Green stamps of approval

by Gerald Francoj

European consumers are more and more concerned about the environmental friendliness of the products and packaging they consume, but determining which items are genuinely green has not been easy. Voluntary eco-labelling, which aims to better inform customer choice in purchasing, is widely recognised as the most effective approach. With many eco-related labels on the market and few objective criteria, however, consumers often decide for themselves which claims are most credible.

Eco-labelling in the European Union
Until 1993, eco-labelling in Western Europe was initiated by individual countries rather than on an EU-wide basis, leading to a variety of different programmes with differing effectiveness. The need for a standardised method led the EU to introduce its own Union-wide eco-label programme. The programme seeks to promote the design, production, marketing and use of consumer products that have reduced environmental impact during their life cycle, and to provide consumers with better information on the environmental impact of products. It also aims to halt the proliferation of national schemes which are not in line with the creation of a single market in the EU.

The programme currently includes numerous product groups, ranging from washing machines and refrigerators to laundry detergents and toilet paper. It does not apply to food, beverages, pharmaceuticals or dangerous substances. The programme is voluntary, leaving it to the producer to decide whether or not to apply for the eco-label, but the intention is to create more consumer demand for products that pass the EU's green test.

The test: bed-linen and T-shirts
Identifying how the evaluating bodies look at individual product groups provides some insight to how successful applicants are determined. Criteria for bed linen and T-shirts, for example, were defined on the basis of a "cradle-to-grave" assessment of their environmental impacts. Main impacts were found to result from the use of pesticides in the growing of cotton, harmful processes during the production of polyester and the use of harmful substances during the processing and finishing of bed-linen and T-shirts.

The main environmental parameters were found to relate to pesticide residues in the cotton yarn; volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and the use of antimony in polyester production; the use of detergents, bleaching agents, dyes and pigments during wet processing; and VOCs and formaldehyde in the final printing and finishing of bed-linen and T-shirts. Parameters also relate to wastewater treatment and discharges during production.

Criteria for product groups are developed jointly by the European Commission and designated representatives of its member states. It utilises the input of environmental experts that constitute an Eco-label Regulatory Committee, which must agree with each Commission decision through a majority vote. In addition, an Eco-label Consultation Forum, made up of representatives of industry, commerce, environmental and consumer organisations and trade unions, contributes significantly to the development of criteria for product groups.

Once a product has been awarded an eco-label, it can be marketed as such — with the special eco-label flower logo — throughout the EU, as well as in Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

Eco-labelling in CEE
Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Romania and Slovakia have established national programmes with mixed results. Eco-labelling in CEE countries is currently done on a country-by-country basis, placing them in the same situation as West European countries before 1993, with national programmes and non-standard criteria. The Czech programme, one of the most advanced, has adopted EU programme standards and includes 19 product categories with over 50 eco-labels awarded in 1997, bringing the total to over 220 Czech eco-labels.

Even with the first steps taken toward reliable country programmes, there is much to do before eco-labelling is accepted throughout the region. The next stage for the CEE countries will be to adopt the standardised EU product group criteria, while the first wave of EU accession countries will have to create institutions that mirror the country committees existing in the EU.

Promoting eco-labelled products among CEE consumers is also important for the movement's success.