Environmental Labeling Systems Lecture 5a

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Environmental Labeling SystemsLecture 5a

• Charles J. Kibert
• Center for Construction and Environment
• University of Florida
• Gainesville, Florida 32611-5703 USA

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Overview

• Definition and Goals Environmental Label
• Ecological Aspects and Criteria
• Environmental Labeling Programs
• Multinational Programs
• ISO/TC 207 Environmental Management
• European Union Eco-Label
• Nordic Environmental Labeling System
• Some National Initiatives
• Commonalties and Differences
• Summary and Conclusions

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Definition Environmental Label

• Any label describing or identifying
  environment-related characteristics of products
  or services
• Also referred to as green label or ecolabel
• Goals
• Mark products or services as environmentally
  preferable to their counterparts so consumers can
  make decisions based on the products or
  services environmental impact.
• Provide market advantage to environmentally sound
  goods and services
• Assure consumers products have met strict
  criteria set by an independent organization

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Types of Ecolabels

• Seals of Approval awarded by a neutral or
  independent organization after certain
  requirements have been met. Identify products or
  services less harmful to the environment than
  similar ones without the seal.
• Information Labels provided by manufacturer or a
  commissioned party, list individual
  characteristics without giving an overall
  approval of the product as environmentally benign
  or preferable. Include disclosure labels, such
  as report cards and hazard/warning labels, and
  report cards

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Environmental Label Programs
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TCO Development
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Ecological Aspects and Criteria

• Ecological aspects the areas in which a product
  influences the environment
• resource consumption use of hazardous
  substances, emissions into air, water, soil
  energy efficiency generation of noise waste
  relevance economic efficiency
• Ecological criteria requirements a product must
  fulfill and the means to judge the ecological
  impact of the product within the corresponding
  environmental areas. Demonstrates environmental
  friendliness of the product. Based on product
  life cycle analysis (PLCA).

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Multinational Initiatives

• ISO/TC 207 Environmental Management (1991)
• International Standards Organization (Geneva)
• Goal Standardize environmental management tools
  and systems
• Environmental Labeling Subcommittee (SC3)
  standardize first-party (self-declaration)
  practices and set guiding principles for
  third-party certification programs
• European Union Eco-Label (March 1992)
• Council Regulation must be implemented in each
  country
• Use of label is not compulsory, national programs
  can coexist along with EU label
• Targeted at consumer goods, not at manufacturers
  or companies. 200 products to-date

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• Nordic Environmental Labeling System (1989)
• Finland, Norway, Sweden, Iceland. Denmark
  participates in the EU program
• Ecological criteria developed for 29 product
  groups and being developed for 15 product groups.
  Over 650 products carry the label
• Companies must submit detailed documentation plus
  proof of test by independent laboratories to the
  national environmental labeling organization in
  their own country
• Label awarded in one country can be used in
  others
• Labeling organization has right to carry out
  periodic inspections

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EU Eco-Label Products

• Denmark copying paper, writing paper, toilet
  paper, kitchen rolls, building insulation,
  textiles
• France paints and varnishes, batteries and
  accumulators, shampoos
• Germany detergents, dishwashing agents,
  household cleaning agents
• Italy packaging, refrigerators and freezers,
  ceramic tiles
• The Netherlands shoes, cat litter
• United Kingdom dishwashers, washing machines,
  hairsprays, deodorants, light bulbs

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http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union_energy
_label
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Growth of EU Ecolabel
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Existing Product Groups - EU Label
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Existing Product Groups - Nordic Swan
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Approved Products - Nordic Swan
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Der blaue Engel
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Germany The Blue Angel

• Worlds first labeling program 1977
• Includes 78 product groups, 3900 products carry
  the label
• Each product group has its own LCA matrix,
  includes safety and usability. Criteria are valid
  for 3 years
• Most important characteristics vary by product
• Paper recycled paper content
• Lawn mowers noise emissions
• Available to foreign manufacturers 15 at present

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Development of Individual Criteria Processing
of Individual Applications
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Some Blue Angel Products
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U.S. EcoLabels

