According to the Global Ecolabeling Network, an ecolabel is a “label which identifies overall, proven environmental preference of a product or service within a specific product/service category.” GEN states that “In contrast to ‘green’ symbols, or claim statements developed by manufacturers and service providers, the most credible eco-labels are based on life cycle considerations; they are awarded by an impartial third-party in relation to certain products or services that are independently determined to meet transparent environmental leadership criteria.” ISO categories environmental declarations and the ecolabels described above are Type I environmental labels.
Type I Ecolabels are:
- Voluntary, multiple-criteria based
- Indicate overall environmental preferability of a a product within a particular product category
- Verified by a third-party, which also grants the license authorizing the use of the ecolabel
We provide Ecolabel services tailored for each client’s needs, from assistance in Ecolabel conformance to ISO 14024 to reviewing the Ecolabel’s standard, scheme, and certification system to the EPA Guidelines for Environmental Performance Standards and Ecolabels. Contact us so we can help fit your needs.
Recent Projects
Determining Eligibility of Environmental Labeling Certification Schemes for ANSI
Eileen Ekstrom is working with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as a technical assessor to determine if environmental labeling scheme owners follow the requirements of ISO 14020 and 14024. An environmental labeling scheme owner that has met all the requirements outlined in the ANSI procedure becomes an ANSI Eligible Scheme Owner. As a technical assessor, Eileen performs document reviews of the scheme and product environmental criteria, and looks at how they were developed. She interviews key staff members during web-based conference meetings and summarizes the findings to the scheme owner in meetings and reports.
Evaluating an Ecolabel to the EPA Guidelines for Environmental Performance Standards and Ecolabels
Eileen Ekstrom worked with American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as a technical assessor to ascertain if a large, well-established ecolabel’s scheme and certification procedures fit within the newly created EPA Guidelines for Environmental Performance Standards and Ecolabels. The EPA Guidelines were finalized in December 2016 to develop a basis to make recommendations of ecolabels for use by federal purchasers.