Basic Award Criteria

The use of recycled paper instead of paper made from virgin fibres not only conserves our forests but also protects the climate and helps to reduce waste. The Blue Angel promotes the use of 100% recovered paper in its criteria for sanitary paper. Sanitary paper cannot be recycled and the valuable fibres are thrown away or flushed into the sewers. Therefore, it makes sense to use recovered paper sourced from ordinary, medium and kraft paper grades that are primarily recovered from household collections. The Blue Angel restricts the addition of critical production aids and paper refining agents in its criteria for the production of paper in order to, on the one hand, minimise the pollution of waste water and, on the other hand, reduce the pollutant load in the paper. For example, the use of optical brighteners, halogenated bleaching agents and not readily biodegradable complexing agents is prohibited during the production of the recycled paper. In addition, the Blue Angel also sets requirements for the emissions to waste water and air, the generation of waste and energy consumption during the production of sanitary paper.

Effective pipe cleaning without the use of chemicals

It is true that often chemical pipe cleaning agents can be more easily used but, unfortunately, they mainly consists of strong alkalis and salts which contribute to the salinization of our water bodies and may even form irritant gases. Traditional mechanical pipe cleaners do without such aggressive chemicals and work equally well.

Effective pipe cleaning without the use of chemicals
It is true that often chemical pipe cleaning agents can be more easily used but, unfortunately, they mainly consists of strong alkalis and salts which contribute to the salinization of our water bodies and may even form irritant gases. Traditional mechanical pipe cleaners do without such aggressive chemicals and work equally well.

Fewer pests combined with better health

Pests – like cockroaches, moths or bugs – in the house need to be removed. A spray will quickly solve the problem. Unfortunately, many customary pest control sprays contain toxic substances and impact the indoor air quality. Traditional pest control textiles or fly strips which work by means of glue or light are a good alternative.

Coffee with milk and cream – and a clear conscience
Neither bleaching processes nor a series of other critical auxiliary substances are used in the manufacture of Blue Angel-labelled filter papers. The manufacturing process must meet stringent wastewater treatment requirements. In addition, the manufacturers of such filter papers only use fibres from certified sustainably managed and semi-natural forests or plantations - under no circumstances will they use wood from tropical forests. Knowing all this makes the coffee taste much better right away.

Hand Dishwashing Detergents, All-Purpose Cleaners, Sanitary Cleaners, Glass Cleaners and Descalers

Washing and cleaning agents are used on a daily basis for maintaining cleanliness and hygiene. Approx. 319,000 tonnes of cleaning and care agents (excluding dishwashing detergents) and around 139,000 tonnes of hand dishwashing detergents are sold each year in Germany. All of these products contain ingredients that find their way into the wastewater system and can have a negative effect on the environment and human health. If these ingredients cannot be completely retained or degraded in sewage treatment plants, they will enter into bodies of water and can be ingested there by water organisms and, in some circumstances, enriched. Furthermore, washing and cleaning agents can negatively affect human health when substances hazardous to health such as fragrance allergens and preservatives are used.

In the interests of the environment, climate and nature conservation, cleaning agents certified with the Blue Angel ecolabel should thus be produced in such a way that they have the least possible impact on the environment and human health. These products should also help to reduce any risks to the environment and human health by avoiding the use of hazardous substances, as well as helping to minimise packaging waste. Renewable raw materials that have been cultivated under sustainable conditions or which support sustainable cultivation should also be used in their production.

Conserving resources is also an important focus of this environmental label. Therefore, the packaging should contain information that enables consumers to not only use the product efficiently but also with the least possible impact on the environment.

Dishwashers and washing machines are used on almost a daily basis to wash dishes and clothes in a normal household. Dishwasher detergents and laundry detergents are now considered everyday products and around 312,000 tonnes of dishwashing detergent are sold each year, of which about 173,000 tonnes is accounted for by dishwasher detergent. Their ingredients can find their way into the wastewater system via the washing or rinsing water and pollute bodies of water later on if these ingredients cannot be completely retained or degraded in sewage treatment plants. In addition, detergents and cleaning agents can contain substances relevant to health e.g. certain preservatives or allergenic fragrances. The Blue Angel either prohibits the use of these substances in the first place or, if there is no other alternative, reduces their use to a minimum.  

An important component of detergents are surfactants. These can be manufactured based on petrochemicals and/or renewable raw materials. The use of sustainably produced raw materials makes a significant contribution here to sustainable development. Detergents certified with the Blue Angel ecolabel should thus make a contribution to the protection of the environment by using renewable raw materials in their production that have been cultivated as far as possible under sustainable conditions or which support sustainable cultivation. 

Washing and cleaning agents are used on a daily basis for maintaining cleanliness and hygiene. Approx. 1.5 million tonnes of these washing, cleaning and care agents are sold each year, whereby laundry detergents account for around 604,000 tonnes.  
Their ingredients can find their way into the wastewater system via the washing or rinsing water and pollute bodies of water later on if these ingredients cannot be completely retained or degraded in sewage treatment plants. In addition, laundry detergents and cleaning agents can contain substances relevant to health e.g. certain preservatives or allergenic fragrances. The Blue Angel either prohibits the use of these substances in the first place or, if there is no other alternative, reduces their use to a minimum.  

An important component of detergents are surfactants. These can be manufactured based on petrochemicals and/or renewable raw materials. The use of sustainably produced raw materials makes a significant contribution here to sustainable development. Detergents certified with the Blue Angel ecolabel should thus make a contribution to the protection of the environment by using renewable raw materials in their production that have been cultivated as far as possible under sustainable conditions or which support sustainable cultivation.

Around ten million nappies are used and then thrown away every day in Germany. In addition, there are approximately 46,100 tonnes of feminine hygiene products sold every year1. Around 5 million people are affected by incontinence in Germany. In outpatient care alone, statutory health and nursing care insurance providers use about 4.9 million incontinence products every day2. Not only are a large amount of raw materials used in their production but they also produce a lot of waste: According to projections based on these figures, 154,680 tonnes of waste nappies are produced annually.

In addition, the wearing of absorbent hygiene products means that these products are in regular contact with the skin or mucous membranes and thus even the smallest quantities of chemicals harmful to health could have a negative impact. Furthermore, the use of lotions and fragrances is prohibited in those products awarded with the environmental label to avoid the risk of allergies.

Another main focus is placed on the origins and production processes for the fluff pulp. The fluff pulp must be exclusively sourced from certified, sustainably operated businesses that remain close to nature (e.g. FSC, PEFC) and engage in energy efficient and low emission fluff pulp production. In the case of other biogenic raw materials that may be used in the products, only certified biomass is approved. One example is the requirement for 100% organic cotton.

In an application test, the products must also achieve a minimum level of satisfaction with respect to their fitness for use and quality from 80% of the test subjects.

Vacuum cleaner bags are a widely distributed product used in almost all households. It is estimated that around 140 million vacuum cleaner bags are used every year in Germany. Vacuum cleaner bags are a product that cannot be disposed of as either recyclable waste (dual system) or – due to their non-biodegradable content – as organic waste. Vacuum cleaner bags must be disposed of as residual waste and are thus only subjected to thermal processing. The raw materials used to produce the bags are lost as a result. Therefore, the use of high-quality primary materials for this product group should be avoided – as far as this is technically possible.

In order to reduce the consumption of resources for vacuum cleaner bags, the Blue Angel thus requires that they are produced using a high proportion of recycled materials. In addition, it places requirements on the bag's good fitness for use to ensure that this single-use product has a long service life and also to improve the technical service life of the vacuum cleaner. For this purpose, the Blue Angel places requirements on the bag's capacity to retain dust particles and its strength. A bag with a high capacity to retain dust particles but with a low strength can break at an early stage and thus even damage the motor inside the appliance.

To round off the requirements for overall environmental performance, the Blue Angel also focuses on the secondary packaging of the products. For vacuum cleaner bags, this packaging must only be made out of paper or cardboard containing at least 90% recycled materials. Packaging made of plastic or other materials is not necessary for vacuum cleaner bags. 

Wood for a good indoor climate
Products made of wood or wood-based materials, such as furniture or slated frames, may cause an environmental impact during their production, use and disposal.
The Blue Angel eco-label considers the whole life cycle of a product and promotes, above all, the use of wood from sustainably managed forests and of low-emission wood-based materials.

Healthy Living with the Blue Angel
A living room without upholstery, unthinkable.
Some upholstered furniture can be significant sources of pollutants in indoor environments because of their large surfaces and their long service lives.
Pollutants that may adversely affect the environment and human health usually come from glues, upholstery materials, cover fabrics, or the leather. The Blue Angel for low-emission upholstery indicates that - starting from its production through its entire service life to its recycling and disposal - the piece of furniture causes less impact on environment and health than comparable products without the Blue Angel eco-label.

Why is it that pollutant-tested mattresses are so important?
We sleep seven hours per day on the average. There is just a piece of cloth between us and the mattress and that is why we are freely exposed to chemical emissions. Such emissions may cause numerous health problems and damage the environment. Formaldehyde, for example, may cause allergies or even cancer. In addition, emissions may produce unpleasant odours which may interfere with healthy sleep and, thus, have a negative impact on our well-being. Blue Angel-labelled products are particularly low in emissions. Thus, they contribute to environmental protection even while sleeping.

