20 Environmental labeling and concept of Eco-marks

Sunil Mittal

epgp books

 

1. Introduction

1.1 Concept of eco-labeling scheme

1.2 Indian eco-marks

1.3 Eco-marks products

2. Criteria for Eco-mark

2.1 Evaluation criteria

2.2 Benefits of Eco-mark

2.3 The reason to failure of eco-mark scheme

 

1.  Introduction

 

Eco-mark is an eco-labeling scheme to identify environment friendly products. The Eco-mark scheme recognizes a product prepared by environment friendly process, or used and disposed in a way that significantly reduces the harm on environment. The Eco-mark logo is depicted as in Fig 1.

 

The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. of India has constituted a scheme in 1991 on labeling of environment friendly products, even before the India participated in Rio Summit, 1992. It is administered by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), which also administrates the Indian Standards Institute (ISI) mark quality label, required for any product to gain the Eco-mark label.

 

The scheme provide labeling and accreditation for domestic, household and other consumer products that meets certain environmental criteria along with the quality requirements of Indian standards for that product.

 

1.1.       Concept of Eco-labeling Scheme

 

The concept of eco-labeling aims to encourage environment friendly commodities in the market. Agenda 21 recommended governments to promote environmental labeling in order to change consumption patterns and conserve the environment for sustainable development (UNCED, 1992). Eco-labeling was first introduced in Germany in 1978. Now, most of the developed countries and some developing countries including India have established eco-labeling programme. European Union (EU) implemented voluntary eco-labeling programme within member countries in 1992. The summery of eco-mark programme of different countries is given in Table 1.

 

Table 1: Worldwide Implementation of Eco-mark programme

 

Country Name of Programme Year Started
Germany Blue angel 1978
Canada Environmental Choice 1988
Japan Ecomark 1989
Nordic Countries White Swan 1989
New Zealand Environmental Choice 1990
Sweden Good Environmental Choice 1990
United States Green Seal 1990
Austria Austrian Eco-label 1991
India Ecomark 1991
European Union European Flower 1992
France NF-Environment 1992
South Korea Ecomark 1992
Singapore Green Label 1992
The Netherlands Stichting Milieukeur 1992
Croatia Environmentally Friendly 1993
Source: www.google.com & Singh et al 2012

 

The specific objectives of the scheme are as follow (Eco-mark notification 1991):

 

i. To provide an incentive for manufacturers and importers to reduce adverse environmental impact of products.

 

ii.   To reward genuine initiatives by companies to reduce adverse environmental impact of their products.

 

iii.   To assist consumers to become environmentally responsible in their daily lives by providing information to take account of environmental factors in their purchase decisions.

 

iv.  To encourage citizens to purchase products which have less harmful environmental impacts.

 

v.  Ultimately to improve the quality of the environment and to encourage the sustainable management of resources.

 

Eco-mark is a government operated seal of approval program for environment friendly consumer products. The Eco-mark label aims to do welfare for consumer goods that fulfill the specified environmental criteria as well as quality requirements of Indian Standards. The logo of some other countries is given below (Table 2):

 

1.2  Indian Eco-mark

 

To increase consumer awareness, Government of India had launched the eco-labeling scheme `Eco-mark’. The scheme recognized 16 categories of consumer products for the purpose of development of eco-criteria and labeling. So far, criteria for 14 categories of product have been finally notified by the Government. Ministry has also launched publicity campaigns for disseminating necessary awareness among the consumers and manufacturers. Due to lack of the adequate response from the manufacturers, this scheme could not become popular.

 

1.3 Eco-mark Products

 

The MoEF have identified 16 product categories (Table 3) to be covered under the scheme of Eco-mark. The products are:

 

 

Administrative and Organizational Structure or Operational Structure (Three committees)

 

There are three stages for the award of “ECO-MARK”: (Eco-mark notification 1991)

 

a) Steering Committee – A steering committee, set up by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, to determine the product categories for coverage under the scheme and also formulate strategies for promotion, implementation, future development and improvements in the working of the scheme.

 

b) Technical Committee – A technical committee, set up by the Central Pollution Control Board, to identify the specific product to be selected and the individual criteria to be adopted, including, wherever possible, inter-se priority between the criteria if there are more than one products.

 

c) Bureau of Indian Standards – The Bureau of Indian Standards to assess and certify the products and draw up a contract with the manufacturers, allowing the use of the label, on the payment of fees.

