AS 14021:2018 pdf download.Environmental labels and declarations-Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling) (ISO 14021:2016 MOD).
4 Objective of self-declared environmental claims
The overall goal of environmental labels and declarations is, through communication of verifiable and accurate information, that is not misleading, on environmental aspects of products and services, to encourage the demand for and supply of those products and services that cause less stress on the environment, thereby stimulating the potential for market-driven continuous environmental improvement. The objective of this International Standard is to harmonize the use of self-declared environmental claims. It is anticipated that benefits will be:
a) accurate and verifiable environmental claims that are not misleading; b) increased potential for market forces to stimulate environmental improvements in production, processes and products; c) prevention or minimization of unwarranted claims; d) reduction in marketplace confusion;
e) facilitation of international trade; and f) increased opportunities for purchasers, potential purchasers and users of the product to make more informed choices.
6 Evaluation and claim verification requirements
6.1 Responsibilities of the claimant
The claimant shall be responsible for evaluation and provision of data necessary for the verification of self-declared environmental claims.
6.2 Reliability of evaluation methodology
6.2.1 Prior to making the claim, evaluation measures shall be implemented to achieve reliable and reproducible results necessary to verify the claim.
6.2.2 The evaluation shall be fully documented and the documentation retained by the claimant for the purpose of the information disclosure referred to in 6.5.2. This shall be for the period that the product is on the market, and for a reasonable period thereafter, taking into account the life of the product. NOTE For guidance on reproducibility and reliability, see References[1Q] tO[J-3] in the Bibliography.
6.3 Evaluation of comparative claims
6.3.1 Comparative claims shall be evaluated against one or more of the following: a) an organization’s own prior process; b) an organization’s own prior product; c) another organization’s process; or d) another organization’s product. The comparison shall only be made: — using a published standard or recognized test method (as set out in &4); and — against comparable products serving similar functions, supplied by the same or another producer, currently or recently in the same marketplace.
6.3.2 Comparative claims involving the environmental aspects of the product’s life cycle shall be: a) quantified and calculated using the same units of measurement; b) based on the same functional unit; and c) calculated over an appropriate time interval, typically 12 months.
6.3.3 Comparative claims may be based on: a) percentages, in which case they should be expressed as absolute differences; or NOTE The following example is provided to clarify how relative measurements could be handled: For a change from 10 % to 15 % recycled content, the absolute difference is 15 % – 10 % 5 %, in which case, a claim of an additional 5 % recycled content could be made; however, a claim of 50 % increase, while accurate, could be misleading. b) absolute (measured) values, in which case they should be expressed as relative improvements.
NOTE The following example is provided to clarify how absolute measurements could be handled For an improvement that results in a product lasting 15 months instead of the previous 10 months, the relative difference is (15 months-10 months)/10 months*100=50% in which case, a claim of 50 % longer life could be made. If one of the values is nil, the absolute difference should be used.
6.3.4 As there is a high risk of confusing an absolute claim with a relative claim, the claim should be worded to be clear that it is a claim of absolute difference and not a claim of relative difference.
6.3.5 Improvements related to a product and its packaging shall be stated separately and shall not be aggregated.
6.4 Selection of methods
Methods for evaluation and claim verification shall follow, in order of preference, International Standards, recognized standards that have international acceptability (these may include regional or national standards) or industry or trade methods which have been subjected to peer review. If there are no methods already in existence, a claimant may develop a method, provided it meets the other requirements of Clause 6 and is available for peer review.
NOTE Some typical International and national standards, as well as some specific industry methods relevant to some selected claims are listed in the Bibliography (References[14] to[3-a]).
6.5 Access to information
6.5.1 A self-declared environmental claim shall only be considered verifiable if such verification can be made without access to confidential business information. Claims shall not be made if they can only be verified by confidential business information.AS 14021 pdf free download.