ECO LABELLING PROGRAMMES

Eco labels are the most popular form of independent Environmental labelling. Environmental labelling programmes have grown and spread over a number of countries and could in the future be an effective tools for environmental protection. The majority of schemes are run in developed countries, although an increasing number of developing countries are on the, path to develop ecolabels. The large number of Ecolabelling schemes is reflected in the diversity of approach to environmental impact testing present in the schemes.

Most ecolabels tend to follow a stripped down Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA -’cradle-to-grave’) approach, concentrating on a few of the major environmental impacts. For example, a fridge may be assessed on factors such as energy use, recycled content and presence of ozone-depleting chemicals. These impacts are then weighted and an overall environmental impact is attributed to a product. The overall environmental impact will then be assessed in relation to other products in the same product line.

Ecolabelling schemes do share a number of characteristics :

• They are independent of manufacturers;
• They are voluntary as manufacturers only apply for an ecolabel if they want to;
• The selection of product groups and criteria is carried out - with the involvement of interest groups (usually including consumer groups);

• The use of an Ecolabel is for a limited time period, after which the product must re-apply;

• The criteria for the granting of a label and the thresholds for granting the label are available for the public

• A fee is paid in application and a charge is made, usually a percentage of turnover, for use of an ecolabel.

There are two types of schemes, governmental and private. All schemes are voluntary:

Governmental:

• Germany established its ‘Blue Angel’ scheme in 1977. The scheme adopts a hybrid approach by carrying out a full Life-Cycle Analysis.
• Canada established its ‘Environmental Choice Programme’ in June 1988 and France began operating its NF Environment programme in 1992 through AFNOR. Austria and New Zealand also instituted schemes in 1991 and 1990 respectively.
• The Nordic countries (Norway, Sweden and Iceland) have developed the ‘White Swan’ logo for use on qualifying products in 1989. The Nordic scheme operates along similar lines to the EU scheme, although it aims to involve the largest and dirtiest industries first.

Private:

• Private ecolabelling schemes divide between industry specific and product line specific schemes. As such private schemes have a narrower remit than governmental schemes. Sweden’s Society for the Conservation of Nature runs a ‘Good Environmental Choice’ programme with a number of large retailers. The scheme is aimed at toiletry products. Germany operates two industry specific schemes in the tropical timber and textile areas.
  
• Manufacturers own labels: the use of environmental labels by manufacturers has been one of the main driving forces behind the development of environmental labelling. Many manufacturers have cynically responded to the increased environmental awareness of consumers by placing spurious environmental labels on their products. Consumers are thus faced with many different environmental claims on product. Examples of such claims are ‘ozone-friendly’, ‘bio’, ‘green’ and ‘environmentally friendly’, as well as the use of pictures of dolphins and pandas as a means of subliminally inferring environmental friendliness. The plethora of green claims by manufacturers has led a number of countries, such as the USA and Australia, to bring in guidelines covering what can be claimed for a product. However, these regulations are often very loose and rarely enforced. Independent environmental labelling can only survive if manufacturers claims are strictly controlled.