Blue Angel for Leathers

Leathers can be a significant source of indoor air pollution because of their large surfaces and their long service lives. Pollutants that may affect our health and environment usually originate from leather tanning and preservation processes. The Blue Angel eco-label for low-emission upholstery leather signals to the consumer that leathers bearing the Blue Angel have been manufactured with the aim of minimizing their impact on health and environment during manufacture, the entire useful life as well as during recycling and disposal. The new Blue Angel eco-label enables the manufacturer of upholstery furniture as well as the upholstery craftsman to deliberately choose Blue Angel-ecolabelled low-emission upholstery leathers for their products and, thus, offer upholstery furniture to the consumer that does not pose a risk to their health.

Green clothes - more than a fig leaf

There are many textile standards on paper - but on most products they are missing. And not all label guarantee environmentally friendly standards for the entire production chain. Many consumers are overwhelmed by the sheer number of labels. They don´t know which labels they should consider. To be of practical use in every day´s life, a label must be well known and trustworthy. The aim of the Blue Angel is to provide a reliable guidance for sustainable textiles.

No more tiptoeing around - a decision your feet can support
Shoes are important consumer products - every German consumer buys an average of 4-5 pairs per year. But what many consumers do not bear in mind: the manufacturing of the shoes includes several environmental relevant processes from tanning of the leather to finishing the final product. The aim of the eco label is to define high standards throughout the production chain protecting the environment and health. With the Blue Angel it will be easier to recognize good shoes in the future.

Consumers place high demands on toys, i.e. they want them to be free from hazardous substances. That is why the criteria place a strong focus on avoidance and minimization of harmful substances as well as on the verification of compliance by periodic tests. The Blue Angel eco-label goes beyond the requirements of the European Directive on the Safety of Toys and bans further substances that pose a risk to the environment. These present Basic Criteria for Award of the Blue Angel require compliance with fundamental social standards in the production of raw materials as well as at the final production sites. Moreover, greater transparency on the part of the toy manufacturers regarding their suppliers shall guarantee, in the future, compliance with key labour standards also at other levels of the value chain.

The Blue Angel eco-label may be awarded to toys made of textiles, wood, plastic, leather, paper, natural rubber and metal.

Whether in the home or in the office, fire extinguishers perform not only their vital function in fire protection but also an important task in environmental protection: extinguishing incipient fires prevents the emission of numerous toxic combustion products into the environment. When selecting fire extinguishers, it is therefore all the more important to look for products that contain extinguishing agents that are as low in pollutants and as environmentally friendly as possible. Foam and water fire extinguishers that have been awarded the BLUE ANGEL therefore do not use persistent per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as additives to the extinguishing agent and only contain surfactants that are classified as readily biodegradable according to standard OECD tests. This way, consumers can contribute to preventing the accumulation of persistent PFAS in living organisms and the environment as well as long-term damage to water bodies caused by emitted extinguishing agents. 

How can computers pay off for environment and health?
Today, the use of computers is part of our daily lives - both in private and professional life: The great majority of German workplaces is equipped with a computer. This makes it all the more important that computers and keyboards meet all demands of modern office work, are environmentally friendly and have no adverse effects on users’ health.

The manufacture of computers, notebooks and keyboards does not only require a great amount of energy but also plenty of resources the production of which is associated with significant environmental impacts. The resources are usually very scarce materials, such as rare earth elements, gold, indium, cobalt or tantalum. They are extremely important for modern technologies but their availability is not guaranteed. With a view to a resource-efficient economy the aim is to allow long-time use of computers in order to derive the greatest possible benefit from the resources used once. Blue Angel eco-labelled computers meet this requirement because they are, for example, repairable and upgradable.

Also, Blue Angel eco-labelled computers and keyboards meet stringent requirements for recyclable design and material selection, thus creating favourable framework conditions for an efficient recovery of the materials used and helping to conserve natural resources.

To protect users' health, the plastic parts of the devices are exclusively made of particularly low-emission materials.

We can't imagine our lives without mobile phones, smartphones and tablets. They have become a matter of course for most of us to make calls, send emails, surf the Internet or take photos wherever we are.

The Blue Angel criteria are a perfect help when buying one of these new mobile devices if social standards and the conservation of resources are of importance. A number of requirements have been included to ensure the longevity of the devices. The battery, for example, must meet particularly high-quality standards and, of course, it must be replaceable by the user without expert knowledge being required. Spare parts must be available for components that typically break down (above all, battery, front glass and display). A key reason why people are often reluctant to give or sell their mobile device for second-hand use are their personal data stored on the device; here, the requirement for Blue Angel eco-labelled devices is that the user himself/herself must be able to easily and securely delete these data. For precautionary health protection, the devices must demonstrably not exceed limit values for electromagnetic radiation and only have pollutant levels reduced to a minimum.

A mobile phone, smartphone or tablet has to travel a long way until it finally reaches the consumer. That is why the Basic Criteria for the Blue Angel also include requirements for the origin of raw materials, i.e. the so-called conflict minerals (tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold) as well as for the conditions of production. Compliance with fundamental social standards at the manufacturing plants will be monitored on site by independent third parties.

Using the sun to generate electric power

Solar technology is an important solution for securing future energy supplies. Solar cells can be intelligently integrated into products to reduce the use of standard batteries or make access to the electricity grid unnecessary. The electrical power generated by the solar cells can be stored in rechargeable batteries so that the products work with a sufficient degree of reliability. This environmental label covers products for indoor and outdoor use such as milk frothers, wall clocks, alarm clocks, house number lighting, lights and fences.

Maximum protection for small children

Baby monitors provide parents with valuable assistance in the first months of a baby's life – because they can save lives! And they can also make everyday life for mothers and fathers easier in subsequent years. The main focus should always be placed on the safety of babies and children and providing the highest possible protection against radiation should already be taken into account when purchasing these devices. Baby monitors with the Blue Angel have particularly low emissions and ensure parents have peace-of-mind while their small one sleeps safely and calmly in their cot.

Cordless phones are gaining in popularity with today’s consumers – they can be found in many homes and offices. It is so convenient to make a „cordless call“ but still use the landline. However, with these phones another source of electromagnetic radiation enters your home or office. One major objective of the Blue Angel eco-label is a preventive limitation of this radiation. And, of course, we also want the Blue Angel to contribute to climate protection. Even though the saving in electrical power consumption is only a few watts for a single device the number of devices is what makes the difference – resulting in a significant economic impact.

Energy-efficient and Durable Routers

Surfing the Net with the Blue Angel

It is almost impossible to imagine life without the Internet nowadays. 88 percent of all private households in Germany have access to the Internet. To this end they need networking equipment that is usually on around the clock.

The Blue Angel eco-label may be awarded to particularly energy-efficient routers that automatically switch to “Idle” state when not in use. Unused interfaces are automatically disabled or can be fully turned off by the user in order to reduce energy consumption.

To ensure the longest possible service life for the devices Blue Angel eco-labelled routers can rely on guaranteed software updates and repair services. Easy data deletion and product take-back offered by the manufacturer allow the reuse of the router when the device is no longer needed in the household.

And when the router is finally recycled the design optimised for recycling makes sure that 90 percent of the plastics and metals used in the housing parts can be recycled.

Data shredders, as, for example, file shredders, are used to destroy confidential documents that are no longer needed by shredding them into pieces. A lot of shredders do not just shred paper but also other data carriers, such as CDs / DVDs or credit cards and, thus, protect them from data misuse. The maximum power of data shredders for personal and small office use is between 130 and 700 watts. The maximum power of appliances for open-plan offices or office floors is between about 700 and 2600 watts. The greater part of the annual power consumed by inefficient data shredders (90 to 97 %) is not consumed in the actual operating mode (paper shredding) but in “standby” and “off” mode. The Blue Angel eco-label for data shredders may be awarded to appliances featuring low power consumption, long-lived design and avoidance of environmentally harmful materials.

Hair care appliances are basic items that can be found in most German households. The power consumption of a hair dryer is between 960 and 2300 watts. The annual power consumption of an average hair dryer is 65 kWh if used every day. This is about as much as the consumption of, for example, an iron or an efficient cooling device. Blue Angel eco-labelled hair care appliances achieve power savings of at least 30 percent compared to standard appliances. In addition, Blue Angel eco-labelled hair care appliances meet requirements for noise emission, the plastics and materials used as well as for product safety and durability. Moreover, the Operating Instructions include information on environmentally conscious user behaviour and product safety.

Great benefit, less waste 

Blue Angel eco-labelled toner modules help to reduce the amount of waste and, thus, to conserve resources. These toner modules must also meet stringent requirements for the materials used, the monochrome or colour toners as well as for serviceability properties. Last but not least, the Blue Angel eco-labelled remanufactured toner modules made available to interested suppliers and users must - in combination with low-emission office equipment according to DE-UZ 171 or DE-UZ 205 - meet the stringent requirements for the release of fine and ultrafine particles during printing.

Environmentally friendly suction power
There are currently around 39 million vacuum cleaners in German households, which consume around 3.4 billion kilowatt hours of electricity per year in total. The electricity costs during an 8-year service life are often higher than the purchase price.

The environmental label for vacuum cleaners may be awarded to appliances with low energy consumption and a high dust pick up, as well as low dust re-emissions. They must have a recyclable design and low noise emissions. These appliances also avoid the use of environmentally damaging materials. A special focus is placed on durability and ease-of-repair.

In the case of corded vacuum cleaners, the environmental label requires that the motor has a service life of at least 600 hours, the active floor nozzle has a service life of at least 300 hours, the passive universal nozzle can withstand 1200 falls from a height of 80 cm, the appliance can withstand 500 impacts with thresholds and door posts and the suction hose can withstand at least 40,000 deformations. In the case of cordless vacuum cleaners, the run time must be at least 75% of the initial run time after 600 charging cycles and the battery must be removeable. These requirements also send a clear signal to manufacturers to increase the service life and improve the easy-to-repair design of their products and help to avoid waste as a result.

