Green Product Certification - Type I Labels

Type 1 ecolabels create a standard under which products can be assessed against set criteria and compared with others within the same category, awarding labels to those that are environmentally preferable through their life cycle. Typically however, the Standards under which these labels are awarded do not assess products using life cycle assessment as is required under Type 3 Environmental Declarations, but on a number of discrete parameters such as Toxics, Recycled Content, Renewable Energy Percentage etc. which do not necessarily consider all the impacts of the whole life cycle of the products e.g. raw materials extraction and end of life impacts only what are considered by the Certifying organisation to be the major ones.

In other words, Type 1 ecolabels do not undertake a 'cradle to grave' analysis or Life Cycle Assessment of all impacts of the product.

The criteria are set by ourselves with input from a range of stakeholders and segment expert. This sets down a defined procedure along which product criteria are developed and maintained.