• Green Seal
• Scientific Certification Systems
• US EPA Energy Star
• SmartWood Forest Certification

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The ENERGY STAR Product Label
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ENERGY STAR Product Labeling

• Objectives
• To prevent air pollution, including emissions of
  greenhouse gases, caused by the inefficient use
  of energy
• To make it easy for businesses and consumers to
  identify and purchase products with enhanced
  energy efficiency that offer savings on utility
  bills while maintaining performance, features,
  and comfort
• What is ENERGY STAR?
• Distinguishes what is efficient/better for the
  environment with no sacrifice in features or
  performance
• Voluntary program
• Products that earn the ENERGY STAR meet strict
  energy performance criteria set by the US EPA or
  DOE

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Models in 35 Product Categories Can Carry the
ENERGY STAR Label

• Office equipment Computers, monitors, printers,
  scanners, copiers, fax machines, multifunction
  devices
• Consumer electronics TVs, VCRs, DVD players,
  audio equipment, cordless telephones, answering
  machines, set top boxes
• Home Appliances Refrigerators, clothes washers,
  dish washers, dehumidifiers, air cleaners
• Heating and Cooling Equipment Central AC and
  heat pumps, Room AC, furnaces, boilers,
  programmable thermostats, ventilation fans,
  ceiling fans
• Lighting and signage Residential light fixtures,
  CFLs, exit signs, traffic signals
• Others windows, roof products, water coolers,
  transformers

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ENERGY STAR Partners

• ENERGY STAR works with many stakeholders in
  reducing greenhouse gas emissions including
• Manufacturers, retailers, and state and utility
  partners
• More than 1,400 manufacturers labeling more than
  28,000 product models
• Over 550 retailers (more than 21,000
  storefronts)
• Federal Agencies/Departments -- FEMP
• 330 state energy agency and electric utility
  partners

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ENERGY STAR Results

• The ENERGY STAR label has become the national
  symbol for energy efficiency, recognized by over
  55 of Americans.
• To date, Americans have bought more than 1
  billion ENERGY STAR qualified products. These
  products have helped reduce greenhouse gas
  emissions by more than 485 billion pounds.
• In 2003 alone, Americans - with the help of
  ENERGY STAR - saved 8 billion on their energy
  bills, saved enough energy to power 20 million
  homes.

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ENERGY STAR is International

• U.S. EPA has arrangements with agencies in other
  countries regarding ENERGY STAR for office
  equipment
• Japan
• Taiwan
• Australia also includes home electronics and
  others
• New Zealand also includes home electronics and
  others
• Canada also includes most other product
  categories
• U.S. Government has a formal agreement with the
  European Union on ENERGY STAR for office
  equipment
• Managed by European Commission - DG TREN

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Other Parts of ENERGY STAR

• New Homes
• Independently verified to be at least 30 more
  efficient than the model energy code
• Home Improvement
• Home energy yardstick
• Home energy advisor
• Home sealing (insulation, windows, sealing gaps
  and cracks)
• Buildings
• Benchmarking for various building types
• Guidelines for energy management
• Resources for small businesses

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• Quality and Environmental Labels for Office
  Electronics

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TCO Creates Sustainable Office Environments

• TCO develops quality and environmental labeling
  systems for computers (including laptops),
  monitors, keyboards, mobile phones and printers,
  combining issues of office environment with
  natural environment
• Global quality standards for electronic office
  equipment applied throughout the world
• 50 percent of computer monitor models on the
  world market are TCO labeled.

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Product Types Certified

• Mobile Phones

• Displays (CRT) Displays (CRT)
• Displays (LCD) Displays (LCD)
• System Units (CPUs)
• Portable computers
• Keyboards
• Printers
• Copiers
• Faxes

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Main Characteristics of a TCO label

• User in focus comfort and health issues
• Ensures a top quality product
• Third party certification body
• A voluntary stamp of quality for manufacturers
• Creates a market driven demand

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How Are the TCO Labels Developed ?
Users, purchasers
Network of experts
Manufacturers
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The TCO labels are based on the 4 Es
Ecology
Ergonomics
Emissions
Energy
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Highlights of the requirements in TCO03 (CRT
and Flat Panel Displays)