In areas worthy of protection, as well as in private gardens, many people consider noise generated by garden tools to be significant noise pollution. The objective of awarding the environmental label to low-noise and low-pollution garden tools is thus primarily to reduce noise emissions.

The Blue Angel identifies those garden tools with state-of-the-art noise reduction technology. As combustion engine powered tools with the latest technical features do not meet the necessary requirements for the award of the environmental label, these tools are no longer contained within the scope of the latest Basic Award Criteria. The scope of the environmental label covers garden tools with an electric motor (mains or battery powered) such as chain saws, hedge trimmers, lawnmowers, electric scythes and trimmers, scarifiers, shredders and pole pruners.

In addition, the use of substances harmful to the environment and human health is excluded for all tools. Battery-powered tools must use rechargeable batteries that are low in pollutants and have a long service life. The rechargeable batteries must be replaceable.

In areas worthy of protection, as well as in private gardens, many people consider noise generated by garden tools to be significant noise pollution. The objective of awarding the environmental label to low-noise and low-pollution garden tools is thus primarily to reduce noise emissions.

The Blue Angel identifies those garden tools with state-of-the-art noise reduction technology. As combustion engine powered tools with the latest technical features do not meet the necessary requirements for the award of the environmental label, these tools are no longer contained within the scope of the latest Basic Award Criteria. The scope of the environmental label covers garden tools with an electric motor (mains or battery powered) such as chain saws, hedge trimmers, lawnmowers, electric scythes and trimmers, scarifiers, shredders and pole pruners.

In addition, the use of substances harmful to the environment and human health is excluded for all tools. Battery-powered tools must use rechargeable batteries that are low in pollutants and have a long service life. The rechargeable batteries must be replaceable.

Mobile phones are an integral part of our lives. Their manufacture requires the use of a variety of raw materials that are sourced in a complex and often environmentally damaging way. That is why, from the environmental point of view, the focus should be on a long useful life of the devices. This can be achieved if at the end of their initial use mobile phones are reused. To this end, they need to be carefully collected and treated beforehand.  

The objectives of this eco-label are avoidance of waste and preservation of natural resources. The Blue Angel allows consumers or public authorities to spot take-back schemes for mobile phones whose primary objective is to prepare the devices for reuse. Second life use of the devices helps not only to save resources and energy but also to avoid waste.

In the case of data storage products, the production process accounts for around 60% of the abiotic raw materials consumed.

Against this background, the aim of the Blue Angel is to reduce the overall energy consumption by servers and data storage products and improve resource efficiency. The impact on the environment can be significantly reduced by developing suitable and ambitious criteria for servers and data storage products. Saving energy in the operation of servers and data storage products pays off twice in the data center: On the one hand, there are the direct energy savings achieved by the devices themselves and, on the other hand, there is a reduced demand for cooling.

The Blue Angel environmental label for Servers and Data Storage Products sets high minimum requirements for the energy efficiency of servers, data storage products and power supply units, as well as for the elimination of pollutants in the plastic materials used in the products. In addition, the label requires the early adoption of the European Ecodesign Directive for servers and data storage products including the guidelines for energy and material efficiency, as well as compliance with the energy efficiency criteria and documentation obligations in the “Energy Star” label. The Blue Angel can thus be used to label devices that stand out due to their high energy efficiency, long service life and avoidance of environmentally polluting materials.

Software and hardware belong together like a book and its pages. One makes no sense without the other. A computer, notebook and even a smartphone can only be as energy efficient as the software allows. Although it is the hardware that consumes energy, it is the software that triggers the consumption of this energy. The design of the software and its programming also have an influence on the hardware specifications and are thus also responsible for the replacement of supposedly less powerful hardware.

The European Ecodesign Directive defines requirements for the environmentally friendly design of energy-related products and sets minimum requirements. Most of the products that come under the scope of the Ecodesign Directive are controlled by software. There are no legal requirements for the energy efficiency of software products despite the fact that software has a major influence on energy consumption.

The aim of the environmental label for resource and energy-efficient software products is to reduce the total energy consumed by information and communication technology and improve resource efficiency. By purchasing software that has been awarded the Blue Angel, consumers and public procurers can be sure that the software uses hardware resources in a particularly efficient manner and saves energy. Due to lower performance requirements, the hardware has a longer service life. In addition, the software stands out due to its high level of transparency and grants users greater freedom in their use of the software.

Furthermore, the criteria for the environmental label also provide developers of software products with useful guidance for identifying possible weaknesses in the software and taking the right measures to reduce the impact on the environment.

UFOPLAN-SSD 2015 (umwelt-campus.de)

Lots of functions, sustainable and transparent

Printers and multifunction devices are complex devices with a diverse range of functions and are used on a daily basis in both a private and work environment. The low energy consumption of devices certified with the Blue Angel supports climate change mitigation. The contribution of electrophotographic devices to indoor pollution by ultrafine dust is small in the work place or at home and will be further reduced gradually. In addition, the devices must comply with strict requirements with respect to the selection of materials and the recyclable design of the products. The criteria for the selection of materials in the devices also stipulate that a minimum level of recycled plastic must be used. Low-pollutant materials must also be used in the plastic parts to reduce the impact on the environment and the risks to human health. Furthermore, these devices have a low energy consumption and thus make a significant contribution to climate protection. Last but not least, those companies who sell printers and multifunction devices certified with the Blue Angel are also obligated to gradually fulfil ambitious social standards during the production process and comply with due diligence requirements in the supply chains for conflict materials by 2024 at the latest.

Convenient and energy-efficient telephone conversations over the Internet
There is a growing trend for companies to replace their analog or ISDN phone systems with voice over IP phones. They provide a greater variety of functions and save costs using existing data networks. To make sure that this plus for convenience is not accompanied by an increase in energy and material consumption the Blue Angel sets strict requirements. Blue Angel eco-labelled VoIP phones feature low electric power consumption, high compatibility with data networks, updatability and high voice quality. Spare parts supply must be guaranteed for at least 6 years, used devices can be returned to the manufacturer and the materials used are subject to strict requirements as to pollutant contents.

Telephone systems transfer data between both a variety of terminals like telephones, fax machines or answering machines and also between these terminals and one or more lines on the public telephone network. As telephone systems installed for commercial use are generally operated 24 hours a day, every day of the week, reducing their energy consumption makes an important contribution to climate protection and also saves operating costs. The upgradability and updatability of the hardware and software are also decisive factors for guaranteeing the longest possible service life of the telephone system and thus helping to preserve resources.

The "Blue Angel" environmental label for VoIP telephones and telephone systems signals to purchasers of these systems that devices issued with this label provide greater preventative protection for the environment and the consumer than is required by statutory regulations. Therefore, the environmental label acts as a decision-making aid for purchasing new devices with the longest possible service lives.

The Blue Angel ecolabel has now been certifying data centers that are operated in a particularly energy efficient and resource-conserving manner for 10 years. The importance of data centers has certainly not diminished over the last 10 year as they provide the technical infrastructure for digital services in the private, business and public sectors – whether for network environments, platforms, data storage, cloud solutions or other services. The demand for centralised computing and storage capacity has grown significantly due to digitalisation and thus so has the demand for valuable energy resources and raw materials. This was reason enough to adapt the criteria for the award of the Blue Angel to the latest developments and changed conditions, such as the current state of technology and commonly established practices, so that they continue to provide good guidance for more environmental and climate protection in the data center sector in line with prevailing developments.

The previous environmental labels “Energy Efficient Data Center Operation” (DE-UZ-161) and “Climate Friendly Colocation Data Centers” (DE-UZ 214) have now been consolidated. The consolidated ecolabel for “Data Centers” (DE-UZ 228) will not only certify existing operator models but also those operators who manage their information technology at a colocation data center that has been awarded the Blue Angel. 

In order to be awarded the Blue Angel, operators of data centers and information technology must comply with minimum requirements and this must be verified by an independent auditor (mandated by the German Environment Agency). The environmental label for “Data Centers” may be awarded to those data centers:

• whose technical building equipment is operated in a particularly energy efficient, climate friendly and resource-conserving manner,
• whose operators develop and successfully implement a long-term strategy for increasing the energy and resource efficiency of the data center,
• whose information technology is operated efficiently,
• who enable their customers to implement measures to improve energy efficiency,
• and who offer guaranteed minimum standards and transparent reporting to create the conditions for IT operators to operate information technology in an energy efficient manner.

“Varnish is a coating substance that is thinly applied to surfaces and hardens due to chemical or physical processes. The surface is sealed and protected as a result. Enhancing the visual appearance of the surface is also part of the various different applications for varnishes. Coating indoor surfaces with varnishes and paints similar to varnish can pollute the indoor air and it is thus essential to select the right product. The Blue Angel is awarded on the basis of an evaluation of the product formulation or an emissions test. This guarantees that varnishes holding the Blue Angel are low in emissions and solvents and also have low levels of pollutants.”

Why should we use wallpapers made from recycled paper?
Wallpapers made from waste paper help to conserve resources and avoid the environmental impacts associated with the production of pulp. Paper production is among the major energy-consuming and water-burdening economic sectors. Wood-chip wallpapers, above all, are additionally breathable und, thus, have a positive impact on the indoor air quality.

Can wood be injurious to human health?
In chipboards and other materials pollutants may dissolve from the binders and get into the indoor air. This may cause mucosal inflammation of eyes and ears as well as irritation of the throat, sickness, headache and breathing problems. Blue Angel-labelled wood-based materials are low in emissions.

Wall paints are used over large areas in interior spaces. That is why it is important that the products have low emissions and are also not detrimental to health in other ways.

