5. Communication of Life Cycle Information
5.3 Existing programmes worldwide
The German “Blue Angel” was the first official national eco- labeling scheme worldwide, launched in 1978, followed a decade later (1989) by the “White Swan” in the Nordic Countries and the “Eco-Mark” in Japan. The majority of national third-party labeling schemes have emerged during the late eighties and nineties. At supra-national level, the EU-Flower was introduced in 1992 and had a major regulation revision in 2000.
As of 2003, slightly more than the half of the European Union (EU-25) has developed own national ISO-type I
Illustrative ISO type I like EPIS:
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
The Forest Stewardship Council is an
international non-profit organisation founded in 1993 to support environmentally
appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world's forests. It is an association of Members consisting of a diverse group of representatives from environmental and social groups, the timber trade and the forestry profession, indigenous people's organisations, community forestry groups and forest product certification
organisations.
Illustrative classical ISO type I EPIS:
The German Blue Angel
The German “Blue Angel” was the first official national eco- labelling scheme world wide It is by far the most important ISO type I label in Germany. It is
well known and broadly accepted. This is mainly due to the involvement of a wide range of different societal actors in the process of product selection and criteria development. The label apparently works well as a supplementary marketing tool, especially for SMEs.
Illustrative ISO type III EPIS:
The Swedish EPD label
EPD’s (environ- mental product declarations) are a very recent environmental
product information scheme. There are several experiences of EPD at the international level; both in Europe, the US, and Japan.
The Swedish EPD® system is the oldest and largest environmental declaration programme set up in Europe. It was created in 1997 and officially launched in 1999. The Swedish Environmental Council (SWEDAC) runs it. SWEDAC is currently collaborating in the EU-LIFE project INTEND, aiming at the establishment of an international EPD system. It is also collaborating within GEDNet on the harmonization issue of different existing EPD systems worldwide.
labeling systems. This reflects a quite relevant focus of environmental product policy in EU- member countries.
Several other ISO-type I schemes have been developed in other countries at worldwide level (see Table 5.1).
EU Member States with national
ISO type I withoutEU Member States national ISO type I
Other states with national ISO type I Austria (Catatonia/Spain) Czech Republic France Germany Hungary Lithuania
Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden) Poland Slovak Republic Spain The Netherlands Belgium Cyprus Estonia Greece Ireland Italy Latria, Luxembourg Malta Portugal Slovenia United Kingdom Australia Brazil Canada China Croatia Hong Kong India Israel Japan Korea New Zealand Taiwan Thailand USA
Table 5.1: National ISO-type I labeling systems in EU-25 and selected extra-European countries Source: Rubik & Frankl (2004) p.38.
Japan is historically one of the main leading countries worldwide in eco-labeling, together with the Germany, the US, Nordic Countries and Canada. Japan is also a founding member of GEN (Global Eco-labeling Network) and it is worth mentioning that the general affairs office of the latter is settled precisely in Japan, at the Japan Environmental Association (JEA), a non-governmental organization under the guidance and advice of the Environment Agency. The latter has the responsibility for the Administration of the Eco-Mark programme. Concerning the programme methodology, the latter was profoundly revised in March 1996 to conform to the draft (at that time) ISO 14024 standards. More specifically, two very important changes were introduced, i.e. a life cycle approach to develop label criteria and consultation with stakeholders and related parties (EPA 1998).
The Green Seal is the only US-wide eco-labeling
programme fulfilling the ISO-type I standard. It is awarded by the Green Seal Inc. Currently, requirements for more than 30 product groups have been elaborated and accepted by a Stakeholder Committee representing manufacturers, trade associations, governmental agencies, product users, environmental and public interest groups. In India, the Ministry of Environment (MoEF), Government of India (GoI) has initiated a scheme in 1991, which is basically a scheme of labeling the eco-friendly products. An earthen pot has been chosen as the logo for the Ecomark scheme and is awarded to consumer goods, which meet the specified environmental criteria and the
Illustrative classical ISO type I EPIS:
The Japanese Eco-Mark
The Eco-Mark is the official Japanese eco- label, established in 1989. Its administration lies within the responsibility of the Japan Environment Association (JEA),
a non-governmental organisation under the guidance and advice of the Environment Agency. An LCA-approach has been incorporated in 1996 and has to be applied
quality requirements of Indian Standards. Sixteen categories of products such as soaps and detergents, paper, food items etc. are covered under the scheme so far (Sharma & Kurani 2003).
ISO-type III declaration programmes
In 2002, the results of a study commissioned by the EC/DG Environment and carried out by ERM reviewing existing EPD schemes were published (ERM 2002). The study reviewed over-sectoral initiatives in ten countries, three collaboration initiatives (GEDNet, NIMBUS and Asia), and sector- specific initiatives in the areas of automotive, chemicals, construction, energy & transport, electrical and electronic equipment, food, packaging, pulp & paper, textiles and tourism. In 2003, the study was further updated and expanded within the Task 1 of the EU-LIFE Project INTEND, whose main objective is to develop an EPD scheme at international level (INTEND 2003). Table 5.2 gives an overview of existing national over-sectoral EPD programmes and selected sector-specific initiatives, as of early 2003.
Countries National Scheme (Scheme Owner) Sectoral Scheme (Sector)
Europe
Denmark Pilot Project EPD
(DEPA – Danish Environmental Protection Agency)
France Experimental standard on type III environmental declarations
(AFNOR - Association Francaise de Normalisation)
AIMCC (construction)
Finland - RTS (construction), Paper profile
Germany - AUB (construction)
Italy Pilot EPD Programme (ANPA 2000-2001) EU-LIFE INTEND Project – Pilot international EPD system (2003-05)
Netherlands - MRPI (construction)
Norway NHO Type III Project
(NHO - Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry)
- Sweden EPD programme
(SWEDAC - Swedish Environmental Management Council)
Volvo Cars EPDs (Automotive) Volvo Trucks EPDs (Automotive)
IT Eco Declaration (Information technology and telecom)
Byggvarudeklaration (Construction) Teko Environmental Declarations (Textile) United Kingdom - BRE environmental profiles (construction) Extra-Europe
Switzerland - SIA (construction)
Canada EPDS – Environmental Profile Data Sheet (FPAC – Forest Product Association of Canada, in cooperation with Terrachoice)
- Japan ECO-LEAF
(JEMAI - Japan Environmental Management Association for Industry)
- South Korea EDP program
(MoE – Ministry for the Environment) - USA CEP – Certified Eco-Profile Programme
(SCS – Scientific Certification Systems) - No State Based
- IVN “better-best” (textile)
- AISE Code of Conduct (household laundry
detergents)
Table 5.2: Overview of existing national over-sectoral EPD programmes and selected sector-specific initiatives Source: INTEND (2003), updated and adapted from ERM (2002).