14-v2-0-1
val_emissions	Direct VOC and particulate	Confirm route-specific monitoring or balances, capture and control treatment, and absence of double counting; use AP-42 ranges only as historical QA checks.	us-epa-ap42-6-4-1995
val_allocation	Shared operations and outputs	Confirm subdivision was considered first, the causal basis is documented, and economic allocation is justified and sensitivity-tested if used.	iso-14044-2006
val_background	Cradle-to-gate profile	Confirm upstream datasets and transport are present for material inputs and disclose geography, technology, age, and substitutions.	epd-international-pcr-2019-14-v2-0-1
val_service_claim	Comparative claims	Reject service-equivalence claims based only on 1 kg product; require declared area, performance, applied fraction, coverage or spreading rate, maintenance, and study period.	jrc-145239-2026
val_provisional	Reasoned estimates	Flag all reasoned_estimate ranges as provisional and prevent their use as plant defaults; replace them before publication unless explicitly reviewed and justified.

10. Published Dataset Profile

Field	Value
dataset_role	Foreground production dataset for a declared paint or varnish product family and plant route
downstream_use	Cradle-to-gate LCA, EPD modules A1 to A3 where the governing programme permits, product footprinting, and input to expanded application or building studies
allowed_use	Products and routes within the declared scope when reference qualifiers, process coverage, source quality, and validation checks are satisfied
excluded_use	Direct comparison of unlike coating services; coating-application inventory without added use-stage data; printing inks, artists' colours, adhesives, paint removers, or cured coated articles
required_metadata	PCR id and version; product and formulation family; route; CPC reference; product and flow UUID; plant geography; period; solids, density, VOC and coverage properties; packaging; process map; allocation; cut-offs; data sources
required_quality_disclosure	Primary-data share; secondary dataset substitutions; mass and energy closure; direct-emission method; allocation; uncertainty; provisional estimates; excluded and outsourced operations
update_trigger	Material formulation or route change; new plant or control technology; packaging change; revised classification or applicable PCR; data older than the governing programme permits; material correction to UUID, source, or calculation

11. Data Sources

Source id	Type	Reference	Used for
eu-commission-2025-2607	official_guidance	European Commission, Commission Decision (EU) 2025/2607 establishing EU Ecolabel criteria for paints, varnishes and related products, CELEX 32025D2607, 2025; https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32025D2607	Product-family scope; formulation and packaging characteristics; production air, water, VOC, material-efficiency and energy-efficiency concerns
jrc-145239-2026	official_guidance	European Commission Joint Research Centre, Revision of the EU Ecolabel criteria for Paints and Varnishes: Final Technical Report, JRC145239, DOI 10.2760/7406739, 2026; https://doi.org/10.2760/7406739	Raw-material hotspots; cradle-to-grave context; coverage-, performance-, maintenance-, and study-period-based service conversion
us-epa-ap42-6-4-1995	official_guidance	United States Environmental Protection Agency, AP-42 Section 6.4 Paint and Varnish, January 1995; https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-10/documents/c06s04.pdf	Manufacturing process map; solvent and pigment release mechanisms; historical uncontrolled QA ranges
epd-international-pcr-2019-14-v2-0-1	standard	EPD International, PCR 2019:14 Construction products, version 2.0.1, 2025; https://www.environdec.com/pcr-library/pcr_6b99d07c-4b75-4763-4485-08dd775d2e49	Cradle-to-gate modules, upstream material and transport coverage, data quality, completeness, and waste treatment framing
iso-14044-2006	standard	ISO 14044:2006, Environmental management — Life cycle assessment — Requirements and guidelines; https://www.iso.org/standard/38498.html	Allocation hierarchy and LCA methodological requirements
mass-balance-identity	method_factor	Conservation of mass calculation identity	Reference normalization, yield, rework, packaging, solvent, and process mass-balance calculations