Ingredients in wall paints can increase the concentration of pollutants in the indoor air imperceptibly. It is therefore advisable to obtain accurate information before purchasing and applying paints.

If you would like to keep pollutants as low as possible when using wall paint and brushes, you should use products with the Blue Angel label when renovating your own four walls. Wall paints labelled with the Blue Angel ecolabel have been tested beyond the legal requirements for their ingredients and therefore for their environmental and health compatibility.

Wall paints with the Blue Angel ecolabel

• Low emissions due to strict limits for the use of volatile and semi-volatile organic substances
• No biocides
• No lead-containing pigments or perfluorinated and polyfluorinated chemicals
• Free from harmful plasticisers
• Exclusion of carcinogenic, mutagenic and toxic substances

Do adhesives have an impact on human health?
Fortunately, the days when floor coverings were laid by the use of solvent-containing adhesives are over. Today, we use water-dilutable adhesives which may, however, also cause health problems because solvent-free is not equal to pollutant-free. The adhesive may still contain various non- volatile organic substances. These substances gradually evaporate from the adhesive over a long period of time and make their way through the flooring and, thus, get into the air we breathe or attach themselves to the house dust. This is not the case with Blue Angel-labelled adhesives.

Improved home quality thanks to environmentally safe floorings?
Healthy living is a trend and the Blue Angel has a clear focus when assessing the health effects of products used in indoor spaces in particular. Blue Angel-labelled elastic floor coverings emit very few pollutants to the indoor air of children’s rooms, bedrooms and other rooms and, thus, do not affect the health of the inhabitants. The floor coverings are best laid by use of adhesives also carrying the Blue Angel eco-label.

Can silicone sealing material be a clean product?

Silicone and other joint sealing materials are high-performance construction materials protecting, for example, the bathroom from water seepage for many years. This property requires a complex mixture of chemicals, such as plasticizers or anti-mould agents. However, from the perspective of environmental protection and health the pollutant impact of such sealants on indoor areas must be low in order to guarantee the lowest possible emissions from these products.

Better living with environmentally sound floorings?
Healthy living is a growing trend and the Blue Angel sets a clear focus when assessing the health effects of products for indoor use. Because of their large surface floor coverings have a particularly high potential for affecting the indoor air quality. By awarding the eco-label to textile floor coverings – in addition to resilient floor coverings - the Blue Angel draws the consumer’s attention to a health-compliant alternative in this product sector. The label is awarded to textile floor coverings that outgas particularly small amounts of organic compounds and formaldehyde into the indoor air.

Blue Angel-labelled low-emission thermal insulation material and suspended ceilings.

Thermal insulation material and suspended ceilings are an effective way to save energy and reduce noise in indoor spaces. However, if the products are manufactured from pollutant-containing materials these measures may, in fact, harm the environment. That is why the Blue Angel eco-label may be awarded to those thermal insulation materials and suspended ceilings which beyond the legal provisions have been produced in a low-pollutant manufacturing process and pose no health hazard in indoor spaces. The Basic Award Criteria include requirements for thermal and sound insulation and define limits for emissions from the products.

Facade insulation is often the most effective way for consumers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to act effectively in terms of climate protection. Due to reduced heating costs, even money can be saved in the long run. By using environmentally friendly and resource-saving materials and components in External Thermal Insulation Composite Systems (ETICS) with the Blue Angel, possible health and environmental impacts can be reduced to a minimum. ETICS are robust and durable. In addition, the Blue Angel certifies good optical properties through tested resistance to growth.

What are flooring underlays made of and why should they be low-emission?
Flooring underlays are products installed under laminate, parquet or carpet floorings. Their purpose is to absorb the impact sound, even out uneven subsurfaces and, by the way, combat cold feet. Flooring underlays are made of different materials, depending on the mode of application: for example, wood, paperboard, cork, rubber or various foam and non-foam plastics.

The materials are as different as are the respective environmental requirements for award of the Blue Angel. However, all flooring underlays must be low-emission because in order to guarantee a health-oriented floor structure all individual components – from adhesive to cover layer, including sealants – must be low-emission because it is an unpleasant characteristic of pollutants that they can also travel through the floorings.

Showering in a Climate-Friendly Way
In Germany, the average amount of water used per person per day for personal hygiene is 44 litres which is approximately one third of the total water use. Since the water used for personal hygiene is usually hot, lower consumption will also result in lower energy consumption as well as in lower climate-harming greenhouse gas emissions. That is why shower heads with a restricted maximum flow rate of 6 to 8 litres per minute independent of the pressure are recommended in particular. They can achieve savings of 40 percent and more compared with customary products!

Wood for a good indoor climate

Products made of wood or wood-based materials, such as interior floor coverings, panels and doors, may cause an environmental impact during their production, use and disposal.
The Blue Angel eco-label considers the whole life cycle of a product and promotes, above all, the use of wood from sustainably managed forests and of low-emission wood-based materials.

Environmentally friendly internal plasters

Internal plasters are used to cover large surfaces indoors just like wall paints. Therefore, it is important that these products have low emissions and are also not harmful to human health in other ways. The Environmental Label Jury established new criteria for internal plasters at its meeting in December 2018. The most important new requirement is that internal plasters with the Blue Angel are no longer permitted to use preservatives containing biocidal substances. Manufacturers must provide analytical verification of compliance with this requirement. The information that must be stated on the container and the technical data sheet has been supplemented to include a note about consumers wearing protective goggles for their own protection.

As these new requirements for even safer products require far-reaching changes to the production process, the Environmental Label Jury agreed to extend the validity of the still existing Basic Award Criteria until 31/12/2020. This will give manufacturers the opportunity to change the formulations for their internal plasters over to preservative-free versions.

Avoidance of pollutants and waste: two important factors for a circular economy

Several million frame fasteners are installed in doors every year in Germany alone. The Blue Angel for mechanical frame fasteners for room doors is awarded to products that are installed without the use of fitting foam and which can be easily removed and recycled separately when they are no longer required. This reduces any possible pollutant emissions e.g. from flame retardants in the fitting foam. The ability to remove and recycle the mechanical door frame fasteners at the end of their period of use also reduces waste. The environmental label thus promotes the concept of a circular economy.

The submerged part of a ship will over time become overgrown with water organisms such as algae, barnacles or muscles. To prevent this from happening, an anti-fouling coating containing biocides is usually applied to the hull of the ship. The poisonous biocides are systematically released from the coating and this results in continuous pollution of the environment. There are various non-biocidal anti-fouling systems that can be used as an alternative, e.g. non-stick coatings, ultrasound systems or cleaning systems. However, some of these alternative anti-fouling systems do not provide sufficient protection and can also contain substances with properties that are harmful to the environment and health.

The aim of the new ecolabel is thus to certify those non-biocidal anti-fouling systems that are both effective and also environmentally friendly. In combination with an obligation to provide information on the safe and correct use of the product, the ecolabel guarantees that end consumers receive an effective and environmentally friendly product.

Water-friendly roof sheets support the shaping of climate-resilient cities

The use and infiltration of discharged water from roofs contribute to climate adaptation in urban areas. Blue Angel roof sheets are ecotoxicologically uncritical in contact with rainwater and minimise pollutant loads into the discharged water from roofs making them compatible with a wide range of uses for such water. The Blue Angel for roof sheets is awarded to products that have harmless formulations, are manufactured in a resource-conserving manner using at least 50 % green electricity and meet strict criteria for ecotoxicological effects in leaching tests. In order to create transparency, a minimum service life of the product is specified in the processing instructions or consumer information to be supplied.

Exterior paints on facades are used as large-surface coating materials in the design of buildings and for their protection. Biocides are often used in coating systems designed for exterior areas to protect against algal and fungal growth. These biocides do not prevent this algal or fungal growth on the building façade but merely delay it and are washed out of the paint over time. The environmental label is designed for the labelling of products without a protective biocidal film that are low in pollutants. It is based on the Basic Award Criteria for external thermal insulation composite systems. By using low-pollutant façade paints with the Blue Angel ecolabel, you can reduce any possible environmental pollution to a minimum.

Greenhouse gas neutral roofing tiles and fittings conserve resources and protect the climate

Roofing tiles and fittings (in short: roofing tiles) are installed over large areas and come into contact with rain water. It is important to minimise the release of pollutants from these products during their use in order to reduce their environmental impact within the natural water cycle. Therefore, all roofing tiles certified with the Blue Angel ecolabel must verify that they are safe for the environment from an ecotoxicological perspective. Due to the high number of roofing tiles used every year in both new buildings and renovation projects, it is also important that the products are manufactured using climate friendly solutions. The Blue Angel requires the use of solutions that comply with a strict life cycle assessment benchmark for greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, roofing tiles certified with the Blue Angel are obligated to offset their non-avoidable and non-reducible greenhouse gas emissions. The methods used to offset these emissions are subject to strict rules to ensure that they demonstrably help to mitigate climate change over the long term.

The heat pump is a key technology for moving away from fossil fuel heating systems and is used not only for space heating but also for producing hot water. The use of regenerative heat sources (e.g. water, geothermal energy and air) saves fossil fuels. Nevertheless, there is still considerable potential for reducing the environmental impact of heat pumps. The Blue Angel requirements are therefore designed in a way that combines the absence of fluorinated refrigerants with energy-efficient operation of the heat pumps to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, the formation of long-lasting degradation products of refrigerants (PFAS) is avoided and noise emissions are limited.

