Announcement of Product Category Rules (PCRs) for carbon footprints
- PCRs for nonglutinous rice (japonica rice), rape oil, and powdered laundry detergent formulated-

With the aim of contributing to the establishment of a low-carbon society, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) launched the Carbon Footprint Pilot Program in this fiscal year in cooperation with related ministries.

Under the Carbon Footprint Pilot Program, the PCR Committee (Chairman: Atsushi Inaba, professor at Kogakuin University), an expert panel, has been reviewing draft PCRs and verifying carbon footprint calculation and labeling methodologies. At the meeting on September 3, the PCR Committee authorized the draft PCRs for nonglutinous rice (japonica rice), rape oil, and powdered laundry detergent. METI hereby announces them as the first PCRs established under the Pilot Program.

* The carbon footprint of a product is calculated as the quantity of CO2 equivalent emissions of greenhouse gas from the product’s entire life cycle, from raw material procurement to disposal and recycling, and is displayed on the product in an easy-to-understand manner.

1. PCRs subject to announcement

At the meeting on September 3, the PCR Committee authorized the draft PCRs for nonglutinous rice (japonica rice), rape oil, and powdered laundry detergent. METI announces them as the first PCRs established under the Pilot Program.
(Website on carbon footprint: http://www.cfp-japan.jp (in Japanese)

2. Next step

From now on, companies that produce and/or sell nonglutinous rice (japonica rice), rape oil, and powdered laundry detergent are allowed to market products displaying carbon footprints if these carbon footprints have been calculated pursuant to the announced PCRs and the calculation results and the method of labeling have been approved by the PCR Committee.

Release Date

September 4, 2009

Division in Charge

-Conformity Assessment Division, Industrial Science and Technology Policy and Environment Bureau
-Environmental Industries Office, Industrial Science and Technology Policy and Environment Bureau
-Distribution and Logistics Policy Division, Commerce and Distribution Policy Group

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