Environmental labels, also known as ecological labels or green labels. Since the advent of the world's first environmental label, the German "Blue Angel" logo, in 1978, the environmental labeling system has become popular around the world as a means of environmental management. At present, nearly 40 countries and regions have launched environmental labeling systems, involving an increasing number of product varieties, and have even expanded to the service field.
Environmental labeling is a specific label issued to applicants by government departments or independent institutions based on certain environmental standards. The recipient can affix it to the product to indicate to consumers that the product is incompatible with similar products. Compared with products, the entire process of production, use, processing, etc., or one of the processes, meets specific environmental protection requirements.
The environmental labeling system contributes to the implementation of environmental protection regulations and is the product of the transition from "administrative decrees" to "market guidance" in environmental management methods. Driven by consumers through market factors, it prompts producers to adopt higher environmental standards, guides companies to consciously adjust product structures, and adopts clean processes to produce environmentally friendly products, ultimately achieving the purpose of protecting the environment and saving resources. The environmental labeling system implements a voluntary principle, and producers decide whether to apply for it. The application for an environmental label must go through strict inspection, testing and comprehensive assessment, be reviewed and approved by a recognized committee, sign a specific use contract, and pay a certain amount of usage fees before it can be used. The ownership of the mark belongs to the certification committee. The use of the logo has a certain period of time, and you need to apply again after the expiration date.
International mutual recognition of environmental labeling certification results is a general trend. Germany, Canada, Japan and other countries established the Type I Environmental Labeling Global Network (GEN) in 1994. Currently, GEN*** has 26 members. Its main tasks are to further develop the environmental labeling system, enhance the credibility of environmental labeling certification and the transparency of applicable standards; encourage information exchange, cooperation and coordination among members; provide relevant information. 2.1 China Environmental Labeling
China Environmental Labeling is an official product certification trademark. The central structure of the graphic represents the environment on which human beings live, and the 10 peripheral rings are closely integrated. The rings are intertwined, indicating that the public participates in protecting the environment; at the same time, the word "ring" in the 10 rings is the same as the word "ring" in the environment, which means "all people unite to protect the environment on which human beings depend." environment". Products approved to use the mark must not only be of high quality, but also have production, use and processing processes that comply with specific environmental protection requirements. Compared with similar products, they must have the advantages of being less toxic, less harmful, and saving resources.
The China Environmental Labeling Program was born in 1993. On May 17, 1994, the China Environmental Labeling Product Certification Committee was established, and the China Environmental Labeling Plan, which was linked to the international eco-labeling plan, was implemented. In September 2003, the Environmental Certification Center of the State Environmental Protection Administration (Zhonghuan United (Beijing) Certification Center Co., Ltd.) was established, taking over the functions of the secretariat of the China Environmental Labeling Product Certification Committee and becoming the only environmental certification agency authorized by the state.
At present, more than 18,000 products from more than 900 companies in Japan have passed China Environmental Labeling Product Certification, and the green output value of certified products is nearly 70 billion yuan. There are six major categories of environmental label certification products that my country has prioritized, namely, renewable and recycling categories, improving regional environmental quality, improving residential environmental quality, protecting human health, and saving energy resources, etc. The certification scope of environmental labels includes 55 types.
2.2 Hong Kong Eco-Label
The Hong Kong Eco-Label Scheme is an independent voluntary participation scheme organized by the Hong Kong Federation for Environmental Protection (HKFEP). The Hong Kong Environmental Label is a label attached to a product or its packaging and is the "certification trademark" of the product. In order to avoid the formation of regional trade barriers and try to be in line with international standards, the Hong Kong government and various industries have always avoided formulating local standards. Hong Kong's environmental labels also follow this spirit and adopt international standards as equivalently as possible; if there are no international standards, Chinese national standards or other international standards will be used.
This is a highlight of Hong Kong’s environmental label. There are 16 priority products for which the Hong Kong Eco Label applies, including furniture products.
