Ecomark program

Background

The philosophy behind LiFE, (Lifestyle for Environment) is nudging individual choices and behavior towards sustainability.  In line with this approach, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has recast its Ecomark notification so that consumers are able to make choices among products and thereby opt for those products that are eco-friendly in their design, process etc.

The Ecomark Scheme, notified on 13th October 2023, replaces the previous Notification.

The Central Pollution Control Board administers the Ecomark Scheme in partnership with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), which is the national body for standards and certification.

The Ecomark Certification Rules

The Ecomark Rules is for labelling of products which will have lesser adverse impacts on the environment, with the objective to encourage the consumers to adopt such products as well as the manufacturers for transitioning to production of Ecomark certified products for promoting sustainability.

Objectives

The overall objectives of the Ecomark Rules are as follows:

• build consumer awareness on environmental issues and of the implications of their choices, thereby generating a change towards more environmental friendly behaviour and consumption patterns;
• encourage manufacturers for transitioning to production of Ecomark certified products;
• prevent misleading and deceptive information with respect to fraudulent use of Ecomark label. 

Criteria for Ecomark

The Ecomark Rules will promote environmental friendly products and ensure environmental performance of such products w.r.t. resource consumption and environmental impacts, in particular the impact on climate change, the impact on nature and biodiversity, energy consumption, generation of waste, emissions to all environmental media, pollution through physical effects and use and release of hazardous substances. The Ecomark Rules will provide labelling to products that meet approved environmental criteria. 

• Environmental criteria for each product /product category under Ecomark Rules shall be notified by the Central Government. The criteria shall be for broad environmental levels and aspects, with specific criteria at the product level.
• Certification of Standards Body (national or international) for quality and safety, or mandate of Quality Control Orders shall be pre-requisite for Ecomark.
• Products will be examined in terms environmental impacts which inter-alia include, but not limited to the following
  • That they have substantially less potential for pollution, environmental impact, minimize or eliminate generation of waste and environmental emissions, than other comparable products;  
  • That they are recyclable and/or made from recycled products where comparable products are not;
  • That they make significant contribution to saving non-renewable resources, including non-renewable energy sources and natural resources, compared to comparable products;
  • That the product contributes to reduction in respect of such product primary criteria, which have adverse impacts on the environment, that are specifically set for each of the product/product categories;
• Product primary criteria shall inter-alia include, but not limited to the following
  • Production or process including source of raw material;
  • Use of natural resources;
  • Likely impact on the environment;
  • Effect & extent of emissions/waste arising from the production process;
  • Disposal of the product and its packaging;
  • Compliance to Extended Producer Responsibility regulations (where applicable);
  • Utilization of waste and recycled materials;
  • Suitability for recycling;
  • Substitution of hazardous substances with safer ones. 

To access the complete notification, click here.

Source : Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change