Chillers are refrigerating machines that extract heat from the medium to be cooled via a water circuit. They are used in a wide range of cooling applications in the commercial and industrial sectors, but also for air conditioning in residential and especially non-residential buildings. They contribute to climate change in two ways: firstly, by requiring electrical energy and the greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy conversion (indirect emissions), and secondly, through the direct emissions of refrigerants, which often have a very high global warming potential (GWP). Direct emissions are caused by leaks during operation, maintenance and repairs as well as disposal. Against this background, greenhouse gas emission savings can be realised by using environmentally friendly and energy-efficient chillers. Starting points here are in particular the use of natural refrigerants and increasing the efficiency of the machines. The aim of this ecolabel is to be able to identify products that work with natural refrigerants and are characterised - beyond the legal requirements - by additional environmentally friendly properties. These are, in particular, high energy efficiency and low noise emissions.

Whether in the home or in the office, fire extinguishers perform not only their vital function in fire protection but also an important task in environmental protection: extinguishing incipient fires prevents the emission of numerous toxic combustion products into the environment. When selecting fire extinguishers, it is therefore all the more important to look for products that contain extinguishing agents that are as low in pollutants and as environmentally friendly as possible. Foam and water fire extinguishers that have been awarded the BLUE ANGEL therefore do not use persistent per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as additives to the extinguishing agent and only contain surfactants that are classified as readily biodegradable according to standard OECD tests. This way, consumers can contribute to preventing the accumulation of persistent PFAS in living organisms and the environment as well as long-term damage to water bodies caused by emitted extinguishing agents. 

Liquid plastics are required for exterior waterproofing of existing buildings. They are applied in a liquid state to the components to be waterproofed and, after curing, form a jointless, waterproof layer. Liquid plastics with the Blue Angel are ecotoxicologically harmless in contact with rainwater and minimise pollutant loads in the roof run-off water. This means that the roof run-off water can be used in an environmentally friendly way. The Blue Angel for structural waterproofing made of liquid plastics distinguishes products that have harmless formulations, are manufactured in a resource-saving way using at least 50% green electricity and meet strict criteria for ecotoxic effects in leaching tests. Products with hazard pictograms indicating environmental or health hazards are excluded.

Liquid plastics are required for exterior waterproofing of existing buildings. They are applied in a liquid state to the components to be waterproofed and, after curing, form a jointless, waterproof layer. Liquid plastics with the Blue Angel are ecotoxicologically harmless in contact with rainwater and minimise pollutant loads in the roof run-off water. This means that the roof run-off water can be used in an environmentally friendly way. The Blue Angel for structural waterproofing made of liquid plastics distinguishes products that have harmless formulations, are manufactured in a resource-saving way using at least 50% green electricity and meet strict criteria for ecotoxic effects in leaching tests. Products with hazard pictograms indicating environmental or health hazards are excluded.

The new ecolabel may be awarded to artificial turf systems (Part A) and artificial turf sports fields (Part B) that stand out with respect to environmental aspects in comparison to other artificial turf systems and sports fields.

Artificial turf sports fields are often used as an alternative to natural grass fields or pitches in the leisure and sports sectors and are becoming increasingly common due to the fact that, amongst other things, they can be used all year round, are more durable, require less care and maintenance and have lower specific costs per hour of use due to their higher utilisation.

The use of artificial turf can have various effects on the environment and health. In particular, the introduction of microplastics from the artificial turf into the environment has been a much-discussed topic in recent years. This is mainly due to the loss of the infill granules and the impact of the sporting activities, maintenance measures, wind and rain. One important goals of the new ecolabel is thus to reduce the introduction of microplastics into the environment. Although legislation to restrict microplastics was published at the end of October as part of the EU Chemicals Regulation REACH, the ban on placing rubber and plastic materials on the market for use as filling materials for sports fields will only come into force across the EU in 8 years. The Blue Angel will establish appropriate requirements until this legislation comes into force.

Alongside a reduction in plastic emissions, other important goals of the new ecolabel are minimising pollutant emissions into the soil and groundwater and conserving resources by placing requirements on the minimum use (utilisation) of the products as well as on the stability and durability of the artificial turf, promoting the use of post-consumer recycled materials and placing requirements on the ability to dismantle and recycle the artificial turf. In addition, the design, structural integration of the artificial turf sports field and behaviour of the sportspeople using it can also influence the level of any microplastic emissions. Part B places requirements on the use, care and maintenance of the artificial turf sports fields. For example, the sports fields must have a high use efficiency (based on a needs analysis of the hours of use by sportspeople), they must be maintained mechanically without the use of biocides and limits are also placed on the amount of water consumed.

Find the Power Hogs in Your Home

Unnecessary standby power consumption of household appliances can add up to 400 kWh per year and household. This has a negative impact not only on the environment but also on the purse. Good energy meters help to identify secret electricity-gobbling appliances. The devices should provide power consumption data that are as accurate as possible and they should be safe. If so, consumer will be able to take additional power-saving measures, such as, for example, the use of switchable power strips or the replacement of heavy power consuming appliances by more efficient ones.

Find the Power Hogs in Your Home
Unnecessary standby power consumption of household appliances can add up to 400 kWh per year and household. This has a negative impact not only on the environment but also on the purse. Good energy meters help to identify secret electricity-gobbling appliances. The devices should provide power consumption data that are as accurate as possible and they should be safe. If so, consumer will be able to take additional power-saving measures, such as, for example, the use of switchable power strips or the replacement of heavy power consuming appliances by more efficient ones.

Shopping in climate-friendly food retail stores
The food retail sector is responsible for approx. 1% of the greenhouse gas emissions in Germany and for around 3% of the total energy consumption in Germany. The refrigeration systems for cooling food account for the largest proportion of the total energy consumption at almost 40 %, as well as for the largest share of the indirect greenhouse gas emissions from grocery stores in the food retail sector. Around 30 % of the total energy consumption is used for heating, around 20 % for lighting and 8 % for air conditioning. In all of these areas, there is significant potential for making savings in terms of energy consumption and thus reducing the green house emissions.
In addition, refrigeration systems can contain halogenated organic compounds as refrigerants and in their insulation materials. As a result of the use of natural refrigerants that have no ozone depletion potential and no or little global-warming potential in combination with the energy-efficient operation of the refrigeration systems, a significant proportion of the greenhouse gas emissions caused by refrigeration systems in the food retail sector can be saved. Other emissions savings are possible through good thermal insulation in the building, energy-efficient lighting, ventilation and the use of more energy-efficient electrical equipment.
Those grocery stores in the food retail sector issued with the Blue Angel ecolabel will be operated in a particularly energy-efficient way and use climate-friendly natural refrigerants.
Die mit dem Blauen Engel ausgezeichneten Verkaufsmärkte des Lebensmitteleinzelhandels werden besonders energieeffizient betrieben und verwenden klimafreundliche natürliche Kältemittel.

Stationary air conditioners
Air conditioners are designed to control the thermal comfort of living and working rooms and are especially used in those countries that regularly experience high outdoor temperatures. Yet an increased use of air conditioners in Germany, in parallel to more frequent hot spells, is also expected. If it is not possible to avoid the use of air conditioners with the aid of construction measures, environmentally friendly and energy efficient air conditioners could enable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, above all due to the use of natural refrigerants and increasing the efficiency of the devices. In addition, the requirements set by the environmental label should ensure that suppliers of air conditioners provide services of a higher professional quality.

Even if it is carried out in a proper manner, heating with wood causes significantly more air pollutant emissions than other energy sources such as heating oil or natural gas. It can result, therefore, in higher levels of particulate matter and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) in the air in residential areas – especially if a lot of wood-burning stoves and fireplaces are operated at the same time during colder months in combination with weather conditions causing inversion or if the wood-burning stoves are located in valleys and basins. In particular, manually fuelled log firing systems (log-burning stoves) also emit soot (as a component of the particulate matter). Alongside its negative effect on human health, soot also has a very high global warming potential. Against this background, a reduction in the emissions of particulate matter caused by, amongst other things, the operation of log firing systems is an important environmental goal.

The Blue Angel for stoves aims to encourage innovation in the sector and promote new developments in the design of stoves for the improvement of air quality. This will be achieved using equipment to lower emissions for an efficient and controlled combustion process with a significant reduction in the emission of particulate matter and other flue gases in comparison to conventional stoves.

This includes:

• Separating technologies for reducing air pollutants that are harmful to human health, especially particulate matter and fine particles
• Automatic air regulation that largely avoids any user influence and incorrect use

This will enable the sparing use of wood and reduce the high level of pollutants released into the environment.

To be certified with the Blue Angel, the stoves are subjected to an expanded test process that better reflects the real emissions from burning wood in the stove than is the case in the current type testing process. On this basis, stricter limits for pollutant emissions including the mass of the particulate matter have been defined. Heating appliances holding the Blue Angel must comply with a particle mass concentration limit of 15 mg/m³. The statutory limit according to the 1st BImSchV is 40 mg/m3. This reduction will be achieved above all through the use of innovative technologies such as particle separators.

A large number of ultra-fine particles (smaller than 0.1 µm) are generated when burning wood that are considered to have their own negative impact on human health.

Therefore, the Blue Angel for stoves is for the first time calling for the introduction of a particle count limit for wood-burning stoves in order to protect human health. The suitability of this measurement method has been confirmed in round robin tests carried out as part of a research project and a maximum limit for the particle count in the exhaust gas of 3 million has now been defined in the revised Basic Award Criteria.

The Blue Angel can thus provide guidance to those people who want to purchase a particularly environmentally friendly stove. 

