Abstract
The present state of worldwide discussions of how to apply LCA in environmental labelling, taking into account the current ISO 14 020 and ISO 14 024 works, is described. There is a consensus to use LCA as a tool for more scientific environmental labelling. The examples presented verify some practical possibilities to realise this approach. As a background to different stages of practical labelling, results from LCA studies are already used in the German “Blue Angel” scheme, e.g. for the definition of the scope in one product category, for the priorisation of specific life cycle phases and criteria, as a basis to establish a scoring system or to emphasise the importance of information on how to use environmentally sound products. Practical examples are presented in detail for hand-drying systems, paper products, milk packages, household equipment, televisions and detergents. Some future perspectives are mentioned.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
EN ISO/DIS 14 040: Environmental Management - Life Cycle Assessment - Principles and Framework, August 1996
ISO/WD 14 024: Environmental Labels and Declarations - Environmental Labelling Type I - Guiding Principles and Procedures, (working-draft status 1996)
ISO/CD 14 020: Environmental Labels and Declarations - General Principles (committee-draft status July 1996). Principle 4
Conclusions of the United Nations Environment Programme Expert Seminar on LCA and its Applications. 9–10 June 1993 Amsterdam; see footnote 6
European Commission: Guidelines for the Application of Life Cycle Assessment in the EU Eco-Label Award Scheme. Brochure 1997. A report prepared for the European Commission by the ’ Groupe des Sages’
Environmental Protection Agency (USA); DAVIS, G.: The Use of Life Cycle Assessment in Environmental Labelling Programs. Washington, 1993
The Environmental Label Panel (”Jury Umweltzeichen” ) is an independent panel with representatives form the business, consumer and environmental organisations, trade unions and the science. The most important tasks are the selection of product categories and the final decision about the criteria and their further development
Council Regulation (EEC) No 880/92 of 23 March 1992 on a Community eco-label award scheme. Home page: http:// europa.eu.int/en/comm/dg11/ecolabel/index.htm
Basic Criteria for the Award of the Environmental Label of “Environmentally Acceptable Workstation Computers”, March 1996. The approximately 30 different criteria contain most envionmental goals which are discussed int the framework of an enivironmentally sound product design
Umweltbundesamt: Hä ndetrocknungssysteme - Vergleichende ökologische Betrachtung unterschiedlicher Systeme zum Abtrocknen der Hände. Informationspapier. Berlin 1993 (UBA-TEXTE 26/93)
European Ecolabel Scheme, Commission Decision of 14 November 1994, establishing the ecological criteria for the award of the Community eco-label to toilet paper and kitchen roll and, by decision of (still expected) for fine papers
Tiedemann, A. (Umweltbundesamt): Umweltargumente zum Recyclingpapier, Berlin 1992. Aktualisiert, Berlin 1996
Tiedemann, A. (Umweltbundesamt): Ökologische Bewertung von Papier am Beispiel des Umweltzeichens der Europäischen Union. In: April 46/1994
European Ecolabel Scheme. Commission Decision of 25 Juliy 1995, establishing the ecological criteria for the award of the Community eco-label to laundry detergents
Federal Environmental Agency: Life-cycle assessment for drinks packaging systems. English edition. Berlin 1996 (UBA- TEXTE 19/96)
Institut für Energie- und Umweltforschung Heidelberg (ifeu): Gesamtökologischer Vergleich graphischer Syssteme. On behalf of the Federal Environmental Agency, 1997–1998
Institute for Future Studies and Technology Assessment, Berlin: Grundlagen der Ökobilanzierung von komplexen Produkten exemplarisch anhand von Farbfernsehgeräten. Berlin 1996
Öko-Institut: Produktlinienanalyse Waschen und Waschmittel. Forschungsbericht Juli 1996 im Auftrag des Umweltbundesamtes, will be published in the edition “TEXTE” 1997 (in German)
PA Consulting Group: Ecolabelling Criteria for Dishwashers, London 1992 (in the framework of the European Ecolabel scheme)
See Proceedings of the “Total Life Cycle Conference” of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) in Vienna October 16–19, 1995
Valid are criteria documents for sanitary paper products (RAL-UZ 5), recycled paper products (RAL-UZ 14), recycled non-packaging cardboard products (RAL-UZ 56) and newspaper printing paper (RAL-UZ 72)
SETAC: Guidelines for Life Cycle Assessment, “A Code of Practice” 1993
Pressemitteilung der GSF Forschungszentrum für Umwelt und Gesundheit, München 1996
The author prepares a specific information sheet to illustrate these problems especially for non-pracitioners in the environmental labelling field (will be sent on request)
German Environmental Labelling Criteria for Detergents (RAL UZ 70). The reviewed version was published in July 1996
OECD: Eco-Labelling: Actual Effects of Selected Programmes. Paris 1997 (OECD/GD(97)105)
This information exchange may be organised in future by the Global Environmental Labelling Network (GEN). The most important schemes are already to be found in GEN. GEN Home Page Address: http://www.interchg.ubc.ca/ ecolabel/gen.html
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Neitzel, H. Application of life cycle assessment in environmental labelling. Int. J. LCA 2, 241–249 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02978422
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02978422