Ecolabel

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Ecolabel is a labelling system for consumer products (including foods) that are made in fashion to avoid detrimental effects on the environment. Usually both the precautionary principle and the substitution principle are used when defining the rules for what products can be ecolabelled. Many (but not all) ecolabels are not directly connected to the firms that manufacture or sell the ecolabelled products. Just as for the quality assurance labelling systems it is of imperative importance that the labelling entity is clearly divided from and independent of the manufacturers. All ecolabelling is voluntary, meaning that they are not mandatory by law.

Ecolabelling systems exists for both food and consumer products. Both systems were started by NGOs but nowadays the European Union have legislation for the rules of ecolabelling and also have their own ecolabels, one for food and one consumer products. At least for the food the ecolabel is nearly identical with the common NGO definition of the rules for ecolabelling. In fact, the European Union ecolabel regulation is the legal minimum requirement for any ecolabel within the European Union. Many ecolabels have to some extent stricter requirements than the European Union ecolabel regulations.

Many of the food ecolabels follow the recommendations from the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements, that started in the 1970s.

[edit] The EU ecolabel

The EU Ecolabel makes it easier for consumers to choose green products. It is a voluntary scheme designed to encourage businesses to market products and services that are kinder to the environment and for European consumers - including public and private purchasers - to easily identify them.

The scheme came into operation in late 1992 and was designed to identify products which are less harmful to the environment than equivalent brands. For example, eco-labels will be awarded to products that do not contain chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which damage the ozone layer, to those products that can be, or are, recycled, and to those that are energy efficient. The labels are awarded on environmental criteria set by the European Union.

These cover the whole life cycle of a product, from the extraction of raw materials, through manufacture, distribution, use and disposal of the product. The first products to carry the EU ecolabel were washing machines, paper towels, writing paper, light bulbs and hairsprays.

To find an Ecolabelled product simply look for the Ecolabel Flower