• Ergonomics
• Pixel array requirements
• Screen geometry
• Luminance level, uniformity and image loading
  capacity
• Luminance contrast
• Front frame reflectance and gloss
• Color temperature variation, uniformity and
  linearity
• Image stability
• Vertical tilt and height adjustments

• Ecology / Environment
• Environmental Management System certificate
  according to ISO 14001 or EMAS registration.
• Regulations on Environmental Hazards (cadmium,
  mercury, lead, brominated and chrominated flame
  retardants and plastics)
• Preparation for disassembly and recycling
  (coding, mercury lamps, plastics, metallization)
• Information to display users about the
  possibility to dispose of the display by
  environmentally acceptable recycling

• Energy efficiency
• Two levels of sleep modes
• Standby mode 15 W
• Deep sleep mode 5 W
• Alt 1 2-step sleep models max 3 sec. from
  Standby to wake-up or
• Alt 2 1-step sleep models max 5 W power
  consumption

• Emissions
• Low levels of electromagnetic fields
• Low electrostatic potential of the CRT surface
• Immunity from external magnetic fields

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TCO Labels - A global success
Displays 1000 TCO92 2000 TCO95 2200 TCO99
151 TCO03 gt1500 CRTs gt1700 FPDs System
Units 5 TCO95 13 TCO99 Keyboards
2 TCO99 Portable computers 3 TCO99 Printers 1
TCO99
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A US Based Eco-label for

• Computers
• Monitors
• Laptops
• Future
• Many More Product
• TV, Copies, Fax, Printers, Cell Phones, etc.

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The EPEAT Registry

• The EPEAT Registry includes products that have
  been declared by their manufacturers to be in
  conformance with the environmental performance
  standard for electronic products - IEEE 1680-
  2006. 

http//www.epeat.net/
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How EPEAT works

• EPEAT evaluates electronic products in relation
  to 51 total environmental criteria, identified in
  the Criteria Tabeland contained in IEEE 1680 -
  23 required criteria and 28 optional criteria. To
  qualify for registration as an EPEAT product, the
  product must conform to all the required
  criteria.

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A Lifecycle Approach

• Criteria address
• How product is designed
• Toxicity and Environmentally sensitive materials
• Selection of materials
• Recycled content, Renewable materials,
  dematerialization
• Environmental impacts during use - Energy
• Upgradeability, extending life, and reuse
• Packaging how much, reusable?
• How easy and safe it will be to recycle
• Corporate environmental performance
• Product take-back

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Common Features of Labeling Programs

• Participation in all programs is voluntary
• Almost all created by governments or independent
  organizations
• Structure generally has two parts
• Definition of product groups and ecological
  criteria
• Application, approval, and award process
• Applications must include proof of compliance
• Labels are generally awarded for a limited time,
  2-3 years
• License fees are generally 0.15-0.50 of annual
  turnover

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Labeling Program Differences

• Ecological criteria for product groups
• Based on complete LCA EU
• Based on one or two criteria India, Korea
• In between (best) Austria, Canada, New Zealand
• Industry Support
• Australias Environmental Choice program started
  in 1991, discontinued in 1994 due to lack of
  support

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Ecolabel Building Products
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Requirements for Green Building Materials
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Responsibility to Community
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Construction Communitys Contribution to Change
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Some New Terminology to Use

• Design for the Environment
• Design for Disassembly
• Industrial Ecology/Construction Ecology
• Industrial Metabolism/Construction Metabolism
• Biomimicry
• Eco-Structuring

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Conclusions

• Environmental labeling is rapidly becoming a
  reality through national and multinational
  programs
• Programs are based on (1) selecting product
  groups and criteria, and (2) an application and
  awards process
• Product Life Cycle Assessment (PLCA) is the key
  analysis tool
• Building materials are included in ecolabeling
  schemes but only a few products are included
• More extensive scrutiny of building materials
  needed, especially end-of-life fate and health
  impacts
• Specifiers and purchasers of building materials
  would benefit greatly from expanded ecolabeling
  of these materials