Recognised Proof of Sustainable Raw Material Use
The "Blue Angel" has been the ecolabel of the German federal government since 1978. It is awarded for products and services that are particularly environmentally friendly and also fulfil high-level requirements regarding ease of use and occupational health and safety. This means that it is not only one of the oldest, but also one of the most respected environmental labels, recognised among others by large environment conservation organisations such as NABU (The Nature And Biodiversity Conservation Union), the World Wildlife Fund WWF and Greenpeace. The "Blue Angel" is particularly associated with products that consist exclusively or mostly of recycled paper. Now the conditions for award of the label have changed: as from 2015, in order to demonstrate compliance with the "Blue Angel" criteria, manufacturers must have their raw material procurement audited by a recognised neutral and independent body such as TÜV NORD CERT.
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Services of TÜV NORD CERT
With the application for use of the label, TÜV NORD CERT verifies fulfilment of the criteria for use of recycled paper and other relevant parameters.
Utilizing Synergies With Other Environmental Certifications
Besides auditing based on the criteria of the "Blue Angel", which are defined by RAL gGmbH in its role as state-authorised body, TÜV NORD CERT also offers other environmental certifications. Auditing these certification criteria together helps to save time and money – for example by combining "Blue Angel" with an audit for procurement of recycled material according to FSC® and/or PEFC and also certification based on international environment management standard ISO 14001.
Target Groups for the Certification
The audit is directed on the one hand to paper factories and other manufacturers of paper products that should consist completely or mainly of recovered paper (DE-UZ 5 sanitary paper, DE-UZ 14a recovered paper and cardboard, DE-UZ 35 wallpaper and woodchip paper, DE-UZ 65 unbleached filter papers for use with hot and boiling water, DE-UZ 72 printing and publication papers, DE-UZ 217a 100% recycled paper for bags and boxes). It is also relevant to manufacturers of thermal papers that according to DE-UZ 223 have to consist of FSC® or PEFC certified pulp.
Benefits of the "Blue Angel" label
- Guidance for environmentally-aware consumers when purchasing paper products
- Positive effects on both product sales and corporate image
- Label is well known and widely accepted
- Sustainable use of valuable resources like wood, energy and water can be effectively documented
Blue Angel Ecolabel FAQs
For a successful audit, the organisation has to fill in Annex 1 according to the award criteria for the "Blue Angel", present its raw material procurement based on purchase documents, invoices, receipts etc. and, if relevant, must demonstrate that a specified maximum quantity of fresh pulp is not exceeeded in production. The raw materials delivered must also be sorted to ensure that certain types of recycled paper are excluded or minimised. For the manufacture of thermal paper, various environmental parameters of the incorporated pulp are audited. In addition, some audit requirements require verification of waste water parameters by an external assessor.
The following types of paper that consist in part or completely of recycled paper can be audited: DE-UZ 5 sanitary paper, DE-UZ 14a recovered paper and cardboard, DE-UZ 35 wallpaper and woodchip paper, DE-UZ 65 unbleached filter papers for use with hot and boiling water, DE-UZ 72 printing and publication papers, DE-UZ 217a 100% recycled paper for bags and boxes, as well as thermal papers that according to DE-UZ 223 have to consist of FSC® or PEFC certified pulp.
The audit is primarily directed towards paper factories.
In addition, manufacturers of other products made of wood and wood materials increasingly have to provide proof of certified wood procurement from sustainable forestry in order to gain the “Blue Angel” label, e.g. DE-UZ 38 for low-emission furniture and slatted frames made of wool and wood-based material. Here, the award criteria are being modified step by step. TÜV NORD CERT is prepared to audit for the required FSC® or PEFC certification on site.
The Way to the Audit Certificate