Even if it is carried out in a proper manner, heating with wood causes significantly more air pollutant emissions than other energy sources such as heating oil or natural gas. It can result, therefore, in higher levels of particulate matter and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) in the air in residential areas – especially if a lot of wood-burning stoves and fireplaces are operated at the same time during colder months in combination with weather conditions causing inversion or if the wood-burning stoves are located in valleys and basins. In particular, manually fuelled log firing systems (log-burning stoves) also emit soot (as a component of the particulate matter). Alongside its negative effect on human health, soot also has a very high global warming potential. Against this background, a reduction in the emissions of particulate matter caused by, amongst other things, the operation of log firing systems is an important environmental goal. Particle separators can be fitted to wood-burning stoves to reduce the particulate matter produced during the burning of the wood and thus significantly decrease the amount of particulate matter that is particularly harmful to health.

The primary objective of the new environmental label for “particle separators” is to improve air quality by contributing to a reduction in the emissions of particulate matter from manually fuelled log firing systems. The certified devices reduce particulate matter emissions to a much greater extent and more reliably than conventional particle separators. In addition to the statutory regulations for building approval tests for particle separators, the special requirements imposed by the Blue Angel mean that certified particle separators have to comply with a significantly higher minimum separating efficiency and they must also be effective during the ignition phase that involves a particularly high level of emissions. The particle separators must have user-friendly additional functions that e.g. display the operating hours and indicate whether maintenance is required. Manufacturers are required to optimise the design and guarantee the provision of spare parts in the long term, while the criteria also help to improve the durability and reliability of the devices.

Particle separators certified with the Blue Angel are primarily recommended for reducing particulate matter emissions from existing log firing systems. This additional equipment is not recommended for new stoves because stoves with an optimally matched particle separator that comply with the Blue Angel criteria are available instead. 

The heat pump is a key technology for moving away from fossil fuel heating systems and is used not only for space heating but also for producing hot water. The use of regenerative heat sources (e.g. water, geothermal energy and air) saves fossil fuels. Nevertheless, there is still considerable potential for reducing the environmental impact of heat pumps. The Blue Angel requirements are therefore designed in a way that combines the absence of fluorinated refrigerants with energy-efficient operation of the heat pumps to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, the formation of long-lasting degradation products of refrigerants (PFAS) is avoided and noise emissions are limited.

Chillers are refrigerating machines that extract heat from the medium to be cooled via a water circuit. They are used in a wide range of cooling applications in the commercial and industrial sectors, but also for air conditioning in residential and especially non-residential buildings. They contribute to climate change in two ways: firstly, by requiring electrical energy and the greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy conversion (indirect emissions), and secondly, through the direct emissions of refrigerants, which often have a very high global warming potential (GWP). Direct emissions are caused by leaks during operation, maintenance and repairs as well as disposal. Against this background, greenhouse gas emission savings can be realised by using environmentally friendly and energy-efficient chillers. Starting points here are in particular the use of natural refrigerants and increasing the efficiency of the machines. The aim of this ecolabel is to be able to identify products that work with natural refrigerants and are characterised - beyond the legal requirements - by additional environmentally friendly properties. These are, in particular, high energy efficiency and low noise emissions.

Environmentally friendly recycled paper

In comparison with graphic paper and cardboard produced from fresh fibres, graphic paper and cardboard made from recovered paper saves resources such as forest ecosystems. It also significantly reduces waste water pollution and the consumption of water and energy. Recycled paper that has been awarded the Blue Angel environmental label is guaranteed to be made from 100% recovered paper. The use of chlorine, halogenated bleaching agents and not readily biodegradable complexing agents is also prohibited during the production process.

The products covered by DE-UZ 14a include office paper (copying and multifunctional paper), writing paper and printing and publication papers. These recycled papers meet the highest standards with respect to their fitness for use (DIN EN 12281) and the durability of the paper (ISO 20404). If handled and stored with care, these products are resistant to ageing over many hundreds of years. The papers are also suitable for the production of high-quality printed matter in accordance with DE-UZ 195, such as books, newspapers, magazines and brochures.  In the case of office paper used for laser printing, the VOC (volatile organic substances) emissions are also restricted.

Here, you will also find other recycled paper that is used to produce finished products e.g. for office and school supplies.  Products for office and school supplies (such as exercise books, office calendars, pads, envelopes, colouring books and gift paper) come under the scope of DE-UZ 14b.

In contrast to the production process for paper made out of fresh fibres, producing paper from recovered paper not only saves resources but also generates less waste water and uses less water and energy. Finished products made from recycled paper that has been awarded the Blue Angel environmental label are guaranteed to be made from 100% recovered paper. The use of chlorine, optical brighteners and halogenated bleaching agents is also prohibited during the production process. In addition, other materials such as plastic, metal, etc. are only permitted to account for a maximum of 5% of the total mass of the product.

 If you are looking for copy and multifunctional paper made from 100% recovered paper, you will find it under the scope of DE-UZ 14a.

In contrast to the production process for paper made out of fresh fibres, producing paper from recovered paper not only saves resources but also generates less waste water and uses less water and energy. Printed matter that has been awarded the Blue Angel environmental label and which contains a percentage of fresh fibres is guaranteed to only contain those fresh fibres sourced from sustainably managed forests and forestry companies with high ecological standards. It is not permitted to use timber from forests that are particularly worthy of protection e.g. tropical or boreal forests.

At least 80% of the fibres used to produce the printing and publication papers primarily made from recovered paper listed here must be recycled. The addition of fresh fibres is sometimes necessary for paper used for quick printing processes because the high-speed printing presses require thin paper that has a very high resistance to tearing. Therefore, no test for the resistance to ageing is required for short-lived products such as paper used for newspapers.

Printing and publication papers made out of 100% recovered paper within the scope of DE-UZ 14a are available for durable and high-quality printed matter such as brochures and books. The papers listed there are also tested for their resistance to ageing and also include papers with heavier weights.

The production of printed matter is now also included within the scope of DE-UZ 195. Therefore, you will also find those printing companies listed there who print products in accordance with the Blue Angel standard.

Printed matter such as newspapers, magazines, books, catalogues, prospectuses, advertising inserts, brochures, flyers, calendars, operating instructions, posters and billboards are widely disseminated. Energy and resources such as paper and ink are required for their production. The printing process and the cleaning of the machines can lead to the emission of volatile organic solvents that contribute to the production of ozone and "summer smog".  In a comparison of their impact on ecological systems, those paper products made out of recovered paper perform significantly better in terms of their use of resources, waste water load and water and energy consumption than paper products made predominantly from virgin fibres. Therefore, the use of paper with a high proportion of recovered paper contributes to the preservation of resources, especially ecosystems such as forests, and to a reduction in waste during the manufacture of printed matter. In addition, the printed matter should allow for the recycling of its paper fibres through the use of suitable inks, varnishes and adhesives. Optimising procedures during the printing process can also reduce energy usage, waste paper and air and water emissions. Printed matter that has been awarded the Blue Angel environmental label thus represents an environmentally-friendly alternative to standard printed matter available on the market.

Are you looking for the right printing company for your printed matter? Click below on the field "View certified products”. You will be taken to the environmentally friendly printed matter section where you can use the “Category” field to filter the certified printing companies. You can then also download the list as an XLS file (Excel list) or PDF file. These files provide you with a list of all the printing companies and the printed matter that they produce. Alternatively, you can also use the “Category” field to filter the list and display all printed matter that comes under the scope of DE-UZ 195. This will provide you with an overview of the huge number of already existing printed matter that has been certified with the Blue Angel. 

Printing and publication papers and cardboard made out of 100% recovered paper that come under the scope of DE-UZ 14a and DE-UZ 56 should always be used wherever possible. This is especially true for durable and high-quality printed matter such as brochures or books.

Printing and publication papers primarily made from recovered paper (e.g. for high-speed newspaper printing presses) come under the scope of DE-UZ 72.

Artists’ colours are used not only in school and extracurricular art classes but also for decorative and creative hobby painting. In 2013, some 7000 tons of artists’ colours were sold on the German market.
These colours are complex mixtures of substances. They can contain ingredients with hazardous properties so that colours intended for use by children fall under the protection requirements of the European Toy Safety Directive.
The Blue Angel sets out requirements for the ingredients, quality, packaging and refillability of the colours. The substance requirements for the artists’ colours include - among others - the exclusion of azo dyes, fragrances and flavouring substances, VOC solvents and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
Moreover, the relevant requirements will be reviewed every year. From the perspective of environmental protection, artists’ colours should be made available in refillable containers in the most demand-responsive way possible, thus helping to reduce waste.

Even in our digital age, everyday life at home, at school or at the office cannot be imagined without pens, pencils and other writing instruments. In 2011, a total of over 500 million pencils, 400 million pens and 550 million felt pens were produced in Germany alone. These instruments are counted among those everyday products that are manufactured in large quantities but have a rather short service life and therefore should be designed in the most resource-efficient way possible. Hence, the Blue Angel criteria require the use of resource-conserving materials, environmentally friendly packaging and the avoidance of hazardous ingredients. Another goal is to extend the life cycle of the products, for example, by means of refill systems.

Material selection contributes in a significant way to the conservation of resources. One way to conserve resources is the use of recycled paper, board or plastic materials. Here, preference should be given to recycled material from so-called post-consumer waste from private households, agriculture, trade and industry. Such post-consumer waste constitutes by far the greatest proportion of all waste. So far, however, only a small percentage of this material is recycled according to the type of material. Since, from the ecological point of view, high-quality recycling according to the type of material is usually superior to all other forms of recycling the demand for the corresponding post-consumer recycling materials should be supported. Another way of conserving resources is the use of materials based on renewable raw materials, such as wood or bioplastics. In order to make sure that the renewable raw materials used can make a contribution towards sustainable development these materials must come from certified sources.

