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 

Content State of the art of the project Summary of the 1st AHWG meeting in October 2014 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

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

All the information is available at the official website: http://susproc.jrc.ec.europa.eu/wooden_floor_coverings/documents.html and BATIS system: http://eippcb.jrc.ec.europa.eu/batis/ 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 email: IPTS-FLOOR-COVERING@ec.europa.eu Or my own email: Alicia.boyano-larriba@ec.europa.eu

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 24.07.2013 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

3. Other aspects

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

http:/susproc.jrc.ec.europa.eu/flooring/ Thank you Alicia Boyano Larriba Jrc-ipts-Flooring@ec.europa.eu +34-954.488.363 Project website: http:/susproc.jrc.ec.europa.eu/flooring/