APPLICATION FOR THE EU ECO-LABEL IN PRACTICE- CASE STUDY

APPLICATION FOR THE EU ECO-LABEL IN PRACTICE- CASE STUDY PROF.DR.WERNER SOBOTKA

OVERVIEW THE EU- LABEL FOR PRINTED PRODUCTS

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 CRITERIAS FOR NEWSPRINT ECO Label established Commission Decision 2012/448/EU • Printed paper shall only be printed on Graphic and Copying paper bearing the EU Ecolabel as established in Commission Decision 2011/333/EU

EXCLUDED OR LIMITED SUBSTANCES AND MIXTURES EXCLUSION 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 • 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

CRITERIAS • Washing agents • Biocides • Exclusion of heavy metal components in inks toners, varnishes, foils and laminates • List of hazard statements and risk parameters • Substances listed in accordance with article 59(1) of Regulation( EC) no 1907/2006

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 The safety data sheets have to be in English if possible the nationals language is not very useful Declarations have to be originally signed • Especially for UV inks and toners and also for ink jet inks is the deinkability not guaranteed

NORMAL PROCEDURE DATA COLLECTION 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 • 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

MAIN PROBLEMS Certifying procedure • 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

APPLICATION FOR THE EU ECO-LABEL IN PRACTICE- CASE STUDY