1. Revision of EU Ecolabel Criteria for Wooden Floor Coverings
State-of-the-art
EU Ecolabel CB Forum
November 2014, Brussels
Joint Research Centre 
 The European Commission's in-house science service 

2. Content State of the art of the project
Summary of the 1st AHWG meeting in October and further work
Revision of the wood certification criteria with EU Ecolabel schemes
Re-structuring criteria on "restricted and limited substances"
Revision of the indoor climate criteria
Other aspects
Timing

3. 1. State of the art From the time being:
- uploaded PRELIMINARY REPORT: August 2014
- uploaded TECHNICAL REPORT: August 2014
- 1st AHWG meeting: October 2014
- Feedback from stakeholders: End of November 2014
Initial Stakeholder
communication
1st Ad hoc
Working group
meeting
2nd Ad hoc
Working group
meeting
Ecolabel Regulatory
Committee
EUEB/GPP AB
agree on
product group
Online
consultation
Online
consultation
Final
consultation
Preliminary report
Task 1: Scope and definition
Task 5: Draft criteria proposal
Task 6:
Draft
Criteria
proposal
Final
Criteria
proposal
Task 2: Market analysis
Task 3: Technical Analysis
Task 4: Improvement potential
January 2014
May 2014
June 2014
Oct 2014
May – June2015

4. All the information is available at the official website:
and BATIS system:
under
Forums > Z_EU Ecolabel Wooden floor covering > Ad-Hoc Working Group (AHWG) meeting 1, 2nd October, Seville
Feedback can be sent to the functional
Or my own

5. 2. Summary of the 1st AHWG meeting
2.1 Lack of interest from the industry
No participation of the industry members in the meeting
Low number of applications:
Short validity of the current EU Ecolabel criteria since the last amendment is dated on
High amount of wood and wood-based material content is required
Well-recognized national labels on this product group
No difficulties neither in the compliance nor in the verification and assessment of the criteria
One recent license holder in Italy

6. 2.2 Scope and definition of the product group
Agreement on the sub-products to be included: solid wood, laminate, cork and bamboo flooring
Agreement on the restrictions: indoor use, non-structural function, no wall coverings, etc
Discussions on the minimum wood and wood-based material threshold (90% or 80%) and its implications:
Change the product group name "wooded floor coverings" "wood-based floor coverings"
Entailment of further/different environmental impacts  modification/development of EU Ecolabel criteria

7. 2.3 Sustainable managed wood
Request for using the same criteria wording than in other recently voted EU Ecolabel criteria
Verification relies on FSC, PEFC or equivalent schemes
Threshold of 70% virgin certified or recycled wood and/or wood-based materials and the remaining be "legal and controlled"
No inclusion of the minimum requirements on the criteria body but including a reference to FSC and PEFC requirements
Inclusion of the requirement of covering the materials by the chain-of-custody
Further investigation on:
Requiring the balance sheets to avoid double-counting of certified materials
No agreement on a possible derogation for the top surface layer of high pressure laminate floorings

8. 2.3 Sustainable managed wood
Further investigation on stricter requirements and restrictions for contaminants in recycled wood
Agreement on phasing out the criterion on GMO wood, as it is included in the requirements of FSC and PEFC schemes

9. 2.4 Restricted and limited substances
Request for restructuring the criterion on "restricted and limited substances" including:
A general text referring to Article 6.6 of the EU Ecolabel Regulation
Table including the derogations as in other recently voted EU Ecolabel schemes
Improved "verification and assessment" wording
Request for further investigations on:
Flame retardants - Isocyanoline
Phthalates - Nanomaterials
Formaldehyde, since it will be classified as Carcenogeric cat 1
Request for stricter requirements in general but in particular on:
Biocides
Halogenated organic binding agents

10. 2.5 Surface coating
Request for integrating this criterion into criterion 2 "Restricted and limited substances"
Further investigations are needed to set the level of ambition and possible needed derogations

11. 2.6 Manufacturing process
Agreement on the new proposed criterion to limit the total energy consumption during the manufacturing process
No agreement on the criteria dealing with energy and waste management plans, due to:
- the difficulties that they bring for their ''assessment and verification''
Stakeholders requested the development of end-of-life criteria, although it was pointed out
- the difficulties to assess likely 10-15year time scenarios
- the lack of competency from the manufacturers to manage urban waste residues

12. 2.5 Indoor climate Two alternatives were proposed:
- component approach: testing and verifying the content of formaldehyde and VOCs in the raw materials
- finished approach: testing and verifying the release of VOCs and formaldehyde from the finished products
Stakeholders agreed with the finished approach.
Discussions on the number of tests and ambition. Further research will be focused on
- the number and tests required by the CPR: CE marking and mandatory Member State regulations
- the thresholds required by Japanese and Californian schemes and other national schemes
- inclusion of a carcinogenic substance testing and R- value
- inclusion of a testing of VOCs without LCI

13. 2.7 Packaging and fitness for use
Packaging criterion was proposed to be withdrawn. Agreement and disagreement was expressed:
- packaging makes a first impression on consumers
- packaging is not relevant for the LCA point of view
Higher level of ambition was required for the 'fitness for use' criterion
- minimum level 32 regardless the intended use of the laminate flooring
Revision of the points included in the label.

14. 3. Other aspects

15. 4. Timing From the time being:
- uploaded PRELIMINARY REPORT: August 2014
- uploaded TECHNICAL REPORT: August 2014
- 1st AHWG meeting: October 2014
- uploading Minutes 1st AHWG October 2014
- Feedback from stakeholders: End of November 2014
Coming soon:
- preparation new TECHNICAL REPORT: April-May 2015
- uploading new DRAFT CRITERIA: April-May 2015
- 2ND AHWG meeting: 1st semester 2015
- Feedback from stakeholders: 1st semester 2015
- End of the project 1st semester 2016

16. http:/susproc.jrc.ec.europa.eu/flooring/
Thank you
Alicia Boyano Larriba
Project website: