Environmental Activities

Eco-Labels and Environmentally Conscious Products

III. Eco-Labels with ISO Standards

Eco-labels disclose environmental information on products and services by displaying this information directly on the products and in product brochures.  Currently, three types of environmental labels are standardized by ISO 14021 (International Standards Organizations): Type I, Type II, and Type III.

 

Type I: Certification by a third-party organization

Type I environmental labels display a symbol that is certified by a third-party organization based on the organization's environmental standards. The certifying organization establishes the judging standards according to the product classification, evaluates products that apply for the symbol, and certifies products that meet the organization's standards.

 

Type I labels include the International Energy Star Program.

 

                              

Type II: Based on self-declarations of a company or group

Type II environmental labels reflect that the product has met a company's internal standards for environmental consciousness and provide details on these standards.

This label can be displayed on products and packaging, as well as in brochures and advertisements, and on the Internet.

 

Type III: Disclosure of quantitative environmental information for the entire life cycle of a product

For this label, products must disclose all of the environmental impact data as calculated using the LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) method.  This information is disclosed in detail to help users assess the environmental impact of the product.