Environmentally friendly recycled paper

Paper made from recovered paper uses significantly less resources and also greatly reduces the wastewater load and water and energy consumption in comparison to standard products. The Blue Angel for paper made from 100% recovered paper for paper bags and boxes is awarded to products that live up to these requirements. At least 65% of the recovered paper must be sourced from the ordinary, medium and kraft paper grades, which are primarily recovered from household collections. The Blue Angel thus aims to ensure that almost all of the paper fibres recovered in the paper cycle are preserved. In addition, the Blue Angel restricts the addition of critical production aids and paper refining agents in its Basic Award Criteria in order reduce the pollutant load in the paper. For example, the use of optical brighteners, halogenated bleaching agents and not readily biodegradable complexing agents is prohibited except for in a few exceptional cases. Furthermore, it also sets strict requirements for waste water emissions, the generation of waste and energy consumption during the production of the paper.

Thermal papers are special papers and most people come across them in the form of receipts or tickets. The writing is not printed, but triggered by a chemical reaction in the paper. So far, these developer-based thermal papers have dominated the market. However, the chemical colour developers used to date are questionable from an environmental and health point of view. Bisphenol A, which until recently was the most commonly used substance, was banned for this use throughout the EU at the beginning of 2020 due to its endocrine and reproductive-toxic effects. However, alternatively used substances hardly seem to be better, but are also suspected of having human or ecotoxicological properties. Thermal papers with these colour developers should therefore not be disposed of with the waste paper, because the colour developers can then be found in the recycled paper and in the water cycle as a result of the recycling process.

The primary aim of the new eco-label is to refrain from using chemical colour developers that contain substances that are harmful to health or the environment.

For technical reasons, the use of cellulose made from primary fibres is necessary for thermal papers, since the paper involved is very thin and requires high tensile strength or tear strength. The raw materials obtained from waste paper do not currently meet these quality targets. The Blue Angel therefore ensures that the fibres come from sustainably managed forests. The removal of wood from forests that are particularly worthy of protection, such as tropical or boreal primeval forests, is not accepted.

Construction sites are getting quieter
The noise from construction sites is often found to be very loud and annoying. For protection of workers and residents construction sites should use low-noise construction machinery. Hence, the Blue Angel sets maximum permissible sound power levels for mobile outdoor equipment and machinery to allow a low-noise running of construction-sites.

Municipal vehicles UZ59a

Pollutants and noise emissions caused by municipal vehicles need to be reduced, especially in conurbations, city centres and areas worthy of protection.

The operating noise can be very disruptive in residential areas and quiet areas. In order to protect residents, it is important for municipalities to operate low-noise vehicles. Except for the obligation to label the noise emission levels, there are currently no legal requirements for the reduction of noise on municipal vehicles. Therefore, the Blue Angel will set limits for the permissible sound pressure levels for street sweepers and refuse collection vehicles.

To reduce air pollutants, there are strict requirements for exhaust and particulate emissions. The requirements conform to the legal regulations for reducing exhaust emissions and require the use of highly effective systems for exhaust gas treatment.

The aim is to reduce pollutant emissions and noise annoyances caused by buses, especially in metropolitan, inner-city and special protection areas.

Municipalities using low-noise buses make an important contribution to health protection

That is why the noise of a moving vehicle must comply with the legal noise limits. These limits will be further reduced from 2020.

Stringent exhaust and particulate emission limits must be met to reduce air pollutants The requirements correspond to the legal standards for exhaust emission reduction and require the use of high-efficiency exhaust after-treatment systems.

Electric buses and buses with hybrid drive must meet quality and safety requirements for the rechargeable traction battery to be awarded the Blue Angel eco-label. Replaceability and long-term availability of the batteries and accumulators used in the buses must be guaranteed.

The use of halogen-free refrigerants for the air-conditioning of the buses is expected to be required from 2020.

I don’t need to buy a car!

Car sharing offers significant potential for reducing the impact that traffic has on the environment and enables people to use a car without having to possess a vehicle of their own. Integrating car sharing into an environmental transport network consisting of public transport, cycling and walking is ideal for guaranteeing needs-based interconnected mobility services. Especially in cities and conurbations, the use of these services eases the burden on the public traffic system and reduces traffic-related air pollution.

The technical criteria for the car sharing fleets are designed to reduce air pollution that is harmful to health. Limit values for NOx and particulate emissions are imposed, which have to be complied with by newly purchased vehicles. This ensures the gradual modernisation of car sharing fleets because old diesel vehicles are systematically replaced by low-emission vehicles. In order to promote electromobility, a quota has been set for the integration of electric vehicles into the fleet owned by the car sharing operator.

Eco-friendly ship design - Implementation of environmental standards already during the construction of the ship. 
The aim of the Blue Angel eco-label is to implement as many environmental innovations as possible for reducing releases into the marine environment already during the planning phase for a sea-going ship. The requirements range from the installation of an emergency towing system to measures for air pollutant reduction and fuel tank protection (double hull). Also included are demanding requirements for onboard waste and wastewater treatment.
The scope comprises merchant ships, research and authority ships. Excluded are, among others, fishing and naval ships as well as sport boats.

Catalytic converters are used to reduce harmful exhaust emissions from combustion engines in motor vehicles.
These catalytic converters need to be replaced in the event of a defect. The Blue Angel Environmental Label can be issued to these replacement catalytic converters (Rep-Cat) if the products guarantee sufficiently low emissions and remain fully functional in the long term. Therefore, Rep-Cats are subjected to an artificial ageing process and then tested again. In addition, there is a determination of the precious metals content.
Due to varying quality in the production process, regular monitoring of the products in the form of yearly follow-up tests is prescribed within the award process for the Blue Angel Environmental Label.
Synthetic mineral fibres (also known as Man Made Mineral Fibres) with biopersistent characteristics can be used in the production of support mats for catalytic converters. Therefore, criteria are prescribed for the reduction of negative effects on health.

Deposit and reuse: the perfect duo for environmental protection
Single-use or returnable – meanwhile deposit has to be paid on both and the difference can hardly be noticed by the consumer. Here, the Blue Angel for reusable packagings is the perfect guide because - considering their overall environmental impact - reusable packagings are advantageous over non-returnable packagings. By indicating the name of the regional producer or the place of filling consumers can additionally select products with short distances of transportation. Thus, returnable packagings contribute to waste reduction and sustainable consumption.

Winter abrasive that minimises the slip hazard and protects the environment
In winter, property owners must fulfil their obligation to grit pavements and driveways. Most city and municipality codes prohibit the use of thawing agents, such as de-icing salt. An environmentally friendly and save alternative would be clearing the surface and gritting with salt-free Blue Angel-labelled abrasives. These products not only make slippery paths blunt and safe, they also protect roadside trees and shrubs.

Sound-proof glass collection containers!
There are waste-glass containers everywhere in our communities. Persons who drop bottles and glass containers as well as the immediate neighbourhood are exposed to annoying noise pollution. That is all over now! Glass can be dropped almost without a sound. Special insulating materials and an optimised dropping slot help to reduce the noise. The manufacturers are to give a two-year warranty on this noise reduction. These glass-collection containers find growing acceptance, especially in noise-sensitive areas within cities and communities.

Returnable packagings for goods transportation
Returnable packagings significantly contribute to waste reduction and therefore have great priority. Returnable transportation packagings are of great interest not only to the consumer but also in business management. They not only contribute to waste reduction but also to resource protection and they often also do better from the financial point of view.

Recycled plastic - a plastic with a past and a future

Plastic is a valuable material since it is made from one of our most valuable resources: oil. Therefore, recycling of plastics helps to conserve this raw material and to reduce the piles of waste. Every day, we buy and use products which have been manufactured from recycled plastics: What had been a yoghurt cup yesterday may very well be a practical carrier bag or a strong garbage bag today.

Recycled plastic - a plastic with a past and a future

Plastic is a valuable material since it is made from one of our most valuable resources: oil. Therefore, recycling of plastics helps to conserve this raw material and to reduce the piles of waste. Every day, we buy and use products which have been manufactured from recycled plastics: What had been a yoghurt cup yesterday may very well be a practical carrier bag or a strong garbage bag today.

Ligniperdous insects such as deathwatch beetles can be killed by exposure to heat. Thermal processes are thus an effective alternative to chemical pest control processes and contribute to a reduction in exposure to insecticides for people and the environment.

Articulate animals that are parasitic, harmful to health and damaging to stock in indoor spaces (e.g. bedbugs, moths, beetles and wood-destroying insects) can be killed through exposure to heat. Thermal processes are thus an effective alternative to chemical pest control processes and contribute to a reduction in expose to biocides for people and the environment. In addition, these processes can also kill pests resistant to insecticides and prevent the further development of this resistance.

A roll full of advantages 
You find them in the toilets of restaurants, cinemas and public institutions: Following a hand drying process cloth towel rolls roll on to offer the next guest a clean and dry piece of towel to wipe his or her hands dry. In addition to minimizing the volume of waste there are several other reasons to use cloth towel rolls carrying the Blue Angel eco-label: They offer a very long service life (80 to 100 cycles) and good hygienic properties. Apart from that, great demands are placed on the laundry’s cleaning processes. Award of the Blue Angel to cloth towels rolls guarantees that the entire cleaning and post-treatment process is done without any washing product containing biocidal agents.

