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Council strategies and policies
Procurement - Labelling and terminology
There are a number of labelling schemes currently in existence that make a wide range of claims. Labelling should be treated with caution. Claims about environmental compliance, preference or suitability should be substantiated before being accepted.
Guide to commonly used terms
Beware of claims and environmental marks that have no formal recognition. There are many examples, and the following should be used as a guide :
- contains no ...
It could be that no products of this type contain this substance, or it may in fact be prohibited by law :
- environmentally friendly
- made with care for the environment
- kinder to wildlife
None of these statements mean anything specific unless supported by more detailed information :
- biodegradable
Meaningless if not explained. A product could biodegrade in five days or five years :
- from managed forests
Most forests are managed in some form. Independent verification from a reputable body would need to support this statement.
EU labelling schemes
There are two official EU labelling schemes in operation :
- EU eco-labelling scheme : which has the eco-label flower as its emblem. This is awarded to products that have been fully tested and meet strict criteria for the environmental impact of their whole life cycle.
- Energy efficiency label : for all new domestic products such as fridges and washing machines. The scheme gives an efficiency rating for each product on a scale from 'A' to 'G' ('A' being the most energy efficient).
Further information on both schemes can be found on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) website for the eco-label (on DEFRA website) (http://ecolabel.defra.gov.uk/), and for the energy label (on DEFRA website) (www.defra.gov.uk/publications/2011/04/13/pb13466-eu-energy-label/).
