Ecolabel

Ecolabels and Green Stickers are labelling systems for food and consumer products. Ecolabels are often voluntary, but Green Stickers are mandated by law in North America for major appliances and automobiles. They are a form of sustainability measurement directed at consumers, intended to make it easy to take environmental concerns into account when shopping. Some labels quantify pollution or energy consumption by way of index scores or units of measurement; others simply assert compliance with a set of practices or minimum requirements for sustainability or reduction of harm to the environment. Usually both the precautionary principle and the substitution principle are used when defining the rules for what products can be ecolabelled.

Ecolabelling systems exist for both food and consumer products. Both systems were started by NGOs but nowadays the European Union have legislation for the rules of ecolabelling and also have their own ecolabels, one for food and one for consumer products. At least for food, the ecolabel is nearly identical with the common NGO definition of the rules for ecolabelling. Trust in the label is an issue for consumers, as manufacturers or manufacturing associations could set up "rubber stamp" labels to greenwash their products.

Many people believe that most food ecolabels are the same as organic labelling. This is not inaccurate, a great many certification standards with ecolabels exist, such as Rainforest Alliance, Utz coffee, cocoa and tea, GreenPalm, Marine Stewardship Council, and many more; these are aimed at sustainable food production and good social and environmental performance. These are mainstream standards aimed at improving whole sectors of the food industry, in addition there are many more of these which are business-to-business standards that do not carry consumer-facing ecolabels.

The last few years have seen a few key trends in the ecolabels space. One is the explosion in the numbers of different ecolabeling programs across the world and across business sector, with many schemes broadening their issues to cover social, ethical and safety issues as well as just environmental. As of 2010, there were at least 400 so called "sustainability certification" schemes for businesses and consumers to choose from. This has led to some confusion and perhaps fatigue amongst consumers and brand awareness of most labels (such as the EU Ecolabels) remains low. A second key trend is the rise in uptake of voluntary ecolabels and sustainability standards by the business-to-business sector. In this space, global firms are demanding that the standards be (a) global in nature and (b) well documented, transparent and trustworthy. This has led to the growth of a few "super standards" which have become major global brands and are likely to edge out some of the smaller standards and labels in place. Key examples are the Fairtrade label, the Forest Stewardship Council for the forestry sector and the Marine Stewardship Council for fish products. All have become well known consumer brands as well as key supplier filters for global buyers. This has led to the emergence of "standards for standards" whereby the organizations setting voluntary ecolabels adhere to guidelines laid down by wider stakeholder bodies such as the ISEAL Alliance.

History

Green stickers on consumer goods have been evolving since the 1970s. The main drivers have been energy and fuel consumption. These stickers first started appearing on major appliances after government agencies in the United States and Canada regulated their requirement. Manufacturers are also required to meet minimum standards of energy use. The Automobile industry in North America is required to meet a minimum emissions standard. This led to fuel efficiency labels being placed on new automobiles sold. The major appliance manufactures were required to use standard testing practices and place clear labels on products. The International Organization for Standardization has developed standards for addressing environmental labeling with the ISO 14000 family which grew out of ISO's commitment to support the objective of sustainable development discussed at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, in Rio de Janeiro, in 1992

Programs by region

Governments of many countries have environmental protection agencies. These agencies are mandated watchdogs of industry and regulate releasing chemical pollution into the environment. Some of them administer labelling standards; other set minimum requirements for manufacturers.

Canada

The Office of Energy Efficiency (OEE) run by the Department of Natural Resources Canada regulates both the automobile and appliance manufacturers. EnerGuide label for vehicles found on all new passenger cars, light-duty vans, pickup trucks and special purpose vehicles not exceeding a gross vehicle weight of 3855 kg (8500 lb). The label shows the city and highway fuel consumption ratings and an estimated annual fuel cost for that particular vehicle. Federal law in Canada, under Canada's Energy Efficiency Regulations,requires that the EnerGuide label be placed on all new electrical appliances manufactured in or imported into Canada and that the label indicate the amount of electricity used by that appliance. This information is determined by standardized test procedures. A third-party agency verifies that an appliance meets Canada's minimum energy performance levels.