 

In Details about mentioned three committees

 

a. Steering Committee

 

The Government of India has set up a Committee in the Ministry of Environment and Forests and notified on March 6, 1991 (Table 4). The Ministry of Environment and Forests determines the categories of the products for coverage under the scheme and also formulate strategies for promotion by creating mass awareness, implementation, future development and improvement in working of the scheme. This Committee ensures involvement of other ministries, industries, associations’ non- governmental organizations and also, responsible for notifying final criteria in the Gazette of India.

 

Besides mentioned members, Central Government nominates not more than five non-officials to represent the interests of industry, consumer groups or other NGOs of which at least two will represent consumer groups.

 

Functions of the Steering Committee

  • Identification of specific products for classifying them environment friendly
  • Reviewing the existing State of knowledge and the environmental criteria being followed in other countries
  • Recommend the most appropriate criteria and parameters to designate various products as environment friendly
  • Review various technologies available for determining criteria
  • Recommend various laboratories and analysis for product assessment to the MoEF
  • Evaluation of Environmental Import of products
  • To review implementation of the scheme by BIS
  • Set up Sub-committee for each product category
  • Setting up of expert panels to advise it for specific product b. Technical Committee

The Ministry established Technical Committee on March 6, 1991 and subcommittees for each product categories with expert in field for drafting the criteria. The Technical Committee (Table 5) recommends the most suitable criteria and publishes final criteria draft. The Technical sub-committees consider the comments/ suggestions received on the draft notification and finalize the criteria which are then recommended to the Steering Committee for final notification.

 

The Committee advises and recommends product categories as well as evolves the detailed criteria for the award of the Eco-mark. The Committee consists of members of specific expertise and representatives of the affected industry, the scientific community, environmentalists, consumer groups and government. The product selected and criteria defined are reviewed in the Ministry of Environment and Forests, in the light of comments from various interest groups. The Ministry then notifies the criteria for the various product categories.

Besides above mentioned members, the Central Government nominates not more than five non-officials to represent the interests of industry and consumer groups.

 

c.  (Bureau                of               Indian                Standards)                Executing                Agency

 

The Bureau of Indian Standards has been designated as the executive agency for the scheme. On receipt of application for the award of the Eco Mark, the Bureau of Indian Standards/ Directorate of Marketing & Inspection/ Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and storage organizes inspection of the manufacturer’s units to make an appraisal of the control exercised during production and the facilities available for carrying out tests on raw materials and on the final product. Only after the certifying agency is satisfied, the manufacturer is given license to affix the Eco-mark label on the product. Every license includes a well-defined scheme for testing and Inspection (STI), which has to be followed strictly.

 

Functions of Bureau of Indian standards

  • Assess the product for Eco-mark and certify the product for the award of the Eco-mark label.
  • Review, suspend or cancel license, for the use of Eco-mark.
  • Inspect and monitor the industries.

 

Certification and Licensing

 

For certification under Eco-mark scheme the manufacture has to apply testing of products (which fall under the notified categories) along with fees set by BIS. The testing and certification is carried out by BIS. The label is awarded for a minimum period of one year and rolls forward annually.

 

2. Criteria for Eco-mark

 

Primary criteria i.e. parameters to be considered for determining product for Eco-mark is as follows:

  • Production process including source of raw material
  • Case of natural resources
  • Likely impact on the environment
  • Energy conservation in the production of product
  • Effect and extent of waste arising from the production process
  • Disposal of the product and its containers
  • Utilization as waste and recycled materials
  • Suitability for recycling or packaging
  • Biodegradability

 

2.1 Evaluation criteria

 

I  Less potential of pollution than other comparable products in production, usages and disposal.

II  Recycled, recyclable, made from recycled products or biodegradable.

III.  Make significant contribution in saving non-renewable resources, including non-renewable energy sources and natural resources, compared with comparable products.

IV. Product must contribute to the reduction of the adverse primary criteria, which has the highest environmental impact associated with the use of products and which will be specially set for each of the product categories.

V. Period of Award:

 

The label is awarded for a minimum period of one year and rolled forward annually. The Bureau of Indian Standards has the powers to withdraw the license at any time if they find any misleading information. The award may also be withdrawn in case of any change in criteria due to the advancement of technology or any other valid reasons, in consultation with the technical committee. The time period of the award may be reviewed from time to time.