The Blue Angel brings fresh air to the loo
Mobile toilets are increasingly used in camping vehicles and sport boats, but also at construction sites, highway restrooms, big events, on coaches, planes, trains and passenger ships. This often involves the use of environmentally harmful biocidal sanitary additives to reduce odour nuisance and gas formation in toilets. Blue Angel-labelled sanitary additives are an alternative that is compatible with wastewater treatment plants. They must meet stringent requirements with respect to the ingredients to make sure they not have any negative impacts on wastewater treatment plants.

The Blue Angel brings fresh air to the loo
Mobile toilets for the private user can be found in campers, sport boats and gardens. Flushing water additives are used to reduce odour nuisance and gas formation in toilets. They must meet stringent requirements with respect to the ingredients and they may not have any negative impacts on sewage treatment plants.

Environmental protection around airports
In winter, snowfall and icy conditions at airports require the use of movement area de-icers to improve the grip of runways, taxiways etc. The eco-label for movement area de-icers allows the user to select those products which distinguish themselves, among other things, by an easy biodegradability as well as by the lowest possible discharge of pollutants into the sewer system. Thus, they help to reduce the negative impacts on soil, groundwater and sewage treatment plants.

Environmentally friendly alternative to dry cleaning!
The environmental label is awarded to service providers offering professional cleaning of textile and leather outerwear as well as home textiles. When having a suit or dress cleaned it is recommended to do without dry cleaning. Wet cleaning uses the environmentally friendly solvent water. Hence, in this cleaning processes do not emit any pollutants into the air and into the wastewater - and yet, the textiles get clean.

Lubricants are used in various applications where an entry of substances into the environment cannot be completely avoided, especially when used for loss lubrication of rails, points, block trains or for sealing purposes and similar fields of application where high lubricant losses occur during the intended use. Also, loss lubrication during wood cutting causes the release of approximately 10,000 tons of chain lubricants into the environment per year. Even during the intended use of hydraulic fluids in agriculture and forestry as well as in the building industry significant quantities may escape in an uncontrolled way into the environment due to leakages and other defects. If the lubricants include components that are toxic to humans or the environment or have insufficient biodegradability, these releases into the environment can have an adverse effect on soil and water. This negative effect should be minimized in order to preserve intact ecosystems and avoid indirect impact on human health.
The aim of the Blue Angel eco-label for biodegradable lubricants and hydraulic fluids is to enable the user to choose products that, for example, consist primarily of renewable raw materials (vegetable or animal oils) and, first and foremost, stand out due to their good biodegradability. In order to conserve resources, the plastic canisters/containers are required to contain a minimum proportion of post-consumer recycled materials (PCR).

With regard to the DE-UZ 178 Basic Criteria for "Biodegradable Lubricants and Hydraulic Fluids" it was decided to set up, in Appendix 1, a publicly accessible "Lubricant Component Classification List" based on the LuSC List of the EU Ecolabel for Lubricants. This list is meant to make application filing easier for manufacturers of lubricants since the products which will be listed in said Appendix 1 will not require the submission of further data. The manufacturers of lubricant components shall be able, from now on, to have their products evaluated with costs in accordance with DE-UZ 178 and to apply for inclusion in Appendix 1 to DE-UZ 178.

Resource-saving reusable cup systems

The first coffee “to go” was brewed in Germany in 1996. By now, 70 percent of consumers across Germany use coffee-to-go cups particularly frequently or occasionally. Recent surveys by the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research gGmbH (ifeu) estimate a total quantity of 2.8 billion disposable cups per year in take-away sales - of which approx. 1.2 billion are to-go cups. The result: More and more discarded disposable cups pollute public spaces, streets and nature. Littering - the careless discarding of waste in public spaces - and overfilled waste bins are a costly challenge for local authorities. 

The ecolabel’s aim for reusable cup systems is to reduce the number of disposable cups and to strengthen environmentally friendly reusable cup systems. The criteria include requirements for the cups themselves as well as for the suppliers.

Materials that are harmful to the environment and health must be avoided in the production of the reusable cups and lids. The use of melamine resins and polycarbonate plastics, for example, which can release bisphenol A, is not permitted. In order not to increase the amount of waste, the cups must allow “material recycling”. This means that plastic cups may only be made of pure plastic, without being coated with other materials. In addition, the cups must be durable and have a service life of at least 500 wash cycles.

A deposit must also be demanded for the cup and lid. Furthermore, at the end of their service life, cups and lids must be taken back and recycled. Suppliers must also undertake to comply with the “Good Rules” for dispensing hot beverages: Customers should always first be offered a reusable cup and lid, or for their own cup to be filled. Furthermore, reusable cup system providers must prove that their logistics concept contributes to the ecological optimisation of transport routes and vehicles.

The number of (parcel) shipments is growing steadily; in 2020 alone, more than 4 billion shipments were delivered. The main reason is the increase in online purchases. The resulting transport processes are especially responsible for emitting greenhouse gases, particulate matter and NOx, as well as noise. A particularly relevant part of these environmental impacts occurs on the so-called "last mile", that is, the last leg of the journey, such as the transport from the parcel centre with the 3.5 t delivery vehicle to the recipients.

Last mile delivery service refers to the delivery of goods from locally based retailers or regional warehouses of large online retailers to end customers. These deliveries are often carried out by local delivery service providers. This is a broad field of quite differently positioned market players, from bicycle couriers to regional courier and transport providers to the local branches of the large internationally active transport and delivery service providers.

The Blue Angel is awarded to delivery services that travel the last mile with the lowest possible emissions and avoid multiple deliveries through alternative pick-up points or delivery concepts. The use of alternative pick-up points, such as parcel stations or parcel shops that are close to home and can be reached without a car, is particularly beneficial to the environment. The transport vehicles used are either non-motorised or electric and fuelled with green electricity.

Since instant or rush deliveries are usually associated with low utilisation of the means of transport and are therefore problematic from an environmental point of view, they are excluded from the Blue Angel. Furthermore, delivery services carried out under unfavourable or socio-politically questionable working conditions are excluded.

With this eco-label, retailers together with delivery service providers can proactively offer their customers a delivery that meets the conditions of the Blue Angel, provided that the relevant requirements are fulfilled in each case.

The current form of the eco-label does not include the further, upstream delivery processes (e.g. transports from the warehouses of supra-regionally active online retailers via the collection warehouse and distribution centre to the destination or delivery warehouse). This transport step is usually carried out under completely different logistical conditions than the final delivery. However, it is intended that future revisions of the current eco-label award criteria will review whether appropriate environmental requirements can be formulated here as well.

The type of goods shipped and their environmental compatibility are generally not covered by the environmental labelling of delivery services.

Climate-friendly eating and sustainable dining

Almost everyone eats food outside the home at times - many people eat in staff canteens or university cafeterias, for example. Both in the professional and private sphere, food and drinks are ordered on particular occasions. This can now also be done in an environmentally friendly way. Not only the food and drinks are more environmentally friendly, but also the way meals are prepared. Waste must also be avoided and there are certain requirements for kitchen equipment. The stipulated requirements not only aim to protect the climate, but also to protect natural resources.

The ecological goals are complemented by social aspects in the entire value chain through the required use of fair trade food as well as labour regulations in the canteen or catering company. Furthermore, the recommendations of the German Nutrition Society must be observed, as health aspects are central to sustainable nutrition. The Blue Angel provides consumers and public procurers with reliable guidance for sustainable food consumption.

Whether in the home or in the office, fire extinguishers perform not only their vital function in fire protection but also an important task in environmental protection: extinguishing incipient fires prevents the emission of numerous toxic combustion products into the environment. When selecting fire extinguishers, it is therefore all the more important to look for products that contain extinguishing agents that are as low in pollutants and as environmentally friendly as possible. Foam and water fire extinguishers that have been awarded the BLUE ANGEL therefore do not use persistent per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as additives to the extinguishing agent and only contain surfactants that are classified as readily biodegradable according to standard OECD tests. This way, consumers can contribute to preventing the accumulation of persistent PFAS in living organisms and the environment as well as long-term damage to water bodies caused by emitted extinguishing agents. 

The new ecolabel may be awarded to organic growing media that stands out due to its complete avoidance of peat. Peat has been used as a raw material in this sector for decades because it has very good characteristics for the production of growing media suitable for the cultivation of plants. However, the use of peat can have negative effects on the environment. As it takes a very long time for peatlands to form on moors, peat is considered a non-renewable raw material and the carbon stored in the peat is emitted as CO2 when it is used. In order to protect the climate, it is necessary to retain the carbon stored in the peat. The conservation or renaturation of moors also makes an important contribution to promoting biodiversity. Therefore, it is necessary for the peat in the growing media to be replaced by renewable raw materials, also called “peat substitutes”.

Peat-free growing media are usually a mix of several different peat substitutes because the desired quality parameters can only be achieved by developing a suitable combination of different raw materials. Green material compost, wood fibres, bark humus and horticultural coconut products are currently the main materials used in these products. The Blue Angel places requirements on the responsible sourcing of these peat substitutes in accordance with sustainability criteria. If wood fibres are used in the products, the ecolabel requires the use of residual substances to avoid competition with any long-term uses for the wood fibres in e.g. the construction sector. The criteria also state that the wood fibres must be sourced from sustainable forestry. In addition, the criteria focus on social aspects and wastewater disposal when using horticultural coconut products.

Strict pollutant criteria are also placed, for example, on the presence of heavy metals and organic pollutants. Certified growing media must also verify that they have a good fitness for use. This includes having a high plant tolerance, a stable nitrogen content and limits on any impurities in the form of plastic or weed seeds.

This ecolabel may be used to certify organic growing substances that

• completely avoid the use of peat,
• use organic raw materials to promote a circular economy,
• aspire to use raw materials in a sustainable and transparent way,
• and can verify their fitness for use and their compliance with strict pollutant limits.