United States

All major home appliances must meet the Appliance Standards Program set by the US Department of Energy (DOE)on cooperation with the US Federal Trade Commission. Manufacturers must use standard test procedures developed by DOE to prove the energy use and efficiency of their products. Test results are printed on yellow EnergyGuide label, which manufacturers are required to display on many appliances. This label estimates how much energy the appliance uses, compares energy use of similar products, and lists approximate annual operating costs. American automobile manufacturers are required to use certified U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fuel economy test results and cannot use any other fuel mileage results to advertise vehicle fuel efficiency. The state of California has Green Sticker licence plates issued to OHVs. California Air Resources Board is introducing Green Stickers for all new automobiles in 2009.

European Union

The EU Ecolabel is a product label seal that makes it easier for consumers to identify and choose green products. It is a voluntary scheme designed to encourage businesses, services and market products to advertise they are kinder to the environment. The scheme came into operation in late 1992 and was designed to allow consumers to identify products which are less harmful to the environment than equivalent brands. For example, eco-labels will be awarded to products that do not contain chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which damage the ozone layer, to those products that can be, or are, recycled, and to those that are energy efficient. The labels are awarded on environmental criteria set by the European Union.

These cover the whole life cycle of a product, from the extraction of raw materials, through manufacture, distribution, use and disposal of the product. The first products to carry the EU ecolabel were washing machines, paper towels, writing paper, light bulbs and hairsprays.

European Parliament passes first reading of mandatory labelling on food products but rejected traffic light label system used in the UK. EU Ministers have to approve the proposal before it can be enacted.

Northern Europe

The Nordic swan is the official ecolabel in Nordic countries. It uses a system of standards, applications for licenses, and independent verification.

ASEAN

In Asia ASEAN is moving towards adopting the ISO's TC 207 environmental management system. Can anyone can contribute verifiable sources substantiating it's adoption and implementation by member countries as this information is not easily accessible.

EU Ecolabel

The EU Ecolabel helps consumers and public procurers to easily identify green products. The scheme recognises environmentally sound goods and services by awarding them a distinctive and easily recognisable symbol of environmental quality – the Flower. The program was established in 1992 to encourage businesses to market products and services that meet high standards of performance and environmental quality. The voluntary scheme covers 26 types of products and services, with further groups being continuously added. These include cleaning products, electronic equipment, paper products, textiles, home and garden products, lubricants and services such as tourist accommodation. The label goes only to the environmentally most friendly brands in each product group.

EU Ecolabel criteria are based on scientific information agreed at European level following extensive consultation between a panel of experts and stakeholders representing industry, consumer groups and environmental NGOs. Criteria consider environmental concerns such as energy consumption, toxic substances, recyclability and waste prevention. Before a product is awarded the EU Ecolabel, studies are carried out on the environmental impact over its entire life cycle – from the extraction of raw materials, through manufacturing, distribution (including packaging), use by the consumer and, finally, disposal (the 'cradle to grave' approach). The label is only awarded after verification by an independent body that the product meets these high environmental and performance standards.

The EU Ecolabel is recognised throughout the 27 EU Member States as well as in Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland. The Flower helps manufacturers, retailers and service providers gain recognition for good standards, while helping purchasers identify products which are less harmful to the environment.

The scheme has recently been revised to simplify procedures for companies applying for the label and increase the number of product groups. Some of the important changes include reduced fees, less administrative burdens for companies, increased synergy with other national labels, and faster criteria development and revision procedures.

The EU Ecolabel is part of a broader EU Action Plan on Sustainable Consumption and Production and Sustainable Industrial Policy adopted by the European Commission on 16 July 2008, which also links the Flower to other EU policies such as Green Public Procurement (GPP).

Seafood ecolabels

There are a plethora of sustainable seafood ecolabels, many conservationists feel that the increasing number of labels is further confusing consumers in regard to what seafood is sustainable. As of 2010, ecolabels that can be found on seafood include Marine Stewardship Council, Friend of the Sea, KRAV (Sweden), Naturland (Germany), Thai Quality Shrimp, Global Aquaculture Alliance's Best Aquaculture Practices standard, Label Rouge (France), among still others, and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) is in development. Seafood is also labeled "organic" but USDA standards for organic seafood are still in development.

There are a variety of dolphin safe labels, asserting that tuna is caught in a manner that does not harm dolphins.

