EU: Ecolabelling

United Kingdom

Decision 99/427/EC establishes the ecological criteria for the award of the Community eco-label to detergents for dishwashers, as published in the Official Journal on 2 July 1999. The product group “detergents for dishwashers” includes all detergents which are intended to be used exclusively in automatic domestic dishwashers. The definition of the product group and the specific ecological criteria will apply for three years. The aims of the criteria are: to promote the reduction of water pollution by reducing the quantity of detergent used and limiting the quantity of harmful ingredients; minimising waste production by reducing the amount of primary packaging and promoting its reusability and/or recyclability; and the reduction of energy use by promoting low temperature detergent.
(OJ L167, 2 July 1999)

Decision 99/476/EC establishes the ecological criteria for the award of the Community eco-label to laundry detergents. This product group covers all laundry detergents, in powder, liquid or any other form, for the washing of textiles and which are intended to be used principally in household washing machines. Valid for three years, the criteria are aimed at promoting the reduction of water pollution, the minimisation of waste and the reduction of energy use. Various parameters are considered, including soluble inorganics, insoluble inorganics, biological oxygen demand, total chemicals and phosphates.
(OJ L187, 20 July 1999)

The ecological criteria for the award of the Community eco-label have been established by Decision 99/554/EC, covering copying paper. As a product group, this covers sheets or reels of unprinted paper in different formats which are used for copying, fax machines or office printers. Thermally sensitive papers and carbonless paper are excluded. The ecological criteria covered include emissions to water, emissions to air, energy use, sustainable forest management, dangerous chemical substances and waste management. Regarding sustainable forest management, where virgin wood fibres from forests are used, the operators in charge of managing the sources from which the fibres originate are to implement principles and measures aimed at ensuring sustainable forest management. These shall correspond to those of the pan-European operational level guidelines for sustainable forest management, as endorsed by the Lisbon Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe.
(OJ L210, 10 August 1999)

Lightbulbs have also been covered by a Commission Decision (99/568/EC) to establish the ecological criteria for the award of the Community eco-label, comprising “single-ended lightbulbs” and “double-ended lightbulbs”, principally including all linear fluorescent tubes. The key criteria for lightbulbs include energy efficiency, average life and lumen maintenance, mercury content and packaging. For packaging, single-ended lightbulb packaging must contain a minimum of 65% recycled material by weight, double-ended lightbulb packaging must contain a minimum of 80% recycled material by weight.
(OJ L216, 14 August 1999)

A meeting is to be held in November between national competent bodies to discuss proposals for establishing criteria for the award of the Community eco-label for brominated flame retardents.
(European Commission, September 1999)