2.3 Taiwan Green Mark
The Taiwan Green Mark Program is a voluntary environmental labeling program initiated by the Taiwan Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1992. Its main The purpose is to reduce pollution to protect natural resources and strengthen resource recycling; to guide consumers to purchase green products and encourage manufacturers to design and provide products that are beneficial to the environment. The green color in the environmental protection label represents green consumption, and the green sphere represents a clean and pollution-free earth. The entire pattern is designed to imitate the topographic map of Taiwan Province, symbolizing Taiwan's commitment to protecting the environment. Taiwan's environmental label is currently managed by a private organization, the Environment and Development Fund (EDF). 3.1 German Blue Angel
The Federal Republic of Germany was the first country to initiate an environmental labeling program. As early as 1971, Germany proposed the idea of ??implementing an environmental labeling program for products used by consumers. . The Blue Angel logo was initiated by the Federal Ministry of the Interior in 1977, and the first six logos were approved and awarded by the Environmental Label Review Committee in 1978.
At present, the Blue Angel logo has become the eco-label covering the largest variety of products in the world. It has developed certification standards for more than 80 categories of products, including wood and wood products (interior), and issued environmental labels for more than 4,000 products.
3.2 Nordic Swan Label (Nordic Swan)
The White Swan Label is the world’s first multinational cooperative environmental labeling program. Its purpose is to provide consumers with consumption guidance. This allows consumers to select products and services from the market that are least harmful to the environment; when considering quality issues, environmental issues should also be considered to promote product improvement.
Environmental impact assessments must be conducted on products throughout their entire life cycle, from raw materials to disposal. For example, requirements are set for: energy and resource consumption, factory exhaust, sewage and waste emissions, as well as environmentally hazardous ingredients inherent in the product itself. In addition, requirements are put forward for product quality and functionality. White Swan labels cover more than 60 categories of products, and 682 label use licenses have been issued.
3.3 The Netherlands Stichting Milieukeur
In the Netherlands in the 1980s, environmental issues attracted more and more attention. The Dutch Ministry of Housing, Nature Planning and Environment and the Ministry of Economic Affairs founded the Environmental Inspection Foundation in 1992, which created the Dutch Ecolabel. In 1995, the Environmental Inspection Foundation began to develop food eco-label standards. Later, the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Food Quality intervened in eco-label management and occupied a place in the Environmental Inspection Foundation. The Foundation is made up of representatives from government, consumers, manufacturers, retailers, trade and environmental organisations. Although the EU already has eco-labels, the Netherlands, as one of the EU member states, still conducts its own eco-label project to provide better products and services to the domestic market. Operationally, the Environmental Check Foundation maintains links with the European Union.
3.4 French NF Environmental Mark (Norme Francaise Environnement Mark)
The French NF Environmental Mark is an ecological project recognized by the national public. It has two functions: first, to provide reliable product environmental protection information to the society; second, to identify and reward companies that consider environmental protection factors in the production process. The labeling scheme was launched in 1989 but was not implemented until 1992 due to industry opposition. The management agency of the NF environmental label is the French Association for Standardization (AFNOR). Currently, there are more than 300 products in six categories that can be awarded the NF environmental label, including furniture.
3.5 Swedish TCO′04 Environmental Labeling
The word "TCO" comes from Swedish, and is translated into English as "The Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees", referred to as the Swedish Labor Confederation. In 1991, TCO began to care about the computer application environment of its people. Since TCO'95, the industry standard of TCO has spread around the world. Although TCO certification is the most popular in the display industry, in fact, TCO certification is a very large quality inspection system, involving three major categories of products: computers, mobile phones, and office furniture. The TCO′04 office furniture certification launched by TCO in 2004 is applicable to all kinds of traditional office desks and chairs and electronically controlled office desks and chairs. Office furniture in terms of ergonomics (size and function, safety, stability and strength, ease of use, material performance), radiation (electromagnetic radiation, chemical radiation), ecological environment (production and maintenance, environmentally damaging substances, recycling), etc. Strict requirements were put forward.