Marine Stewardship Council

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The Marine Stewardship Council's distinctive blue ecolabel enables consumers to identify seafood that has come from a sustainable source. The MSC programme is voluntary and fisheries that are independently assessed and meet the MSC's environmental standard can use the MSC blue ecolabel. As of April 2010 it can be found on the packaging of seafood and fresh fish counters on nearly 4,000 products in over 60 countries around the world.

The MSC standard is consistent with the ‘Guidelines for the Eco-labelling of Fish and Fishery Products from Marine Wild Capture Fisheries’ adopted by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in 2005. Any fishery that wishes to become MSC certified and use the ecolabel is assessed against the MSC standard by a third party, independent certification body that has been independently accredited to perform MSC assessments by Accreditation Services International (ASI). Chain of custody certification along the supply chain from boat to point of sale ensures that seafood sold bearing the ecolabel originated from an MSC certified fishery. The Council was founded as a result of the work of the Seafood Choices Alliance.

Friend of the Sea

The Friend of the Sea is an NGO founded in December 2006 to conserve marine habitat and resources by means of market incentives and specific conservation projects. It is the only scheme which certifies as sustainable, with the same seal of approval, both farmed and wild-caught products. Certified products from all continents include anchovies, caviar, clams, cuttlefish, halibut, kingfish, mackerel, mulloway, mussels, prawns, salmon, seabass, seabream, shrimps, squid, sturgeon, trout, tuna, turbot. Fishmeal, fishfeed and Omega-3 Fish oil have also been certified. Sustainable seafood, products and their origins are audited onsite by international certification bodies, against Friend of the Sea criteria. Certification bodies currently auditing against Friend of the Sea criteria are Aqa, Bureau Veritas, IFQC and SGS .

The Friend of the Sea criteria is currently the only one which follows the FAO - Guidelines for the Ecolabelling of Fish and Fishery Products from Marine Capture Fisheries, by fulfilling Article 30 of the Guidelines which allows certification only of products from fisheries targeting stocks which are not overexploited.

Sustainable Timber ecolabel

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Ecolabels indicating that timber in wood-based products originates from forests that are sustainably managed in compliance with internationally recognized standards include at a global level labels by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes and the Forest Stewardship Council, at regional and national levels labels by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative and the Malaysian Timber Certification System (both internationally recognized by PEFC) or the Lembaga Ekolabel Indonesia (LEI). The timber is tracked through the supply chain to the end product, so that consumers can choose to buy sustainably harvested wood over alternatives that may be contributing to deforestation worldwide.

Energy labels

Many consumer appliances have labels indicating whether or not they are energy efficient compared to similar products. Common labels include yellow EnergyGuide tags found in North America as part of the Energy Star program, European Union energy labels, and the Energy Saving Trust Recommended logo administrated by the Energy Saving Trust in the United Kingdom. These labels document how much energy an appliance consumes while being used; energy input labeling documents how much energy was used to manufacture the product, an additional consideration in the full life cycle energy use of product.

Carbon emission labels are an alternative methodology for certification, examining impact on greenhouse gas emissions rather than direct energy use.

Some labels are applied to the direct purchase of energy, such as from electric utilities. These include the EKOenergy label in Finland, and the discontinued Eugene Green Energy Standard in the European Union.

See also

Blue Angel

Display Campaign

EKOenergy ecolabel for energy

Environmental Choice New Zealand

Environmental Choice Program

Global Ecolabelling Network

Green Seal

GREENGUARD Environmental Institute Certification Program

ISO 14000

Nordic swan

Organic food

Planet Positive (in the UK and the US)

Rainforest Alliance Certified

Notes

References

External links

Ecolabelling.org The independent global directory of ecolabels.

wikiPPP.org, A wiki-label initiative (Product, People, Planet)

Display Campaign A European energy label initiative for buildings

____37890.aspx Ministry of Economic Development - Ecolabels in use in New Zealand

Video segment from 'Connected Life', msn.com

List of Ecolabels, Quality Labels, Eurofins Scientific

Canada Household Appliance EnerGuide Label

Canada Automobile EnerGuide Label

USA Household Appliance Energy Star label

USA EPA green vehicle guide

Energy Saving Trust Recommended

Belgian Ecolabel

ekobai.org The free global database of companies with ecolabels and sustainability standards.

Category:Environmental law Category:Environmental economics Category:Consumer protection