Success Stories of the Blue Angel
The Blue Angel eco-label celebrates its 30th anniversary. During these 30 years it has achieved a lot of eco and consumer-political successes.The following are examples of how the Umweltbundesamt (German Federal Environmental Agency) and the Environmental Label Jury have used the Blue Angel to pick up and thematize environmental and health issues. In doing so, they defined and established requirements and test methods for products that were relatively eco-friendly and less health-endangering than other conventional products. It was, and is, a strong signal to manufacturers and trading companies to develop and market such ecologically beneficial products. Consumers, on the other side, were put in the position of orienting their buying decisions by the Blue Angel and deliberately decide for a better alternative. Thus, the Blue Angel eco-label worked and still works as an innovative force and reliable orientation aid during shopping. To reflect the technological progress the Federal Environmental Agency reviews and – if necessary – revises the criteria every 3 or 4 years. At the end of the term the Federal Environmental Agency re-submits the criteria for award of the Blue Angel to the Environmental Label Jury for decision. This dynamization prompts the label users to introduce product improvements across the board. Some problems were subsequently subjected to directives and legal provisions so that the eco-label was no longer needed and could be withdrawn.
In some cases, however, manufacturers and trading companies refused to become part of the eco-label: There were no label users in spite of Basic Award Criteria. Here, however, the eco-label still worked as an orientation mark for the consumer by describing the requirements that should be met by ecologically beneficial products.
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Success Story of the Blue Angel for Asbestos-free Brake and Clutch Linings (276 KB)
Asbestos was suspected of having a carcinogenic effect by way of the respiratory tract on lung and peritoneum as early as at the beginning of the 20th century. Controversial views obstructed prompt bans on asbestos and, as a result, large quantities of this substance were used in a wide range of products until the early eighties. In those days, about 8,000 tons of asbestos were processed into brake linings in Germany every year. These products alone carried avoidable and not insubstantial environmental risks. In addition, there were high health risks shop workers were exposed to when performing the normal cleaning operations of the brake systems (blow-out).
As legal measures took time the Environmental Label Jury awarded the Blue Angel eco-label for asbestos-free brake linings in 1980 on the recommendation of the Federal Environmental Agency (RAL-UZ 11). -
Success Story of the Blue Angel for Hairsprays, Shaving Foams and Spray, Roll-on and Stick Deodorants (275 KB)
CFC aerosol propellants were used throughout Europe and the world and accounted for a large portion of the CFC consumption. In 1975, more than 80% of the total CFC consumption in the Federal Republic of Germany were used and emitted by aerosol cans. In the mid-seventies first suspicions about the damaging effects of CFC on the ozone layer were substantiated. However, they did not lead right away to legal measures for a reduction of the use of these gases. In 1978, the Environmental Label Jury, knowing about the positive alternatives, introduced the environmental label for CFC-free aerosols (RAL-UZ 3) upon recommendation of the Federal Environmental Label as one of the first Blue Angel eco-labels. This provided pump sprays with an unprecedented market opportunity, especially for hairsprays. There was strong demand for them and they were improved in their application quality.
The eco-label for CFC-free aerosols RAL-UZ 3 expired at the end of 1989.
In the same year of 1989 the German ordinance to ban CFCs/halons was put into force prohibiting the use of CFC as a propellant in aerosols. The eco-label had been very effective in pushing the technological development of alternatives. It was then replaced by an eco-label for pump dispensers and their refill systems for hairsprays, spray deodorants and shaving foams which remained effective until 1999. -
Success Story of the Blue Angel for Wastewater-neutral Cold Cleansers (267 KB)
In the eighties about 30,000 tons of cold cleansers were used every year by about 36,000 German car repair shops to clean oil and grease-soiled metal parts. The surfactant-containing water-based cold cleansers as well as the solvent-based cold cleansers had considerable impact on the environment. But then, manufacturers came up with effective but low-emulsifying cold cleansers that did not affect the function of light liquid separators. As a result, the Environmental Label Jury awarded the Blue Angel eco-label for wastewater-neutral cold cleansers in 1984 (Basic Award Criteria RAL-UZ 29).
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Success Story of the Blue Angel for Low-lead and Low-chromate Anti-Corrosion Coatings (273 KB)
In 1982, the Environmental label Jury awarded the Blue Angel eco-label to low-lead and low-chromate anti-corrosion coating materials. The eco-labelled products were suited for both antirust treatments and heavy-duty corrosion protection. Corrosion protection of structural steelwork required, however, an expert’s additional case-by-case examination for the respective field of application.