 

VI. The Logo:

 

The Logo for the ‘ECOMARK” is notified by the Central Government. The earthen pot (Figure 1) has been chosen as the logo for the Eco-mark scheme in India. The familiar earthen pot uses renewable resources like earth, does not produce hazardous waste and consumes little energy in making. It’s solid and graceful form represents both strength and fragility, which also characterizes our eco-system. The logo for the Eco-mark scheme, signify that the product which carries it does least damage to the environment.

 

VII. Consumer Awareness:

 

The Ministry of Environment & Forests has taken appropriate measures to launch a country wide mass awareness campaign, including encouraging consumer groups. Assistance is given to consumer organizations for comparative testing of products and dissemination of information to the public.

 

2.2  Benefits of Eco-Mark

 

I  Informing consumer choice

 

Eco-mark is an effective & easy way of informing customers regarding the environmental impacts of selected products. It helps people to differentiate products which are harmful to the environment and empowers to choose compatible products wich fulfill environmental needs. The customer awareness should be increased and be informed more about the benefits of available products in market. It also promotes energy efficiency, waste minimization and product stewardship.

 

II  Encourage economic growth

 

Eco-mark promotes economic efficiency by helping to educate consumers and manufacturers to formulate environmentally supportive decisions to cause minimum harm to environment. This is beneficial for both government and industries.

 

III Encouraging market growth

 

The selection of eco-labeled products directly impact on supply and demand of eco-labeled products, which guides the market towards greater environmental awareness.

 

IV  Encouraging continuous improvement

 

Eco-labeled products promote the corporate promises towards environmental improvement continuously. Consumers may expect to understand the environmental impacts of products, and its decline over time.

 

V   Encouraging certification

 

The environmental certification program is an approval that a product meets a certain eco-label standard and full fill the required objectives. It provides observable evidences of the product characteristics from an environmental perspective to consumers. Therefore, certification has an educational role for customers and promotes competition among manufacturers. Certified products have a prominent logo, which help to inform customer choices. Eco-labeled logo may encourage manufacturers to reform or re-engineer products to cause less harm to the environment.

 

VI  Assisting in monitoring

 

The environmental claims by the manufactures can be more easily monitored from the official eco-labeling program. Competitors and customers are in a better position to judge the validity of a claimed product.

 

2.3         The         Reasons          of         failure          of         Eco-mark          Scheme          in          India (https://ecosafesibm.wordpress.com)

 

 

Ø  Lack of Efforts

 

The long time period was spent to make product criteria and no efforts were expended for promoting the awareness.

 

Ø  Improper Marketing strategies

 

Most of Indian consumers are not aware about the concept of an eco-label or even any existence of an eco-label in India

 

The Government already attempted to create awareness about Eco-Mark by publishing a magazine entitled “Wista Eco-mark” in 1999-2000. But, it was inadequate and failed to spread the desired awareness.

 

Ø  Lack of Political efforts

 

The scheme was set up in 1991, under the regime of well-known environmental activist Maneka Gandhi (Minister of Environments and Forests). But after that, no political party and person had shown clear cut agenda regarding Eco-Mark scheme.

 

Ø  Complexity

 

The Eco-Mark scheme has made cocktail between environmental criteria and Bureau of Indian Standards. The dual set of criteria led to more complexity of the evaluation process.

 

CAG request to Government regarding review of Eco-mark scheme (CAG Report on Eco-mark, 2017)

 

Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) have asked the government to review the Eco-mark scheme (http://www.business-standard.com). The CAG has recommended inclusion of more products and issue of licenses. Now, “the environment ministry should also carry out environmental impact studies of such products,” said the CAG in its recent report titled, “Waste Management in India.” Till now, only 16 product categories are under Eco-mark scheme in India.

 

In countries like Japan, Norway, Iceland and Denmark, large number of manufacturers have chosen environment friendly products. Japan introduced Eco-mark scheme in 1989 and aimed to spread and encourage consumers to choose environment friendly products. As a result, now they have 5176 items under 64 product categories which are far greater than Indian scheme. Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Denmark under their “The Nordic Swan” plan (introduced in 1989) have developed 60 product categories and awarded the label to over 1,200 products. Similarly, Taiwan under its Green Mark Programme has 41 product categories with 451 products.

 

Indian Government has admitted that the Eco-mark products are not widely used, for which appropriate reforms are needed in the criteria. Prompt interest of environmental agencies, government authorities and widespread awareness may lead to inclusion of more product categories, products and their consumption for a sustainable environment in future.

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