3.6 Canadian Environmental Choice Program Label (Environmental Choice Program)
The Canadian Environmental Choice Program (ECP) was founded in 1988 to help consumers identify products that can help reduce environmental pollution. Loads of products and services. The ECP is an unofficial environmental program owned by Environment Canada, and a private Canadian company called TerraChoice Environmental Services Ltd. is responsible for day-to-day operations. The Eco Logo of the Environmental Choice Program is a pattern of three circling doves forming a maple leaf. The maple leaf represents the Canadian environment, and the three doves represent the three main environmental protection actors: government, business, and industry. The words "Environmental Choice" are written above and below the sign in English and French respectively.
In order to improve the Environmental Choice Mark, a product or service must: improve efficiency; reduce the generation of harmful substances; use recyclable raw materials; be reusable or have other environmental advantages; and certified products or services must also Should meet or exceed industry specific safety and performance standards. Outdoor furniture made of waste wood, entertainment and leisure equipment and outdoor furniture made of recycled plastic, office furniture and panel systems can all apply for the Canadian Environmental Choice Program label.
3.7 Australia's Good Environmental Choice Label (Good Environmental Choice)
Australia's "Good Environmental Choice Label" is managed by the Australian Environmental Labeling Association (AELA) and started in November 2001. Awarded specifically to products that meet or exceed environmental performance standards. Because the "Good Environmental Choice Label" is superior in terms of cost and science and technology, it is deeply loved by consumers and has more advantages in the market environment. The fundamental purpose of this program is to provide consumers with clear and reliable information on the environmental performance of products and services to influence the direction of market development. So far, there are 32 categories of products that can apply for Australian environmental label certification.
3.8 Japan Eco Mark (Japan Eco Mark)
The Japanese Eco Mark, as shown in the picture, represents human beings' desire to protect the earth with their own hands. The design of the eco-label was initiated by the Eco-label Bureau of the Japan Environmental Association (JEA) in 1988 and was selected through an open call. The upper half of the mark has a line of phrases "close to the earth", while the lower half represents the product's environmental protection performance. Japan’s ecological standards are relatively complete and are reviewed and updated regularly. Among them, wooden products and furniture made from waste wood, thin wood chips and small-diameter logs can apply for ecological labels.
3.9 Korea Eco-label (Korea Eco-label)
The Korean Eco-label program began in 1992 and is based on ISO14024 eco-labels and statements, with the purpose of encouraging businesses and consumers to participate environmental programs to achieve sustainable production and consumption.
As of August 2005, 107 categories of products can apply for certification, including wooden office furniture, wooden kitchen tables, built-in wooden products in buildings, beds and other products.
3.10 Thailand Green Label
The Thailand Green Label program was launched by the Thailand Business Council for Sustainable Development (TBCSD) in October 1993 and launched in August of the following year. It is officially implemented by the Thailand Environment Institute (TEI) in conjunction with the Ministry of Industry. Products using green labels not only have the same properties as similar products, but also have the least negative impact on the environment. The logo is as shown in the picture. The birds and leaves represent life on the earth, and the smiling face represents the hope we give to future generations. In the inextricable connection with the earth, life activities should not affect the environment as a criterion.
Thailand Green Label certification is voluntary and applies to products and services. The purpose of granting the Green Label is to provide consumers with reliable information to help them choose environmentally friendly products; product production, use, Reduce environmental impact during consumption and disposal. As of January 2006, certification standards for 39 categories of products have been developed. As a new type of environmental management method, environmental labeling plays a positive role in guiding and promoting the development of various industries in a direction that is beneficial to the environment and human health. It is the only way to achieve sustainable development strategies. At the same time, the environmental protection labeling system also helps to improve product quality, enhance corporate image, provide consumers with clear and reliable product environmental performance information, and also affects the development direction of the market to a certain extent.