|
Ecolabels-Environment
Friends
By: N.
Singh1 and D. Brown2
The issue of
environmental protection has brought the government, the business community and
the consumers on to a common platform where each is to play its role. With the
past experience it is now amply clear that only the regulatory actions by
pollution control agencies alone cannot restore the environment to its even
present day state thus surely the time has come for consumers to take lead in
promoting manufacturers tc adopt clean and ecofriendly technologies and
environmentally safe disposal of used products through preventive and
mitigative approaches. The increasing 'green' consciousness among the people,
particularly the consumers have eventually promoted the governments to bring in
environment related guidelines to regulate trade.
"Ecolabels"
generally represent a holistic judgement, giving an overall assessment of a
product's environmental quality relative to other products in the same
category. The criteria follows a cradle-to-grave approach, i.e., from raw
material extraction, to manufacturing and to disposal.
Environmental labelling can accomplish several goals:
·
Improving
sales or image of a labelled product;
·
coupled with
publicity campaigns, it can stimulate consumer awareness that their purchases
do affect the environment as some products are worse for the environment than
others;
·
directing
manufacturer to account for the environmental impact of their products; and
·
ultimately,
improving the quality of the environment and encouraging the sustainable
management of resources.
Internationally, environmental labelling programmes are becoming popular. At
least, fifteen countries including India have launched the ecolabelling
schemes.
|
Country |
Name of
Programme |
Year
Started |
|
Germany |
Blue
angel |
1977 |
|
Canada |
Environmental Choice |
1988 |
|
Japan |
Ecomark |
1989 |
|
Nordic
Countries |
White
Swan |
1989 |
|
New
Zealand |
Environmental Choice |
1990 |
|
Sweden |
Good
Environmental Choice |
1990 |
|
United
States |
Green
Seal |
1990 |
|
Austria |
Austrian
Eco-label |
1991 |
|
India |
Ecomark |
1991 |
|
European
Union |
European
Flower |
1992 |
|
France |
NF-Environment |
1992 |
|
South
Korea |
Ecomark |
1992 |
|
Singapore |
Green
Label |
1992 |
|
The
Netherlands |
Stichting Milieukeur |
1992 |
|
Croatia |
Environmentally Friendly |
1993 |
The
Government of India launched 'ECOMARK' scheme in 1991 for identification of
environment friendly products. The label is awarded to consumer goods which
meet the specified environmental criteria and the quality requirements of
Indian standards.
An earthen
pot has been chosen as the logo for the Ecomark scheme. The familiar earthen
pot uses a renewable resource like earth, does not produce hazardous waste and
consumes little energy in making. Its solid and graceful form represents both
strength and fragility, which also characterises the eco-system.
As a symbol,
it puts across its environmental message. Its image has the ability to reach to
people and can help to promote a greater awareness of the need to be kind to
the environment. The logo for the Ecomark scheme signifies that the product,
which carries it, does least damage to the environment. This scheme is purely a
voluntary scheme open for all domestic and foreign manufacturers.
1. NBRI,
Lucknow, India 2. UEA, Norwich, U.K. |