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Success Story of the Blue Angel for Low-Noise Construction Machinery (285 KB)
In the seventies, construction noise was mitigated on the basis of general administrative regulations specifying noise emission limits for construction machinery as guidelines only. Industry increasingly dedicated itself to developing construction machinery meeting these criteria. In order to make even more demanding criteria of environmental and health protection an integral part of these developments a Blue Angel eco-label was developed as a supportive instrument for this product group. The first Blue Angel was awarded to low-noise wheel loaders as early as 1988. Thus, the Blue Angel has been a major factor in reducing the noise of mobile equipment and machinery and that was already at times when no legal limits set the rules for low-noise construction site operations.
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Success Story of the Blue Angel for Readily Biodegradable Lubricants / Hydraulic Fluids (291 KB)
The aim of environmental policy was to promote the substitution of conventional mineral oil-based lubricants by Blue Angel-labelled eco-friendly lubricating oils and greases, forming oils or hydraulic fluids. In December 1990, the Environmental Label launched the eco-label for readily biodegradable lubricants and forming oils. The Blue Angel-labelled products are readily biodegradable, free from water-endangering substances and, hence, they noticeably ease the impact on soil, groundwater and water bodies. In the nineties, about 5% of the hydraulic liquids were Blue Angel eco-labelled. Until the year 2005 the percentage of bio-hydraulic oils rose to 9% for stationary applications (primarily hydroelectric power plants, locks, dams, etc.) and to 19% for mobile applications (e.g. agricultural equipment; construction machinery and forest equipment).
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Success Story of the Blue Angel for Heating Systems (340 KB)
The range of Blue Angel-labelled products for space heat generation has continuously widened from traditional boilers through efficient technologies to equipment using renewable energies. This development always involved the promotion of new and innovative technologies. Without the Blue Angel it would have been impossible to achieve the low emission values and the high degree of efficiency. Also with respect to the reduction of particulate matter of wood-pellet stoves, the Blue Angel has been the trailblazer of ultra-low-emission heating systems. Today, many German manufacturers are among the world market leaders. Thus, the Blue Angel has supported the air pollution control targets and the climate policy of the German federal government. Until the late nineties, the market for heating systems was dominated by Blue Angel-labelled equipment. With market shares of up to 80% the Blue Angel has been the most important orientation for environmentally friendly heating systems. However, when auxiliary current requirements were added to the award criteria some market participants systematically opted out of using the Environmental Label from 2003.
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Success Story of the Blue Angel for Low-pollutant Paints and Varnishes (272 KB)
They first appeared in Germany around the year 1980: Acrylic paints on the basis of water-soluble ingredients for use on buildings. Since 1981 such architectural paints have been eligible for award of the Blue Angel eco-label with the addition because “environmentally friendly and low pollutant”. The eco-label for low-pollutant paints and varnishes has amply proved its worth during its long existence. In addition, the eco-labelled products became more and more popular due a continuously improved quality. The number of emulsion paints made in Germany – most of which are Blue Angel-labelled – rose from 13,000 tons in 1985 to about 92,000 tons in the year 2006. About 70 percent of the water-soluble architectural paints are used by do-it-yourselfers. After their great success among do-it-yourselfers the eco-labelled products now gain more and more acceptance from professional users too.
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Success Story of the Blue Angel for Recycled Paper (298 KB)
This eco-label was launched by the Environmental Label Jury as early as at the beginning of the eighties in order to promote the collection and recycling of used paper. These activities are often cited as prime examples of environmentally responsible behaviour of people and environmental protection in the product sector. Today, modern manufacturing processes allow a production of recycled papers that in terms of appearance and quality is fully comparable with virgin-fibre papers. In its eco-balances for graphical papers of the year 2000 the Federal Environmental Agency arrived at the result that “it was much environmentally friendlier to produce graphical paper from used paper than using virgin fibres from the raw material wood“. Since then, the Federal Environmental Agency has been actively committed to increase the percentage of recycled paper in Germany. The eco-label was particularly promoted by the public authorities by buying recycled paper for public bodies. The private consumer too buys recycled paper, above all, hygienic paper.
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Success Story of the Blue Angel for Mobile Phones (274 KB)
Whenever using the mobile phone data are transferred by means of radio waves within certain frequency ranges. In a rather densely populated country with a well-developed infrastructure like Germany virtually every person is exposed to electromagnetic fields associated therewith. Precautionary measures aim at avoiding unnecessary exposure or to minimize unavoidable exposure as far as possible. An important indicator of the health effects of radio waves is the specific absorption rate (SAR). In order to provide the consumers with a definitive orientation aid for mobile phones with a low SAR the Environmental Label Jury developed an eco-label for low-emission mobile phones in 2002. In 2007, the eco-label was first awarded to Kandy Mobile AG. The official website of the German Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz (Federal Agency for Radiation Protection) publishes SAR data of the mobile phones on the market. It can be seen from this list that about 30 % of the mobile phones on the market meet or fall below the limit value of 0.6 W/kg. The high number of visits to the website shows that this issue – contrary to what the industry believes – is of great relevance to the consumer.