ECO-LABEL GUARANTEES
Low air and water pollution during paper
production and printing processes.
Reduced environmental damage or risks
related to the use of hazardous
chemicals. Increases recyclability
CRITERIA
PAPER CRITERIAS
Printed paper shall
only be printed on
Graphic and Copying
paper bearing the EU
Ecolabel as
established in
Commission Decision
2011/333/EU
CRITERIAS FOR
NEWSPRINT
ECO Label established
Commission Decision
2012/448/EU
EXCLUDED OR
LIMITED
S U B STAN C E S A N D
MIXTURES
EXCLUSION
Consumables on paper of the
printed product containing
substances and mixtures
according hazard statements
or risk phrases in accordance
with Regulation ( EC) no
1272/2008 and Council
Directive 67/548/EEC
referred in Article 57 can not
be used for printing, coating
and finishing
Toluene in rotogravure in
an encapsulated
installation or recovery
system recovery
efficiency at least 92%.
UV varnishes and UV inks
classsified H412/R52-53
are also extempted from
the requirement
CRITERIAS
List of hazard
statements and risk
parameters
Substances listed
in accordance with
article 59(1) of
Regulation( EC) no
1907/2006
Washing agents
Biocides
Exclusion of heavy
metal components
in inks toners,
varnishes, foils and
laminates
TEST METHODS FOR RECYCLABILITY
Wet strength agents PTS method PTS-RH
021/97
Non soluble adhesive removability INGEDE
Method 12 or equivalent
Deinkability Deinking Scoreboard of the
European Recovered Paper Council or
equivalent
RECYLABILITY
All printed products have to be recyable and de-inkable
Non-Paper components easily removable
Adhesives have to proved for removability
Coating varnishes and lamination including polyethene
/polyproylene may be used only for covers of books,
pads, magazines , catalogues and exercise books
USE
Suitable for purpose
Appearance of following statement : ”Please
collect used Paper for recycling”
For website use: This printed paper is recyable, it
is printed using paper with low environmental
impact, emissions of chemicals to air and
water of paper production and printing
process have been limited
EMISSIONS TO WATER
Rinsing water if still used containing silver shall
not be discharged to a sewage treatment
plant
Amount of Cr and Cu discharged must not
exceed 45mg per m2 and 400mg per m2
printing cylinder surface area used in the
press
EMISSIONS TO AIR
VOC from the drying process of heat set offset
and flexography printing shall be managed by
recovery combustion and should not exceed
20mgC/Nm3
WASTE
System shall be documented and explained and
shall be in accordance with the local and
national relevant regulatory authorities
ENERGY USE
The printing house shall establish a register of
all energy consuming devices and a program
consisting of measures for improvement od
energy efficiency
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR ASSESSMENT AND
VERIFICATION
1. Trade name or functional name
2. CAS number
3. Function of the chemical substance
4. Name of supplier
5. Annual amount of chemical used ( liters/year)
6. VOC content(%)
7. VOC amount(kg/year)
APPLICATION AND VERIFICATION PROCESS
Application forms at least in two copies bearing original
signatures provided by the state Competent bodies
Special forms for Declaration that the chemicals ,
components are in accordance with the EU-Ecolabel
regulations signed by the production companies
Safety data sheets in accordance to the EU regulations
VERIFICATION PROCESS
The certifiers should get all the documents if possible in
electronic form and the companies should be
controlled from the certifier to make sure that all
listed parameters are used in the proper way
Problems can occur to get the right data sheets and also
the exact supplier declarations.
PROBLEMS
A big problem is also to do the right calculation for the
VOC emissions in combination with the paper used
therefore exact data have to be written down for this
calculation
Waste paper content in % is also a problem to
calculate it exactly only for the products carrying
EU-Ecolabel
Special training courses for EU-Ecolabel should be
designed and made at last for a region or for a
country
CRITICAL PARAMETERS AND SOLUTIONS
DEINKABILITY
SAFETY DATA SHEETS
AND SUPPLIERS
DECLARATIONS
Especially for UV inks
and toners and also for
ink jet inks is the
deinkability not
guaranteed
The safety data sheets
have to be in English if
possible the nationals
language is not very
useful
Declarations have to
be originally signed
NORMAL PROCEDURE
DATA C O L L E C T I O N
First all data should be
collected especially the
supplier information and the
safety data sheets
These information should be
given in advance to the
certifier
PLANT
INSPECTION
Very important is the plant
inspection by the certifier
and therefore all
information should be ready
that the inspection can be
done without any delays or
a second plant visit
necessary
Missing data sheets
Not accurate supplier
declarations
Waste management declaration
is not accurate enough
Problems by VOC calculation
Problems by waste paper content
Deinkability verification