Ecomark Rules 2024

The Government of India in the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change notified the Ecomark Certification Rules, 2024 on 26th September, 2024. It replaces the Ecomark scheme of 1991.

Background

The Government intends to encourage the demand for environment-friendly products that cause lesser adverse impacts on the environment, thereby, supporting the principles of 'LIFE (Lifestyle for Environment)’, promote lower energy consumption, resource efficiency and conservation, circular economy and prevent misleading information on environmental aspects of products.

Eco-labelling of products enables consumers to make informed purchase decisions as well as encourage manufacturers to transition to production of environment-friendly products leading to promotion of green industries.

The Rules outlines the process of granting Ecomark to products that meet specified environmental criteria with respect to resource consumption and environmental impacts, in particular the impact on climate change, 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.

Implementation agency

The scheme will be implemented by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in partnership with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

Conditions for grant of Ecomark

An Ecomark may be granted to a product which has a license or a certificate of conformity of Indian Standards granted under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016 and/or a mandate of the Quality Control Orders issued by the Central Government, and fulfils the criteria for grant of Ecomark
specified under the corresponding entries under column (3) of the First Schedule which may include the following:-

• reduces the pollution by minimising or eliminating the generation of waste and environmental emissions
• is recyclable or is made from recycled material or both;
• reduces the use of non-renewable resources, including non-renewable energy sources and natural resources
• reduces the use of any material, which has adverse impacts on the environment;
• Other considerations include production process, including source of raw material; use of natural resources; environmental impact; effect and extent of emissions or waste arising from the production process; disposal of the product and its packaging; compliance with the Guidelines on Extended Producer Responsibility, wherever applicable; utilisation of waste and recycled materials; suitability for recycling; and use of non-hazardous substances in place of hazardous substances.

Procedure for grant of Ecomark

• An application for grant of Ecomark for a product which complies with the conditions under rule 3 shall be made to the Central Pollution Control Board in  in the prescribed format
•  On receipt of the application, the Central Pollution Control Board shall, by itself or through a Verifier, verify whether the product complies with the conditions under rule 3.
• After making such verification under sub-rule (2) as may be necessary, the Central Pollution Control Board shall prepare a report, or in case the verification is done by a Verifier, the Verifier shall prepare a report and submit to the Central Pollution Control Board, within a period of sixty days from the date of such verification.
• On receipt of the report, if the Central Pollution Control Board is satisfied that the product complies with the conditions under rule 3. it may grant Ecomark to the product.
• The Ecomark granted under sub-rule (4) shall be valid for a period of three years or until change in Ecomark criteria for the product, whichever is earlier.
• An application for the renewal of the Ecomark may be made to the Central Pollution Control Board upon its expiry and the provisions of sub-rules (1) to (5) of this rule and rule 3 shall apply.

Source : Ecomark Rules 2024